By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell Book
SDNY COURTHOUSE, Jan 20 - In the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on the morning of December 19, the talk was of flashy pastor Lamor Whitehead, set to be presented in the afternoon.
Inner City Press was present, the only media in the Mag Court in the morning for three procedings. Related Mag Court live-tweeted thread (more on Patreon here) vlog here
In EDNY earlier in the year, Inner City Press reported on Whitehead appearing in the Mag Court there for two defendants who robbed him of expensive watched as he preached.
Then Whitehead was indicted for defrauding a parishioner. Indictment on Inner City Press' DocumentCloud here.
On January 17, 2023, Whitehead's counsel has filed a motion complaining about the US Attorney's statements, and quotes by "government agent" Brandon Belmonte in a New Yorker article (Inner City Press tweeted about the article as soon as it came out, here - the article also quoted Tekashi #6ix9ine whose cooperator's sentencing Inner City Press covered).
On January 20, Judge Schofield denied a(nother) Whitehead motion: "Defendant's application is DENIED. Defendant has provided no authority for the proposition that he is entitled to a list of victims and witnesses before being required to comply with this condition of bail, nor any reason why he has unique difficulty in identifying victims and witnesses of the alleged crimes. The Government in substance has provided the identity of victims by confirming that Defendant currently is engaged in civil litigation against the only two victims listed in the Indictment. Defendant should contact Pre-trial Services in the first instance should he have difficulty complying with any bail condition. (Signed by Judge Lorna G. Schofield on 1/20/2023)." Watch this site.
At the presentment, Inner City Press was there
Magistrate Judge Gorenstein describes wire fraud and threat of force to obtain money from a Bronx business; also lie about not having a 2d cell phone. US agrees to $500,000 unsecured bond, a week for 2 signatures. Jersey travel allowed.
Asst US Attorney: He is to be released today on his own signature. Defense: He has never had a passport.
Afterward, Whitehead and his counsel waited on Worth Street apparently for a car while photographers snapped photos and asked questions; finally they went into a parking garage and emerged in different cars.
On December 22, Judge Schofield set the schedule, with a next proceeding: "Defendant's motion(s), if any, shall be filed by March 15, 2023. The Government's response, if any, shall be filed by March 29, 2023. Defendant's reply, if any, shall be filed by April 5, 2023. The parties shall appear for a status conference on April 11, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. (Signed by Judge Lorna G. Schofield on 12/22/2022)."
On December 23, Whitehead's lawyer Brian L. Ponder filed a notice of Whitehead's "Request to Be Tried Within the Time Frame of the Speedy Trial Act."
On December 27, Ponder filed again, this time a letter asking the prosecutors, "Does the government intend to serve a FRCrP 12/1 Notice of an Alibi Defense for any counts?" We'll have more on this.
The case is US v. Whitehead, 22-cr-692 (Schofield)
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