By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell Book
SDNY COURTHOUSE, Feb 26 - In the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on the morning of December 19, 2022 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
On February 26, 2024 the trial started and Inner City Press live tweeted opening arguments, here
All rise, jury entering!
Judge Schofield: Government? Assistant US Attorney: This is a case about fraud. About a con man who made false promises, threats and intimidation. That con man is Lamor Whitehead.
AUSA: He was the bishop - he was a friend of the Mayor of NYC. He abused that trust by lying again & again. He lied about how much money he had. All with the goal of getting money to fund his extravagant lifestyle. He wore designer clothes - nothing wrong with it
AUSA: He is charged with defrauding a church goer, a money transmitter, and a Bronx businessman. The defendant's first scheme targeted a single mother whose adult son was a church member. He conned her out of $90,000 for a fixer-upper home
AUSA: The defendant spend it on Louis Vuitton, GrubHub, on and on. In the 2d scheme, he conned a lender on a $250,000 loan... Then there was the shop owner who fixed his Mercedes. The owner refused to pay. The defendant lied about real estate. He said for $500,000
AUSA: He claimed he could get the Mayor to do favors. The Mayor was a friend and mentor, yes. But he had never gotten favors from the Mayor. Finally, he lied to the FBI. In 2022 they had a search warrant for cell phones. They got one; he said he had no more. Lie
AUSA: You'll here from the lender, you'll then hear from the Bronx bodyshop owner. The defendant claimed the Mayor will do whatever I want - and that he had guns in his church, "I will hurt you." And the lies to the FBI. For now we ask you to pay attention
AUSA: Use your common sense - you will reach the only conclusion that the defendant is guilty. Judge Schofield: Defense? Dawn Florio, for Whitehead: I want to thank each and every one of you. The government had to prove all that, and extinguish reasonable doubt
Dawn Florio: You're going to hear a lot of testimony - pay attention. Are they credible? Look at the lack of evidence. Rasheed got the money from his mother by promising her he would buy her a house. He bought his own house, with his mother's signature
Dawn Florio: You will hear that Pauline complained her son used her credit to get his own home - it was Rasheed who lied to his mother. I do not expect there to be any credible evidence Lamor Whitehead told Pauline he would get her a house. Why would he?
Dawn Florio: Count 1 belongs in civil court, not Federal court AUSA: Objection Judge Schofield: Overruled Dawn Florio: In the civil case they allege he used the $90,000 on a 2d home for himself. Here, they're talking luxury goods. Count 2 is about Brandon Belmonte
Dawn Florio: Lamor Whitehead did not promise any specific government action on the stop work order. Lamor Whitehead kept the specifics close to his chest because that was what he was getting paid for. Count 3? Belmonte fixed Lamor's wife's car
Dawn Florio: Many can relate to this, when you take your car to the oil shop, it takes forever and forever. It wasn't nice that Lamor Whitehead said, but it was not a crime. Count 2 says he wanted $500,000 - so why extort $5000? It doesn't make sense.
Dawn Florio: Did he mislead the FBI agents? Listen carefully to what they asked him. He asked if he had another phone he could be reached on - I'm sure many of you have a work and private phone. So it wasn't false.
Dawn Florio: How can Lamor Whitehead be said to have committed fraud when he was declining loans? 1 thing that has been constant- what has the government actually proven? Their case has holes in it. A trial is like buying a house. You have to consider many factors
Dawn Florio: The direct examination is like the exterior of the house. The cross examination in the interior. You must consider both. You must consider bias and jealousy. Lamor Whitehead is not required to testify. He is fighting these charges like Adonis Creed
Dawn Florio: You are the triers of fact. Your mind must be open like a parachute. Find him not guilty.
Judge Schofield: The witness may step down, and be here at 10 am. The rest, be here at 9:45 am.
In EDNY, Inner City Press reported on Whitehead appearing in the Mag Court there for two defendants who robbed him of expensive watched as he preached.
On January 12, 2024, the US Attorney's Office filed a motion in limine including as "examples of trial evidence" quotes from Whitehead to Victim-2 that "I'll deal with the Mayor's Office.. But we gotta have ownership. I gotta be able to say, 'Yo, yo [nickname for the Official], I own this. This is what's goin on."
The case is US v. Whitehead, 22-cr-692 (Schofield)
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