Suspect in Trump assassination plot whines about conditions in Brooklyn jail demanding salt and pepper for his food
An alleged Iranian agent accused of plotting to assassinate Donald Trump and other US pols is complaining about conditions in Brooklyn’s notorious federal Metropolitan Detention Center — including how he can’t get salt and pepper for his vegetarian slop.Asif Merchant, 46, has been holed up in solitary confinement at the federal lockup in Sunset Park since he was nabbed last July over the alleged murder-for-hire plot to take out current and former government officials.Merchant is now complaining about conditions in the notorious strict jail, which is currently also home to disgraced rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs and accused UnitedHealthcare CEO killer Luigi Mangione.
In a letter to the judge, Merchant’s lawyer claims that “arbitrary and capricious” rules are being inflicted only to make his “life at the MDC more miserable.”That includes the Pakistani national being unable to get warm clothes for his cold cell nor sauces or seasoning for his bland meals while in the jail’s Special Administrative Measures — or SAMS — unit, according to the letter sent to US District Judge Eric Komitee.“Unfortunately, despite numerous requests, the MDC has not allowed Mr.
Merchant to have salt or pepper to season his meals and has not allowed him to purchase from the commissary any sauce or seasoning that would give his food some flavor,” his lawyer, Avraham Moskowitz, wrote.“Indeed, Mr Merchant has been told that most of the food items that the other inmates are allowed to buy from the commissary, are not available to him for purchase.Thus, for example, he is not allowed to buy spicy chips of any kind that could be put in his vegetarian meals to add flavor.” “These restrictions make no sense and certainly are not based on any security needs,” the lawyer added.
Merchant has also allegedly been prevented from buying a sweatshirt or sweatpants from the commissary to keep warm, his lawyer said.His family, too, have been barred from sending him warmer...