| Man
Arrived
Legless in
SDNY Via
Oklahoma in
Gun Case Still
Evaluation Now
Laptop Fight
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
Nov 18 – Ira
Booker was
charged with
conspiracy to
traffic in
narcotics and
automatic
weapons, with
the Sinaloa
Cartel and
even Al
Shabaab. He
was arrested
in California
on February
24, 2023.
Two
months later,
on April 25,
2023 U.S.
District Court
for the
Southern
District of
New York
Magistrate
Judge Ona T.
Wang arraigned
Booker, who
was in a
wheelchair.
His
lawyer said
that while
being
transferred
from
California to
New York via
the hub in
Oklahoma, he
was left in a
place in
shackles, got
blood clots
and ended up
having a leg
amputated.
Upon arrival
in New York,
rather than
the MDC in
Brooklyn, he
was placed in
a
rehabilitation
center in the
Bronx named
Gold Crest.
After
arraignment he
was to be
taken back
there.
On
April 27
District Judge
Jennifer H.
Rearden to her
credit ordered
records,
albeit under
seal.
On
May 9,
2023Judge
Rearden held a
status
conference,
with Booker
still in Gold
Crest: "Minute
Entry for
proceedings
held before
Judge Jennifer
H. Rearden:
Status
Conference as
to Ira Booker
held on
5/4/2023.
Defendant Ira
Booker present
by telephone
from Gold
Crest Care
center with
Federal
Defender by
video... The
Court
requested a
status
letter."
Jump
cut nearly a
year to May 3,
2024 -
Booker's
medical
condition
still
unresolved:
"Minute Entry
for
proceedings
held before
Judge Jennifer
H. Rearden:
Status
Conference as
to Mittel
Patel, Ira
Booker held on
5/2/2024.
Defendant
Mittel Patel
present with
CJA attorney
Jacob Kaplan.
Defendant Ira
Booker not
present;
appearance
waived.
Federal
Defender Mark
Gombiner
present for
Defendant
Booker. AUSA
Jonathan
Bodansky
present for
the
Government.
Court reporter
Sonia Moore
present. As
soon as a
medical
evaluation of
Defendant
Booker has
taken place,
the Government
is directed to
submit a
status report
with input
from Mr.
Gombiner
regarding the
outcome of the
evaluation,
including any
testing, and
any potential
alternative
resolution of
this matter."
Docketed
on November
18, Judge
Rearden issued
an order about
possible
laptop (also
at issue in a
China fentanyl
case before
Judge Gardephe
that Inner
City Press is
covering) -
"MEMO
ENDORSEMENT as
to Ira Booker
on re: [55]
LETTER by Ira
Booker
addressed to
Judge Jennifer
H. Rearden
from Mark
Gombiner dated
November 15,
2024 re:
Competency
Update.
ENDORSEMENT:
Defense
counsel and
the Government
are directed
to confer with
each other and
with
appropriate
Marshals
Service
personnel
regarding
Defendants
requested
laptop access.
By November
21, 2024, (1)
to the extent
the Government
consents to
the requested
access, the
parties shall
submit a
proposed order
setting forth
the security
requirements
and any other
specifications
that the
laptop must
meet, as well
as any
restrictions
on Defendants
use of the
laptop, see,
e.g., United
States v.
Paduch, 23 Cr.
181 (RA)
(S.D.N.Y. Dec.
12, 2023);
United States
v.
Tartaglione,
16 Cr. 832
(KMK)
(S.D.N.Y. Feb.
28, 2022); or
(2) to the
extent the
Government
does not
consent, (i)
the Government
shall file a
letter
detailing its
position, and
(ii) Defendant
shall
individually
file a
proposed
order."
The
case is
US v. Booker,
23-cr-120
(Rearden /
Wang)
***
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