WASHINGTON (7News) — A federal judge is raising new concerns about how the man accused in the shooting near the White House Correspondents’ Dinner is being held behind bars, shifting attention from the high-profile incident itself to conditions inside the D.C. jail.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui said in a court order Sunday that he has “grave concerns” about the treatment of suspect Cole Tomas Allen, including what he described as seemingly unprompted solitary confinement over several days.
The judge has ordered jail officials to appear in court for a hearing scheduled Monday.
“The Court has grave concerns about the defendant’s seemingly unprompted solitary confinement for days and overall conditions of confinement,” Faruqui wrote.
The move comes just over a week after prosecutors say Allen opened fire in a hotel lobby outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner — an event attended by more than 2,000 journalists, government officials and the president.
Allen, who is facing federal charges including attempting to assassinate the president, has been the subject of repeated complaints from his defense attorneys regarding how he has been treated in custody.
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In court filings, his attorneys said Allen was placed on suicide watch shortly after arriving at the D.C. jail — despite, they claim, showing no signs of being a risk to himself.
That designation placed him in what’s known as a “safe cell,” a padded room with constant lighting and 24-hour lockdown conditions.
According to the filings, Allen was required to wear a restrictive vest, had limited clothing, and was only allowed out of the cell for legal or medical visits.
His attorneys described the conditions as “excessive restrictions on his liberty that serve no justifiable purpose” and argued they interfered with his ability to prepare a defense.
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They also raised concerns about their early attempts to meet with Allen, saying they were initially unable to speak with him privately and had to communicate through a jail phone while he was restrained in a locked cell.
However, in a new development Sunday, Allen’s attorneys said he is no longer on suicide status — easing some of their immediate legal concerns about his confinement.
Still, the judge’s order signals broader scrutiny of how jail officials handled the situation. Defense attorneys have suggested the conditions may have violated Allen’s constitutional rights, including protections related to due process and access to legal counsel.
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The D.C. jail has long faced criticism over conditions for detainees, and Faruqui is known for taking an active interest in inmate treatment.
Monday’s hearing is expected to focus on the decisions that led to Allen’s placement in solitary confinement and whether those conditions were appropriate.
As the legal battle continues, the case is increasingly centered not only on the allegations tied to the shooting, but also on how the accused is being treated while awaiting trial.