The warden of Manhattan’s Metropolitan Correctional Facility said Tuesday afternoon that Michael Avenatti was being held in a special housing unit “for his own safety,” as he waits to stand trial next week on charges that the tried to extort Nike Inc.

The explanation, from warden M. Licon-Vitale, came just hours after the Manhattan federal judge overseeing Avenatti’s criminal case ordered prosecutors to respond to concerns from the embattled lawyer’s defense team about his living conditions in the jail, where he has been held since a California judge revoked his bail last week.