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| Polyamory? Nude Photos? Branding? In Sex Cult Trial, What Awaits Jurors | Polyamory? Nude Photos? Branding? In Sex Cult Trial, What Awaits Jurors |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] | [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] |
| If the questions that have been asked of prospective jurors are any indication, the racketeering and sex-trafficking trial of Keith Raniere, founder of the cultlike group Nxivm, may require not only stamina from the jury, but also the ability to listen to potentially uncomfortable testimony. | If the questions that have been asked of prospective jurors are any indication, the racketeering and sex-trafficking trial of Keith Raniere, founder of the cultlike group Nxivm, may require not only stamina from the jury, but also the ability to listen to potentially uncomfortable testimony. |
| A judge in federal court in Brooklyn has been winnowing the pool of possible jurors with a questionnaire that appears to ask, among other things, whether they can be fair to someone with multiple sexual partners and how they feel about sexually explicit images and possibly “skin modifications (such as tattoos and branding).” | A judge in federal court in Brooklyn has been winnowing the pool of possible jurors with a questionnaire that appears to ask, among other things, whether they can be fair to someone with multiple sexual partners and how they feel about sexually explicit images and possibly “skin modifications (such as tattoos and branding).” |
| They also may have been asked if they had ever taken Scientology courses or participated in self-help groups like the Landmark Forum or EST, according to a draft of the juror questionnaire. | They also may have been asked if they had ever taken Scientology courses or participated in self-help groups like the Landmark Forum or EST, according to a draft of the juror questionnaire. |
| Mr. Raniere stands accused of running Nxivm, which billed itself as a self-help group, like a cult, subjugating and abusing women who joined, and former members said, punishing those whose disobeyed his orders to have sex only with him. | |
| Testimony in his trial, which is to begin next week in Federal District Court in Brooklyn, is expected to last about a month and a half and include mention of such disturbing topics as sex trafficking, forced labor and child exploitation. | Testimony in his trial, which is to begin next week in Federal District Court in Brooklyn, is expected to last about a month and a half and include mention of such disturbing topics as sex trafficking, forced labor and child exploitation. |
| Jurors are likely to hear accounts that women in a secret sorority within the group were branded with Mr. Raniere’s initials and coerced into have sex with him. His followers also had multiple abortions. | Jurors are likely to hear accounts that women in a secret sorority within the group were branded with Mr. Raniere’s initials and coerced into have sex with him. His followers also had multiple abortions. |
| In recent weeks, three of his co-defendants, including the actress Allison Mack, have pleaded guilty to various charges, leaving Mr. Raniere to stand trial alone. | In recent weeks, three of his co-defendants, including the actress Allison Mack, have pleaded guilty to various charges, leaving Mr. Raniere to stand trial alone. |
| [Related: Ms. Mack of the television show “Smallville” pleaded guilty in the case of Nxivm.] | [Related: Ms. Mack of the television show “Smallville” pleaded guilty in the case of Nxivm.] |
| On Friday, the judge overseeing the case cleared the way for prosecutors to present to the jury what had been described in court papers as “child pornography” — two digital images of a nude woman believed to be 15 years old. | On Friday, the judge overseeing the case cleared the way for prosecutors to present to the jury what had been described in court papers as “child pornography” — two digital images of a nude woman believed to be 15 years old. |
| Prosecutors said those images were found on a computer that also contained numerous sexually explicit photographs of women with whom Mr. Raniere had sexual relationships, including his former co-defendants, Lauren Salzman and Kathy Russell. | Prosecutors said those images were found on a computer that also contained numerous sexually explicit photographs of women with whom Mr. Raniere had sexual relationships, including his former co-defendants, Lauren Salzman and Kathy Russell. |
| To ensure the fairness of Mr. Raniere’s trial, the judge, Nicholas Garaufis, instituted a jury selection process that began last month with a lengthy questionnaire for prospective jurors. | To ensure the fairness of Mr. Raniere’s trial, the judge, Nicholas Garaufis, instituted a jury selection process that began last month with a lengthy questionnaire for prospective jurors. |
| At the same time, Judge Garaufis has ordered that the anonymity of jurors and prospective jurors be preserved. | At the same time, Judge Garaufis has ordered that the anonymity of jurors and prospective jurors be preserved. |
| While the defense and prosecution have the names of prospective jurors, the judge has ordered that the jurors’s identities will be withheld from the public until after the trial. He has said they will be referred to in court only by numbers and will be “semi-sequestered,” meaning that they will be escorted to and from the courthouse by federal marshals. | While the defense and prosecution have the names of prospective jurors, the judge has ordered that the jurors’s identities will be withheld from the public until after the trial. He has said they will be referred to in court only by numbers and will be “semi-sequestered,” meaning that they will be escorted to and from the courthouse by federal marshals. |
| The jury selection began in early April with about 500 prospective jurors gathered over two days inside a large ceremonial courtroom on the second floor of the Brooklyn courthouse. | The jury selection began in early April with about 500 prospective jurors gathered over two days inside a large ceremonial courtroom on the second floor of the Brooklyn courthouse. |
| They listened attentively as Judge Garaufis gave a short description of what they might expect if they were selected to serve. Some gasped at his mention of how long the proceedings were expected to last. | They listened attentively as Judge Garaufis gave a short description of what they might expect if they were selected to serve. Some gasped at his mention of how long the proceedings were expected to last. |
| The judge assured the prospective jurors that they would be shielded from the inquiring gaze of the press and the public, who he theorized may attempt to “pry into” their personal affairs. | The judge assured the prospective jurors that they would be shielded from the inquiring gaze of the press and the public, who he theorized may attempt to “pry into” their personal affairs. |
| “The jurors will not be exposed to such prying,” Judge Garaufis said, adding that juror information will be “locked securely in a vault by the clerk of the court.” | “The jurors will not be exposed to such prying,” Judge Garaufis said, adding that juror information will be “locked securely in a vault by the clerk of the court.” |
| About two weeks after the initial pool of jurors completed the court’s questionnaire, Judge Garaufis called dozens of them back to elaborate on answers they had provided, saying that he wanted to reduce the pool of jurors to about 60. | About two weeks after the initial pool of jurors completed the court’s questionnaire, Judge Garaufis called dozens of them back to elaborate on answers they had provided, saying that he wanted to reduce the pool of jurors to about 60. |
| Defense lawyers and prosecutors will draw from that group on Monday, the day before opening arguments are scheduled, to select 12 jurors and six alternates. | Defense lawyers and prosecutors will draw from that group on Monday, the day before opening arguments are scheduled, to select 12 jurors and six alternates. |
| Copies of the final questionnaire were not made public. But a draft of the document compiled by prosecutors and the questioning by Judge Garaufis provided insight into the areas that he and the lawyers for both sides consider particularly sensitive. | Copies of the final questionnaire were not made public. But a draft of the document compiled by prosecutors and the questioning by Judge Garaufis provided insight into the areas that he and the lawyers for both sides consider particularly sensitive. |
| Prospective jurors were asked how they might feel seeing sexually explicit images; whether they knew any victims of sexual violence; and about their thoughts on secret societies, rituals and cults. | Prospective jurors were asked how they might feel seeing sexually explicit images; whether they knew any victims of sexual violence; and about their thoughts on secret societies, rituals and cults. |
| One woman told the judge that she knew people who had been distraught for years after being sexually assaulted. A man said he had taken a self-help course but had considered it a waste of time and money. | One woman told the judge that she knew people who had been distraught for years after being sexually assaulted. A man said he had taken a self-help course but had considered it a waste of time and money. |
| Several said they might have difficulty remaining objective if presented with evidence related to abortion or confronted with images that showed children being harmed. | Several said they might have difficulty remaining objective if presented with evidence related to abortion or confronted with images that showed children being harmed. |
| One prospective juror told Judge Garaufis that he was not eager to view evidence connected to what he called “awful acts.” (“I’m not crazy about seeing gory things,” he added). | One prospective juror told Judge Garaufis that he was not eager to view evidence connected to what he called “awful acts.” (“I’m not crazy about seeing gory things,” he added). |
| Another said he disagreed with the practice of having several sexual partners. (“It’s kind of like taboo,” he said). A third admitted he might not be comfortable discussing sexual matters with other jurors (“They are total strangers,” that man told the judge.) | Another said he disagreed with the practice of having several sexual partners. (“It’s kind of like taboo,” he said). A third admitted he might not be comfortable discussing sexual matters with other jurors (“They are total strangers,” that man told the judge.) |
| One man who was identified as a government employee was deemed as qualified even after acknowledging that he had once been a faithful viewer of the television show “Smallville,” which starred Ms. Mack, who was said by prosecutors to have recruited other women into a secret sect within Nxivm. | One man who was identified as a government employee was deemed as qualified even after acknowledging that he had once been a faithful viewer of the television show “Smallville,” which starred Ms. Mack, who was said by prosecutors to have recruited other women into a secret sect within Nxivm. |
| A retired man was excused after describing strong anti-abortion feelings, with Judge Garaufis telling prosecutors and defense lawyers that the man’s beliefs “might overwhelm his efforts to be fair and impartial.” | A retired man was excused after describing strong anti-abortion feelings, with Judge Garaufis telling prosecutors and defense lawyers that the man’s beliefs “might overwhelm his efforts to be fair and impartial.” |
| A woman, who works to help people enroll in health care plans, was approved contingent upon whether her employer would pay her salary for the duration of the trial, but only after Judge Garaufis had addressed her concerns over the section of the questionnaire that asked about rituals and cults. | A woman, who works to help people enroll in health care plans, was approved contingent upon whether her employer would pay her salary for the duration of the trial, but only after Judge Garaufis had addressed her concerns over the section of the questionnaire that asked about rituals and cults. |
| “I’m afraid of rituals and bad spirits,” the woman said at one point when responding to the judge’s questions. | “I’m afraid of rituals and bad spirits,” the woman said at one point when responding to the judge’s questions. |
| To that, Judge Garaufis said that while jurors might have to listen to testimony about rituals or cults, that would be the extent of their involvement in those matters. | To that, Judge Garaufis said that while jurors might have to listen to testimony about rituals or cults, that would be the extent of their involvement in those matters. |
| “No one is asking you to accept this activity for yourself,” he said. | “No one is asking you to accept this activity for yourself,” he said. |