A federal judge in Washington, D.C., issued an apology Monday to a man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump and members of his cabinet, expressing concern over how he has been treated while in custody following his arrest in connection with an alleged plot targeting the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui told 31-year-old Cole Allen that he regretted the conditions the defendant faced in jail, particularly that he had been placed on suicide watch even after a mental health evaluation concluded he was not a danger to himself, according to Politico.

Faruqui emphasized that the court has a responsibility to ensure detainees are held under appropriate and safe conditions, adding that Allen was “being treated differently than anyone I’ve ever observed.”

Prosecutor Jocelyn Ballantine said the FBI supported the precaution after Allen told agents following his April 25 arrest that “he did not expect to survive the attempted assasination of the president.”

Tony Towns, representing the Washington, D.C., detention facility, said Allen was placed in isolation due to “ongoing” psychological evaluations and that medical personnel made the decision to keep him under those conditions.

Judge Faruqui, however, said he did not interpret Allen’s statement as evidence of suicidal intent, but rather as an expectation that he would be killed during the alleged attack at the formal event held at the Washington Hilton.

Although Allen’s attorneys had originally asked for Monday’s hearing, they sought to withdraw that request on Sunday after their client was reportedly taken off suicide watch.

Faruqui refused to call off the proceeding, citing “grave concerns” about how Allen had been handled while in custody.

Allen, who is from Torrance, California, faces multiple charges, including attempting to assassinate the president, transporting a firearm and ammunition across state lines with the intent to commit a felony, and discharging a firearm during a violent crime.

{Matzav.com}