Sam Bankman-Fried’s (SBF) lawyers assert that United States Prosecutors are engaging in unethical behavior, creating obstacles for SBF to receive a fair trial.
One of the several arguments recently presented was that the “government cannot be allowed to dump millions of pages on the defense less than six weeks before trial.”
SBF’s Lawyers Allege Unfair Treatment
In a recent court filing, SBF’s lawyers challenged the internet connection in his jail cell and further alleged that US prosecutors are withholding evidence against FTX and Alameda Research.
The lawyers argue that the prosecutor’s recent disclosure of an additional “4 million pages of discovery,” just weeks before the trial, hinders SBF’s chance for a fair defense. They further point out that it is unlikely for him to have enough time to see and prepare a legal defense with this new evidence:
“The Government has no plans whatsoever to produce the documents to Mr. Bankman-Fried in the MDC for his review.”
The lawyers explain that SBF has been working around the clock to prepare for the upcoming October trial, and the intense last-minute ramp-up of evidence will be impossible to review in time:
“Before his bail was revoked, Mr. Bankman-Fried was spending 80-100 hours a week reviewing the voluminous discovery and creating detailed analyses that he could update constantly and share with his attorneys.”
On August 11, Judge Kaplan declared that SBF would be returning to jail after spending the majority of the year confined to his parents’ residence in California. This was a consequence of him leaking the private journals of his former girlfriend, Carolin Ellison, to the New York Times. Given Ellison’s role as a key witness in the trial, the prosecution contended that this constituted tampering with a witness.
Internet Access Is Unreliable In Jail
SBF’s lawyers strongly state that the jail’s poor internet access makes it difficult for him to build a solid defense. They argued that problems with connectivity and power are causing significant issues:
“The laptop has limited battery life and no power outlet in the cell block to charge it, and the internet connection is weak and was down for more than half of the two sessions thus far.”
The filing adds that not letting SBF share files with his legal team is another obstacle in the way.
“The laptop does not permit Mr. Bankman-Fried to view, build, edit, or share work product with his attorneys,” it argues, pointing out that he can’t access much of his preparation:
“The laptop does not give Mr. Bankman-Fried access to the extensive work product that he has already created, which exists in his Google Docs folder, so he cannot build on work that he has already done.”
This follows Judge Kaplan’s recent decision to allow SBF to meet with his lawyers during visitation hours while rejecting the request for his temporary release from prison to prepare for his trial.
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