Executive Summary
- U.S. District Judge Nusrat J. Choudhury set a tentative trial date of October 26 for Michael Jeffries and co-defendants.
- A competency hearing is scheduled for March or April to determine if Jeffries is fit to stand trial.
- Defense attorneys cite dementia diagnoses, while a federal evaluation suggests Jeffries has reestablished competency.
- Prosecutors and defense counsel agreed that the upcoming competency proceedings should remain open to the public.
A federal judge has established a tentative trial date of October 26 for former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Michael Jeffries and two co-defendants facing charges of operating a sex trafficking ring. During a virtual conference held on Thursday, U.S. District Judge Nusrat J. Choudhury set the schedule while addressing significant questions regarding the 81-year-old former executive’s mental fitness to stand trial.
Before the trial can proceed, the court must resolve conflicting assessments of Jeffries’ competency. Judge Choudhury ordered that a hearing to determine whether Jeffries can assist in his own defense will likely take place in March or early April. Defense attorney Brian H. Bieber told the court that his client has been diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, arguing that Jeffries lacks the ability to participate meaningfully in his defense. Bieber indicated plans to have Jeffries re-evaluated by three medical specialists in New York prior to the hearing.
Conversely, the results of a court-ordered evaluation conducted at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina, released on Wednesday, indicated that Jeffries had reestablished competency to stand trial. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Farrell stated that the government intends to call two to three witnesses, including a neuropsychologist and a psychologist who examined the defendant, to testify during the upcoming proceedings.
Both the prosecution and the defense advocated for transparency regarding the competency hearing. Farrell noted that while medical information would be discussed, the government does not believe the level of discussion outweighs the public’s right of access. Bieber concurred, stating he was unaware of any case law that would necessitate sealing the proceedings.
Jeffries, along with his partner Matthew C. Smith and alleged recruiter James Jacobson, was indicted in October 2024. They have pleaded not guilty to one count of sex trafficking and 15 counts of interstate prostitution. Federal prosecutors allege the group operated a trafficking scheme between December 2008 and March 2015 that coerced men into sexual encounters.
Procedural Legal Outlook
The determination of competency is a critical threshold issue in federal criminal prosecutions; the court must ensure a defendant understands the proceedings and can consult with counsel to satisfy due process requirements. The conflicting medical opinions—between defense-retained experts and federal medical evaluators—will require the judge to weigh expert testimony heavily before the case can move to the trial phase. It is important to note that all individuals named in the indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
