The Judge did WHAT?

In a stunning moment inside a federal courtroom, a judge issued an apology directly to the suspect accused in the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting case.

Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui openly questioned how the suspect, Cole Allen, has been treated while in custody—raising concerns about whether the system went too far.

Allen was reportedly placed on suicide watch shortly after being detained. Prosecutors argued the move was necessary, pointing to statements he allegedly made suggesting he did not expect to survive the attack—indicating he could be a risk to himself.

But Judge Faruqui wasn’t buying it.

Drawing comparisons to defendants from January 6 cases, the judge pushed back hard on the government’s handling of Allen, saying:

“To me, it’s extremely disturbing that he was put in five-point restraints, a person with no criminal history. 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 courtroom exchange didn’t stop there.

In a rare and highly unusual moment, the judge turned directly to the defendant and issued an apology:

“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.”

The case continues to raise serious questions—not just about the alleged attack itself, but about how suspects are treated once they’re in custody… and whether the system applies the same standards across the board.

Follow IRC Media on all platforms, and visit www.ircmedia.net