Lawyers for disgraced former FTX chief Sam Bankman-Fried are asking for his temporary release from prison ahead of his federal trial in the US.
According to new court documents, Bankman-Fried’s lawyers claim the former FTX CEO needs to be out of jail to properly prepare for his trial in about six weeks.
The lawyers are asking Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York to temporarily release Bankman-Fried, or at least allow them to meet with their client five days a week.
tell the lawyers,
“We do not believe that anything other than temporary release will properly address these issues and safeguard Mr Bankman-Fried’s right to participate in his own defense. However, we at least respectfully request that the Court reconsider its previous decision and order the Marshals to take Mr. Bankman-Fried five days a week to the proffer chambers at 500 Pearl Street where the defense can provide him with an Internet connection. computer that allows him to view, edit and share documents and work products with his attorneys. Counsel will be with Mr Bankman-Fried throughout and will take back the laptop at the end of the session.”
The attorneys argue that the current situation violates Bankman-Fried’s Sixth Amendment right “to participate in the preparation of his defense” and his right “to effective counsel.”
Bankman-Fried was released on $250 million bail and was staying at his parents’ home in Palo Alto, California after his December arrest. But federal prosecutors successfully revoked his bail earlier this month on charges of witness tampering.
His lawyers claim that Bankman-Fried’s stay in the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) prison reduces his access to discovery in the case “from seven days a week/80-100 hours a week to (at most) two days a week /six o’clock. one day.”
They also allege that Bankman-Fried faces some technical limitations during those two weekly six-hour sessions at the courthouse at 500 Pearl Street.
According to the lawyers, the laptop has “limited battery life” and “the internet connection is weak”.
They also claim that the laptop does not allow Bankman-Fried to access files he previously created, and that he cannot share his work with his lawyers.
The former CEO faces a slew of charges related to the November collapse of FTX, which are based on allegations that he defrauded customers and misused billions of dollars in their funds.
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