| Inmate Died
In MDC Day After Guilty Verdict On Child
Porn Charges, Now Judge's Questions
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC
- Guardian
UK - Honduras
- ESPN
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
Sept 14 – Frederick Scheinin
was charged, and then
convicted, for child
pornography. He was a DEA
diversion investigator.
And 24
hours after he was convicted
in a jury trial Inner City
Press covered below, he was
dead in the Metropolitan
Detention Center in Brooklyn
(where Ghislaine Maxwell is
detained).
After his
conviction, Scheinin was
placed in the MDC Special
Housing Unit: "he was alone in
the cell and had no cellmate.
The MDC SHU cells on that tier
each have solid metal doors
with a clear window. The SHU
hallways have cameras but the
individual cells do not....
The final results of the
autopsy have not been received
by the family." The request to
Judge Jed S. Rakoff to probe
is itself heavily redacted.
On July 22, the
US Bureau of Prisons
responded that Judge Rakoff
should NOT see the records,
that a report is being
prepared that can be requested
after August 8 - under FOIA.
On July 26,
Scheinin's trial counsel wrote
again to Judge Rakoff, noting
that BOP has provided
inconsistent accounts of the
timing of the final checks on
Mr. Scheinin and the discovery
of his body," and insisting on
an in camera probe. They cite
the Noel (Jeffrey Epstein)
case.
On July 28 from
Judge Rakoff, this: "ORDER as
to Frederick L. Scheinin: The
Court believes it would be
helpful to hold oral argument
on the Federal Defenders'
application, but that such
argument should await the
receipt of the results of the
autopsy being conducted by the
New York City Office of the
Chief Medical Examiner and, if
it can be completed reasonably
promptly thereafter, the
Bureau of Prisons' mortality
review report. Accordingly,
the Court hereby schedules
oral argument."
And it was held
on September 13, and Inner
City Press covered it. Judge
Rakoff asked BOP to review the
videos and report to him. It
was floated that submissions
can be "attorneys eyes only,"
as in a civil case. This is a
criminal case. How much will
be redacted, on this case of a
death of a prisoner in
government custody?
On September 14,
Judge Rakoff docketed his
questions, including: "ORDER
as to Frederick L. Scheinin:
The Court, without opposition
from any party, directed the
BOP to provide by no later
than October 1, 2021 (the date
requested by BOP counsel) the
answers to the following
questions, which for the
benefit of all concerned, are
here repeated and clarified:
Which of the medications
listed in the Court's June 22,
2021 medical attention order,
which directed the BOP to
administer certain medications
to Scheinin, were in fact
administered to Scheinin after
his remand to USMS custody? If
any listed medications were
not administered on schedule,
why were they not
administered? When did the MDC
Brooklyn medical staff receive
the Court's medical attention
order? (Signed by Judge Jed S.
Rakoff on 9/14/2021)." Inner
City Press will have more on
this.
On April 16, U.S.
District Court for the
Southern District of New York
Judge Lorna G. Schofield held
a proceeding. Inner City Press
covered it.
The
defense said it is difficult
to work with Scheinin while he
is incarcerated amid COVID.
On May 7 SDNY
Judge Jed S. Rakoff, to whom
the case has been re-assigned,
held a proceeding. The June 16
trial date was re-affirmed -
and Inner City press has been
covering it, including on
Juneteenth, when the
government's main witness was
cross examined.
She,
a 32 year old law enforcement
officer, impersonated a 14
year old boy on Grindr.
Scheinin asked her/him about
meeting on the Staten Island
Ferry, and (much) worse. The
defense argument was, Scheinin
knew she was an adult.
But this
opens the door to 404(b)
evidence, including photos
that the defense on June 18
said is too prejudicial. It
will be emailed to Judge
Rakoff, who has promised fast
rulings and a draft charge by
midday Monday.
On Tuesday, June
22: "the conviction in
Manhattan federal court of
FREDERICK L. SCHEININ for
attempted production of child
pornography, attempted receipt
of child pornography, and
attempted enticement of a
minor... Attempted
production of child
pornography carries a
mandatory minimum sentence of
15 years in prison and a
maximum sentence of 30 years
in prison; attempted receipt
of child pornography carries a
mandatory minimum sentence of
five years in prison and a
maximum sentence of 20 years
in prison; and attempted
enticement of a minor carries
a mandatory minimum sentence
of 10 years in prison and
maximum sentence of life in
prison. SCHEININ is
scheduled to be sentenced on
September 23, 2021, at 4:00
pm."
And Judge Rakoff
to his credit signed a medical
attention order: "MEDICAL
ATTENTION FORM as to Frederick
L. Scheinin. (Signed by Judge
Jed S. Rakoff on 6/22/2021)."
The case is US v.
Scheinin, 20-cr-133 (Rakoff)
***
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