1 year ago
A national justice has issued rulings limiting immoderate arguments the defence tin marque astatine Sam Bankman-Fried’s transgression fraud proceedings adjacent month. However, the justice volition let Bankman-Fried’s lawyers to question witnesses astir past recreational cause use.
Bankman-Fried Can’t Mention Jail Time astatine Trial
In a 16-page order, Lewis Kaplan, the U.S. District justice presiding implicit the case granted immoderate of prosecutors’ requests to barroom definite defence strategies and grounds astatine the October proceedings of the FTX cryptocurrency speech founder. Kaplan prohibited Sam Bankman-Fried‘s lawyers from telling jurors he’s been detained pretrial oregon referencing his household and idiosyncratic life.
The justice besides barred arguments implicit whether FTX customers were negligent successful utilizing the speech oregon that Bankman-Fried intended to wage backmost immoderate allegedly stolen funds. Kaplan wrote some are irrelevant oregon unfairly prejudicial.
However, Kaplan declined to prohibit Bankman-Fried’s lawyers from asking witnesses astir recreational cause use. Prosecutors claimed it would harass witnesses and prejudice jurors. Kaplan said the defence indispensable notify him and the prosecutors earlier raising it.
The rulings came connected dueling requests from prosecutors and defence lawyers to bounds arguments and grounds astatine the New York trial, which follows the alleged multibillion-dollar fraud that caused Bahamas-based FTX’s illness successful November 2022.
Bankman-Fried, 30, has pleaded not blameworthy to charges helium defrauded investors and looted lawsuit deposits connected FTX, cheating customers retired of billions. He was primitively freed connected $250 cardinal enslaved but the enslaved was revoked.
Judge Says Government’s FTT Market Manipulation Evidence Is Admissible
Kaplan besides said that the alleged tampering with the cryptocurrency tokens, which supposedly altered Alameda Research’s fiscal records, was a nonstop enactment taken arsenic portion of the claimed concealed program oregon conspiracy. Thus, Kaplan believes the claimed tampering is straight linked to the main accusation successful the case.
Additionally, the assertion that the suspect instructed the erstwhile CEO of Alameda Research, Caroline Ellison, to alteration the terms of FTT shows that they had a adjacent and trusting relationship. Kaplan stressed the value of this accusation successful proving the lawsuit is greater than immoderate imaginable bias it mightiness cause, truthful he’s allowed it arsenic grounds successful the trial.
Kaplan wrote the ruling aft reams of pretrial motions from prosecutors and defence lawyers aiming to tilt the playing tract successful their favor. Furthermore, Bankman-Fried’s lawyers person attempted to get him released earlier the proceedings for the 3rd clip successful a row.
Jury enactment is acceptable for October 3, 2023, with opening statements apt successful precocious October.
What bash you deliberation astir the upcoming proceedings against Bankman-Fried? Share your thoughts and opinions astir this taxable successful the comments conception below.
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