Judge compares jail treatment of press dinner gunman to US Capitol rioters
A federal magistrate judge compared the Department of Corrections’ treatment of accused man Shots opened at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner As of Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot defendants at a hearing Monday regarding the man’s prison conditions.
Lawyers for Cole Tomas Allen said in court filings that Allen was unfairly placed on suicide watch and restricted to restricted housing at the Washington, D.C., jail where he was being held before trial.
Allen, a California native, allegedly passed through a security checkpoint with a shotgun during a dinner attended by the president and senior administration officials on April 26. He faces several charges, including attempting to assassinate Trump.
At Monday’s hearing, Judge Zia M. Faruqui scolded the DOC for its treatment of Allen.
Faruqui said he has handled multiple cases involving defendants who arrived at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and that Allen’s allegations of treatment, including being fully restrained with a five-point shackling system, were worse than the treatment meted out to those defendants.
Referring to Trump’s mass pardon for those involved in the January 6 attack, Faruqui said at Monday’s hearing: “Pardons may erase convictions, but they do not erase history.”
Faruqui is known for defending the civil rights of defendants.
“He was treated differently than anyone I have ever observed,” the judge added.
A representative from the prison said Allen had been placed watch suicide Following an initial evaluation by a doctor shortly thereafter, final decisions on where it will be placed have not yet been made.
Allen had sent a note to his family at the time of the attack, making it clear that he did not support the administration. In the letter, he thanked his family and friends and noted that he would probably never speak to them again “unless the Secret Service is *shockingly* incompetent.”
Faruqui concluded Monday’s hearing by personally apologizing to Allen and ordering the prison to notify him when a housing order is made.
“I’m sorry,” the judge told Allen. “I apologize in advance for whatever you’ve been through.”
The judge also ordered the prison to give Allen the Bible he requested after the defense attorney said a “kindly” prison guard shared portions of the Bible with Allen.
Following the hearing, D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro tweeted about the judge’s comments.
“Welcome to Washington, D.C., where U.S. Magistrate Judge Faruqui believes that a defendant who is armed to the teeth and attempted to assassinate the president is entitled to preferential treatment during his detention compared to all other defendants,” Pirro wrote.
This story has been updated with additional details.
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