Judge apologizes to Trump attack suspect, questions harsher jail treatment

A federal judge apologizes in open court to the man accused of trying to assassinate President Trump over how he's been treated in a Washington, D.C. jail

In a hearing Monday, Magistrate Judge Zia Farraqui pressed officials over the conditions for Cole Allen, saying he was deeply troubled by what he was hearing

According to the New York Times, Allen was held alone for up to 23 hours a day

under conditions the judge described as effectively solitary confinement. Farrakwi didn't hold back, saying, quote

I'm obviously very concerned about how we've gotten here. He's been treated completely differently than anyone I've ever seen

Allen is accused of storming the White House Correspondents' Dinner, armed with guns and knives, charging a security checkpoint

and firing from a 12-gauge shotgun before Secret Service was able to stop him

Prosecutors say this new video from the night of the dinner shows him pacing inside the Washington Hilton

then suddenly rushing toward officers with a weapon. They also say he told investigators he did not expect to survive

which factored into the initial decision to place him on suicide watch

Some of those restrictions have since been eased, but the judge is now ordering a full accounting of how those conditions were set

The case is also drawing political reaction, with U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro criticizing the judge's remarks

writing on X in part, quote, Welcome to Washington, D.C., where U.S. Magistrate Judge Farraqui believes a defendant

armed to the teeth and attempting to assassinate the president, is entitled to preferential treatment in his confinement

The 31-year-old Alan remains in federal custody and, if convicted, could face life in prison