As per the September 11 court filings, Sam Bnkman Fried’s lawyers and United States prosecutors separately filed their list of proposed questions they want to ask prospective jurors in the trial scheduled for October 3.
Bankman-Fried’s lawyers want to find out if prospective jurors have put money into cryptocurrencies and, if they have, whether they had bad experiences or a negative view of the cryptocurrency industry.
Another question from the co-founder of FTX is whether a juror would blame the owners of a cryptocurrency company for its failure and, if so, what their reasons for doing so are.
The filing questioned, “Do you have a negative opinion about cryptocurrency, the cryptocurrency markets, cryptocurrency businesses, or people who work in cryptocurrency?” “If so, what is your opinion and what is your reason or basis?”.
Bankman-Fried also wants to know what prospective jurors think about “effective altruism,” which is a philosophy centered on charitable giving and is something he’s well-known for supporting.
Other questions he has include whether jurors believe it’s morally wrong to donate large sums of money to political candidates and lobbyists for personal gain. He’s also interested in whether they have any personal or professional experience with someone who takes medication for ADHD.
As part of the usual process, Bankman-Fried plans to ask prospective jurors if they’ve read about him, formed an opinion about whether he’s guilty or innocent or expressed any views about him, FTX, or Alameda Research.
On the other hand, U.S. prosecutors want to inquire whether prospective jurors are familiar with FTX and its related companies, whether they or someone they know have invested in or worked in the cryptocurrency industry, and what they believe the role of the U.S. government should be in regulating this industry.
On September 12, a U.S. District Court Judge named Lewis Kaplan rejected Bankman-Fried’s request to be temporarily released from prison before his trial on October 3. The reason for his request was that he had a poor internet connection in prison, but the judge didn’t think this was a good enough reason to grant his release.
Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to seven charges related to fraud in connection with the collapse of FTX in November. He is also facing another criminal trial with additional charges scheduled for March next year.
Also Read: Sam Bankman-Fried’s Attorney Pursues ‘Temporary Release’
