US Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui apologized to Cole Allen, the man accused of trying to assassinate President Donald Trump, over his treatment in jail.
Faruqui even complained that the Capitol Hill rioters received better treatment than Allen.
Okay. First of all, every single person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Yes, even Allen.
Second, this man is accused of trying to assassinate a president, so chill out, judge.
Faruqui had a problem with the fact that Allen was on suicide watch. From Fox News:
Suicide watch protocols mandated that Cole remain on a 24-hour lockdown in a “safe cell” and have no phone access to call or receive visits from anyone other than his legal team, according to the motion. His lawyers also wanted him to be able to obtain a tablet to assist in his legal defense.He was also allegedly denied a copy of the Bible despite more than one request.
Prosecutor Jocelyn Ballantine argued that Allen needed a suicide watch since “he did not expect to survive the alleged attack.”
According to The New York Post, DC lockup lawyer Tony Towns explained they placed Allen “in the isolated cell because of ‘ongoing’ psych exams and that the decision to keep him there was made by medical staff at the facility.”
That…that actually sounds reasonable to me.
Faruqui said he believes Allen meant “he expected to be shot during the attack” and did not plan to commit suicide.
It does seem like overkill to me to put him in five-points restraints and deny him phone calls, visits, and a Bible.
Again, Allen hasn’t been convicted, and he’s presumed innocent no matter how much evidence is piled up against him.
For some reason, though, Farqui decided to bring up the Capitol Hill rioters:
“To me, it’s extremely disturbing that he was put in five-point restraints, a person with no criminal history,” Faruqui said, later adding that Allen is presumed innocent. “It’s troubling. I never heard of one Jan. 6 defendant who was put in five-point restraints or in a safe cell. If the only way to keep him safe is the most punitive thing, that’s a problem.”The judge said even Jan. 6 defendants were only house in a Correctional Treatment Facility (CTF), a less restrictive form of prison housing.”Pardons may erase convictions, but they don’t erase history,” he said. “They were hanging gallows outside.””What am I to say to Allen that this is going to be a fair process if we’re putting him in a safe cell when he’s not supposed to be in there?” Faruqui said. “At a minimum I should be apologizing to him. We are obligated to make sure he’s taken care of. Mr. Allen, I’m sorry that things have not been the way they are supposed to.”
Did…did Faraqui opine that the Capitol Hill rioters didn’t receive this kind of treatment? That’s how it sounds to me.
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