| In
Sex Cult Case US Aims to Push Ray to Feb
22 He Must Provide Discovery Week Before
Trial
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon Podcast
BBC
- Decrypt
- LightRead - Honduras
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Source
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
Jan 6 – When Larry Ray was
arraigned on charges of sexual
exploitation, prostitution,
forced labor and money
laundering on February 12,
2020 he was wearing prison
blues and still had a Federal
Defender, but no financial
affidavit to have FD
appointed. Twitter theadette;
More on Patreon here.
On April
28, 2021, there was a
suppression hearing about his
arrest and questioning. Inner
City Press live tweeted it here
and below.
On December
22 Ray's Federal Defenders
requested a jury questionnaire
citing adverse publicity "not
only in traditional media
outlets." But the next
sections contains redactions,
after the words "Community
Bookstore live, and apparently
of a URL, because it contains
a name. But how then is it
confidential?
On January 6,
2022 Judge Liman held another
conference and Inner City
Press live tweeted, like this:
Judge Liman: AUSA
Sassoon, when I issued my
order on advice of counsel, I
had not contemplated defense
would begin its case in chief
by cross examination, for
purposes other than
impeachment. I'd like the
defense to call for a sidebar
[with press pool?]
AUSA Sassoon: We
think that proposal is a good
way to address our concerns.
Judge Liman: Will
the defense make reciprocal
discovery a week before its
cross examination of US
witnesses?
Federal Defender
Neil Kelly: We object to that
timing. This is a sprawling
case
Judge Liman: I'm
prepared to rule, under US
v. Crowder, that one the
US provides its list the
defense must comply with its
Rule 16 obligations, one week
before trial.
Watch this
site.
On September 27,
Isabella Pollak moved for a
continuance (delay) or for
severance, noting the third
team of lawyers and this
volume of discovery: 516,169
images, 1,462 documents, 1043
spreadsheets, 320 audio files,
256 video files and 277
internet files.
On October 8, the
US Attorney's Office wrote to
Judge Liman that "the
Government objects to
adjourning the joint trial for
the lengthy period of time
requested by Pollok [but] does
not object to severing
Pollok's trial from Ray's,
keeping the trial of Ray
scheduled for February 2022
and scheduling Pollok's trial
for a later date."
But Ray opposes
severing Pollok's case. On
October 15 Pollok's Hastings
on Hudson-based lawyer
insisted on severance: "As
Judge Learned Hand succinctly
stated, '[n]o accused person
has any recognizable legal
interest in being tried with
another, accused with him.' US
v. Bronson, 145 F.2d 939, 943
(2d Cir. 1944 (L. Hand, J.)"
On October 18
Pollok's counsel wrote to
Judge Liman asking to modify
her conditions of release, so
she can work overtime at
Amazon, which no longer with
permit any electronic devices
(like GPS bracelets) on the
warehouse floor. The US
consents to this change.
And on October
19, Judge Liman granted the
requests: "MEMO ENDORSEMENT
granting [235] LETTER MOTION
filed by Isabella Pollok (2),
addressed to Judge Lewis J.
Liman from Attorney Jill R.
Shellow dated 10/18/2021 re:
Request to modify conditions
of pretrial release. I am
writing to request
respectfully two modifications
to Isabella Pollok's
conditions of pretrial
release: (1) Ms. Pollok has a
curfew from 9PM until 5AM. We
respectfully request that the
curfew condition be removed.
(2) Ms. Pollok wears a GPS
ankle bracelet. Accordingly,
we respectfully request that
the GPS bracelet condition be
removed. ENDORSEMENT: REQUEST
GRANTED. Bail modifications
approved. SO ORDERED. (Signed
by Judge Lewis J. Liman on
10/19/2021)."
But what about
Amazon barring any worker with
a GPS bracelet, under
pre-trial release (that is,
presumed innocent) from
working its warehouses?
On October 20,
Judge Liman granted severance:
"ORDER as to Lawrence Ray,
Isabella Pollok. It is hereby
ORDERED that the proposed
schedule appearing at Dkt. No.
219, setting forth the
deadlines related to expert
witnesses in the case United
States v. Ray,
20-cr-110-LJL-1, is APPROVED.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that,
for the reasons stated by the
Court on the record at the
October 19, 2021, Status
Conference, the motion of
Isabella Pollok for a
continuance is GRANTED and the
trials of Lawrence Ray and
Isabella Pollok are severed,
with Isabella Pollok's trial
to begin on July 18, 2022."
On November 11,
Veterans Day, the US
Attorney's Office wrote to
Judge Liman asking to push
Ray's trial back to February
22, to enable it to produce
3500 / Giglio material on
month in advance of
trial.
On November 19
Pollok filed a motion to
suppress all statements she
made upon arrest. She says,
"At 6 am on February 11, 2020
Ms. Pollak awoke to banging
and people shouting FBI." Then
statements without Miranda
warnings. What will Judge
Liman do? Watch this site.
The case is US v.
Ray, 20-cr-110 (Liman).
***
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