The Sam Bankman-Fried trial is on! Defense lawyers read this NY Times piece about the judge shutting down and abusing the defense, and simple sighed. We’ve all been there before, watching the prosecutor putting in whatever they want, no matter how tangential and then the defense getting yelled at for having the audacity to challenge that evidence.
Meantime, there was drama in the courtroom yesterday, as SBF’s girlfriend took a full 30 seconds to identify him. Maybe that new haircut paid off:
When asked by Sassoon to identify the defendant, Ellison stood up and, for almost 30 seconds, looked around the room. She turned her head all the way to the left to the jury box and back to the right again multiple times before finally identifying Bankman-Fried as sitting "over there and wearing a suit." The two hadn't made eye contact when Ellison walked by earlier. Bankman-Fried, who was known for his floppy hair and beach shorts, got a fresh haircut prior to the trial, reportedly from a fellow inmate at the jail in Brooklyn where he has been held since August.
I’ve seen witnesses ID jurors, prosecutors, and even folks in the audience. Those are always fun.
I had a trial in front of Will Thomas where Thomas and the defendant were the only black men in the courtroom. The victim was asked to identify the criminal, looked all around, and, that's right, pointed to Will Thomas. Quick dismissal after that.
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