The former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO suffers from dementia and is unfit to stand trial on sex trafficking charges, prosecutors and his defense team said.
In a letter filed Thursday in federal court in New York, defense attorneys argue that Michael Jeffries needs around-the-clock care because the 80-year-old has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body dementia and “residual effects of traumatic brain injury.” They cite recent evaluations by medical experts.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys are asking a federal judge in Central Islip to remand Jeffries to the federal Bureau of Prisons for up to four months so he can receive hospital treatment that could potentially allow his criminal case to proceed.
Jeffries has been free on $10 million bail since he pleaded not guilty in October to federal charges of sex trafficking and interstate prostitution.
Prosecutors allege Jeffries, his partner and another man lured men to drug-fueled sex parties in New York, the Hamptons and elsewhere with the promise of the opportunity to star in retailer ads.
Jeffries' attorneys did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York declined to comment.
In their letter, Jeffreys' lawyers said at least four medical experts had concluded that their client's cognitive problems were “progressive and incurable” and that he “would not be able to regain his ability to function in the future.”
They said doctors found his cognitive problems “significantly impair” his ability to understand the charges, consult with his lawyer and participate in his defense.
“The progressive nature of his neurocognitive disorder ensures that it will continue to worsen over time, further reducing his already limited functional abilities,” wrote Dr. Alexander Bardy, a forensic psychiatrist, and Dr. Cheryl Paradis, a forensic psychologist, after the December examinations.
“Our professional opinion, therefore, based on a reasonable degree of psychological and psychiatric certainty, is that Mr. Jeffries is incompetent to continue to try the current case and will not be able to regain his competency in the future.”
Jeffries left Abercrombie in 2014 after more than two decades at the helm of the company. He played a key role in the retailer's transformation from a hunting store
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
