from Coinbase Chief Legal Officer (CLO) Paul Grewal has done just that weighed about what to expect in the jury selection in the trial against the former CEO of the defunct crypto exchange FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF)which is set takes place on October 3.
FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried jury selection should be quick
Grewal noted that voir dire procedures have generally improved over time, as in the past the process could drag on for days. As such, he expects Sam Bankman-Fried’s jury selection to “proceed quickly” as the court simultaneously seeks to ensure a fair trial while also ensuring potential jurors’ time is not wasted.
Jury selection for SBF’s trial is expected to last just one day (October 3) as: according to the trial calendarThe trial will officially begin on October 4, and the prosecutor will open his case on that day.
As part of the voir dire procedure, both sides will question the potential jurors to determine their competency and identify any biases that could influence their decision. Grewal doesn’t expect, though Judge Lewis Kaplanthe judge in charge of Sam Bankman-Fried’s case, to be a mere bystander as he noted that federal judges place “much more emphasis on asking questions” than their state counterparts.
According to him, these judges do not simply “hand over” the trial to the lawyers, because they understand that both sides are not looking for a fair jury, but for a jury that can help them win.
It is worth noting that Grewal has legal experience, as he was once a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. During his time as a judge, he picked 35 juries, although these were in civil cases, unlike this one, which is criminal.
The jury and its composition
Sam Bankman-Fried’s jury is expected to consist of twelve jurors from all walks of life. They will be obliged to make a judgement on each of the defendant’s charges (SBF is charged with seven counts of fraud). This judgment will be unanimous and all jury members will participate in it.
As for the jury composition, Grewal noted that it was “critical to a fair outcome.” However, he stated that prosecutors prefer their case to hinge on “damning evidence” rather than the makeup of the juror. A plausible reason could be that there may be certain biases depending on who makes up the jury, as opposed to damning evidence that can hardly be refuted.
The legal expert seems to be one of them expect a convictionwhile adding that there was no shortage of “damning evidence” in this case as Sam Bankman-Fried faces a statutory maximum sentence of 110 years if found guilty of all charges.
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