SDNY COURTHOUSE, Sept 23
– Fenanyl and overdose deaths are been in the news
for more than three years. Some cases quietly go away,
and some go to trial, like one today, September 15.
Since then, with no docketing of this defendant Sophia Marks being released, there are more than 16 "Sealed Documents Placed in Vault."
By contrast, on October 30, 2023 Inner City Press learned that 16 defendants would be presented in SDNY Mag court(s) under indictment 25-cr-484 - on Patreon here
On September 15, 2026, one of those defendants, John Livigni, went on trial.
On
September 15,
Inner City
Press live
tweeted the
opening
statements, here:
All
rise!
Judge:
Opening
statements.
AUSA:
Washington
Square Park by
NYU has been
taken over by
drug dealers,
including
him... The
dealers
protected each
other from the
police
AUSA: The
defendant was
selling
fentanyl. Some
died. The
defendant knew
Bethany and
used her food
stamp card, in
exchange for
fentanyl. She
died on the
sidewalk
AUSA:
A recent high
school
graduate was
also killed by
the
defendant's
drugs. You'll
hear from one
of his
managers, how
the defendant
had a gun.
You'll hear
about the
overdoses,
from two
former drug
users.
AUSA:
You will see
video of a
victim's
overdose. You
will hear from
a
toxicologist.
You'll see the
defendant's
text messages.
You hear from
NYPD officers.
AUSA:
You'll hear
from
cooperators.
No one is
asking you to
approve of
what they've
done. But they
will be
corroborated.
There is one
consistent
story. Pay
attention.
Follow the
judge's
instructions.
And use your
common sense.
You will find
the defendant
guilty.
Levigni's
lawyer Michael
Perkins: Mr.
Livigni is
presumed
innocent. I
don't even
have to be
giving this
little
monologue.
They have
painted their
best case
scenario.
These
cooperators
are trying to
save
themselves
Perkins:
I too want you
to pay close
attention.
[Juror 4 is
nodding along]
Perkins: Are
there any
photos of the
witness with
Mr. Livigni?
What is the
evidence of
any agreement?
Don't allow
experts to
replace your
common sense
Perkins:
Keep an open
mind. Thank
you
[At
least 19
people,
seemingly all
from the US
Attorney's
Office, just
left the
courtroom. The
jurors looked
over at them
leaving. First
witness is
police officer
Clinton]
And on
September 16,
a doctor
formerly with
the Office of
Medical
Examiner was
on the witness
stand, about
narcotics
generally, and
Ms. Shaw's
cause of
death:
fentanyl and
its
analogs....
On
September 21,
as the case
wound down,
the defense
objected to
testimony
about their
client pulling
a gun out or
showing that
he had a gun,
calling it
hearsay. Judge
Cote disagreed
and it
remained in.
But
jury
deliberations
on September
22 did not
reach a
conclusion and
continued on
September 23.
Until... "a
unanimous
verdict
finding John
Livigni, a
leader of the
Washington
Square Park
drug ring,
guilty of all
narcotics
charges,
including
three
overdoses—two
of which
resulted in
death.
One of the
victims was
just 18 years
old," US
Attorney Jaime
McDonald said
in a
statement.
"Our Office’s
commitment to
keeping New
Yorkers and
their families
safe includes
ensuring they
can use public
spaces without
the
interference
of dangerous
drug
dealers.
For far too
long, New
Yorkers were
forced to live
with the
dangerous drug
dealers who
had turned
Washington
Square Park,
in the heart
of Greenwich
Village, into
an open-air
drug
market.
Not anymore:
as a result of
our Office’s
dedication and
the continued
commitment of
our partners
at the NYPD
and DEA, New
Yorkers are
able to enjoy
our iconic
Washington
Square Park in
peace—and
safely.â€
In
the docket:
Jury trial
finished.
Jurors
returned a
verdict of
guilty on
count 1 and a
verdict of not
guilty on
count 2 of
the s3
indictment.
Sentencing is
scheduled for
January 22,
2027 at 11:00
AM. Defense
submissions
are due
January 8.
Government
submissions
are due
January 15.
Any post-trial
motions are
due October
23, 2026.
Reponses are
due November
6, 2026.
The
first case
above, gone
dormant, is
USA v. Marks,
1:23-mj-5518
(Wang)
The
next case is
USA v. Brown,
et al.,
1:25-cr-484
(Cote)
