Document 21-7780

Case: 21-7780 Document: 18 Filed: 07/07/20 Page: 8 of 20 Stephens, Ms. Maxwell's inability to meet with her attorneys while this policy is in effect constitutes a "compelling reason" requiring her release. Stephens, 2020 WL 1295155 at *3.6 Even speaking by phone with Ms. Maxwell presents daunting challenges due to COVID-19-related protocols requiring at least 72 hours' notice to schedule a call, unless it is urgent, in which case counsel can email a request to the MDC. As counsel learned this past week, however, even an urgent call request does not mean the call will take place in the time required. At approximately 5:30 p.m. on July 6, 2020, the Court ordered us to confer with Ms. Maxwell about waiving her physical presence at the arraignment, initial appearance, and bail hearing, and ordered counsel for both sides to jointly report back by 9:00 p.m. that night with a proposed date and time for these proceedings. We promptly emailed the MDC to request an urgent call, making specific reference to the Court's Order, but were not connected with Ms. Maxwell until 9:00 p.m. There will no doubt be other orders of the Court with no guarantees we will be able to reach our client in time if she is detained.7 In addition, during this past week, Ms. Maxwell has not been able to physically review documents and has had limited access to writing materials. The prohibition on in-person visits means we must read to her any documents requiring her review, and she has virtually no ability to take notes. The age of the allegations in this case compound these problems. Under the current circumstances, Ms. Maxwell cannot review 6 Since the Court issued its opinion in Stephens, numerous other courts in this District have ordered defendants released on bail, over the government's objection, due to the pandemic and its impact on the defendant's ability to prepare for trial. See, e.g., United States v. Carrillo-Villa, 20-MJ-3073 (SLC) (S.D.N.Y. Apr. 6, 2020) (releasing undocumented defendant in drug conspiracy case because of inability to meaningfully communicate with lawyer and risk of COVID-19); United States v. Hudson, 19-CR-496 (CM) (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 19, 2020) (releasing defendant in drug conspiracy, loansharking, and extortion case, whose two prior, pre-COVID-19 bail applications were denied, because of inability to prepare for upcoming trial and risk of COVID-19); United States v. Chandler, 19-CR-867 (PAC), 2020 WL 1528120, at *1 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 31, 2020) (releasing defendant or felon in possession case, with prior manslaughter conviction, due to inability to prepare for trial due to COVID-19 restrictions). 7 The government has recently worked with the BOP to set up a standing call between counsel and Ms. Maxwell each morning until the initial appearance to facilitate attorney-client communications. While we greatly appreciate these efforts, they are a short-term patch to a persistent problem that shows no signs of abating. Nor would it be appropriate, on an ongoing basis, for the prosecutors to be involved in and dictate the date and time of our communications with our client in connection with the preparation of our defense. DOJ-OGR-00000968 --- PAGE BREAK --- Case: 20-cr-00330 Document #: 18 Filed: 07/07/20 Page: 17 of 260 France and the United Kingdom.13 Notably, two weeks ago, this Court recognized in United States v. Abdellatif El Mokadem, No. 19-CR-646 (AJN), 2020 WL 3440515 (S.D.N.Y. June 23, 2020) that “concerns regarding risk of flight are mitigated by the ongoing [COVID-19] pandemic, which has understandably curtailed travel across the country, and, indeed, around the world.” Id. at *1. In that case, despite finding detention to be warranted on two prior occasions, the Court concluded that the government could no longer establish flight risk and ordered the defendant released pending sentencing. Id. (“Taking account of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had not yet reached this country when the Court last considered Defendant’s custody status, the balance now clearly and convincingly tips in Defendant’s favor……” ). Consideration of this factor weighs heavily in favor of release on the proposed bail conditions here. 2. The Nature and Circumstances of the Charges and the Weight of the Evidence Militate in Favor of Bail The Defense Has Rebutted the Presumption Relating to Certain of the Charges. The government relies on the statutory presumption of detention applicable to offenses involving minor victims. (Gov. Mem. at 4-5.) But unlike the position it took with Epstein, the government does not contend that Ms. Maxwell poses any danger to the community, or that she suffers from compulsive or addictive sexual proclivities. See United States v. Epstein, 425 F. Supp. 3d 306, 314-15 (S.D.N.Y. 2019). Even according to the indictment, Ms. Maxwell’s alleged participation in offenses involving minors ended in 1997. Here, the only 13 See, e.g., E.U. Formalizes Reopening, Barring Travelers From U.S., N.Y. Times, (June 30, 2020), available at https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/30/world/europe/eu-reopening-blocks-us-travelers.html (confirming that the European Union will not open its borders to travelers from the United States, and “[t]ravelers’ country of residence, not their nationality, will be the determining factor for their ability to travel to countries in the European Union”); England Drops Its Quarantine for Most Visitors, but Not Those From the U.S., N.Y. Times (July 3, 2020), available at https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/03/world/europe/britain-quarantine-us-coronavirus.html (confirming that England will leave mandatory 14-day quarantine restrictions in place for travelers coming from the United States). 17 DOJ-OGR-00000978