A federal judge has ruled that Michael Jeffries, the 82-year-old former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, is mentally competent to stand trial on sex-trafficking charges, despite his hospitalization for dementia and Alzheimer's symptoms. The decision, issued on Thursday by US district court judge Nusrat Choudhury, clears the way for Jeffries to face trial in late October alongside two co-defendants.
Judge's ruling and reasoning
Judge Choudhury, sitting on the federal bench in Long Island, New York, concluded that Jeffries “clearly possesses a rational and factual understanding of the proceedings” and described him as a “reasonably intelligent person and skilled communicator.” The ruling follows Jeffries' stay at a federal prison hospital in Butner, North Carolina, where he was committed for evaluation.
In her decision, Choudhury noted that she reviewed testimony and written reports from medical experts and listened to hours of phone calls Jeffries made to his romantic partner, lawyers, and others while in custody. “His presentation and responses in evaluations following his commitment to Butner and his phone calls show that he understands the structure of the criminal legal system, courtroom procedures, the functions of the various participants, the nature and purpose of the proceedings, and key legal concepts,” she wrote.
Defense arguments and hospitalization
Jeffries' lawyers had argued that he required around-the-clock care to deal with the effects of Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body dementia, and a traumatic brain injury. They presented medical experts who testified that Jeffries' cognitive issues were “progressive and incurable” and that he would not “regain his competency.”
That prompted Choudhury to order Jeffries to be hospitalized to see if his mental condition would improve. After spending about four months in Butner, federal prison officials in December deemed Jeffries mentally fit to stand trial. Jeffries is currently free on bond.
Charges and background
Jeffries, along with his partner Matthew Smith and staffer James Jacobson, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges, including sex trafficking and interstate prostitution. Prosecutors allege that the three used the promise of modeling jobs to lure men to drug-fueled sex parties in New York City, the Hamptons, and other locations. The criminal case echoes sexual misconduct accusations made in a civil case and in the media in recent years.
Jeffries' lawyer, Brian Bieber, declined to comment on the ruling, stating in an email: “We do not comment on the Judge’s rulings. The case, and all related issues, will be tried inside the courtroom – not in the media.” A pretrial hearing was slated for Thursday.
Jeffries left Abercrombie in 2014 after more than two decades. He is credited with transforming the New York retailer, originally founded to sell wilderness gear, into a mainstay of teen mall culture in the early 2000s with its preppy youth aesthetic and sexy marketing.
