Judge Hears Jail Conditions Complaints in White House Dinner Attack Case

D.C. jail. U.S.

Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui told Allen he was 'very troubled' by the 'conditions you've been treated to' and emphasized that Allen is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The hearing followed complaints from Allen's lawyers about his treatment since his arrest last week.

Prosecutors charged Allen with attempting to assassinate the president and two firearm charges after he sprinted through a security checkpoint one story above the ballroom at the Washington Hilton on April 25, armed with a shotgun.

The dinner hosted 2,600 guests, including President Trump, top administration officials, and members of the press corps. Allen, a resident of Torrance, California, agreed through his lawyers to remain jailed while awaiting trial.

Jail last week, Allen was placed on suicide watch, held in a padded cell with lights on constantly and no access to a phone or tablet. A day later, he was downgraded to suicide precautions, which still sharply limited his phone access and ability to leave his cell.

On Friday, Allen was reassessed and deemed not to be a risk but remained in a form of protective custody, held separately from other inmates.

Allen's lawyers alleged he was denied access to a Bible last week, that his tablet has not been set up yet, and that he was not able to meet with his legal team privately. D.C. Department of Corrections, about these conditions during the Monday hearing.

Towns said the issues raised would be worked out in the coming days and that a tablet allowing Allen to read court filings and access legal materials would be set up soon. A psychiatrist assessed Allen as a suicide risk, though the medical form from that evaluation was not in the record. Faruqui said he wanted to see the medical form.