Happily, the New York Post – and it’s excellent reporter, Emily Saul – was at court today as lawyers for both sides of the case against Keith Alan Raniere were vetting potential jurors.
Two news reports came from Saul today; one on the possibility of Allison Mack testifying and another on a juror bounced from serving because he had right to life views.
Before the trial, we are finding out more of the horrors of living with or near Keith Alan Raniere – the man who claimed to be the most ethical and smartest in the world.
The trial is set to begin on May 7th.
It will come as no surprise to readers that during jury selection, it was revealed that Allison Mack may take the stand against Raniere.
Raniere’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, acknowledged it Monday, but Frank Report readers already knew because, as we reported, Mack signed a 10-page cooperation agreement with the Feds which includes her testifying against her former Vanguard.
Indeed, the length of her prison sentence may depend on how well she emotes of the horrors of the man for whom she recruited sex slaves – and for whom she did his filthy bidding.
A potential juror, identified as “No. 16,” – [the identities of jurors are shielded from the public until after trial] – told the court he’d read media reports about the case, including “some writings about the actress. At least, what happened to the individual,” [Saul reports for the Post]. “It’s not like I’m in the dark,” he said.
Raniere’s lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, said the man should be excluded from the jury, given his knowledge of Allison Mack, who was formerly a co-defendant in the case but plead guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy on April 9th.
“I think that person [Mack] might testify,” Agnifilo said.
It is not clear from the report if the judge agreed with Agnifilo and bounced the juror or not.
In a more interesting development during jury selection, abortions – and Raniere’s view of them – cropped up.
Raniere considered it to be a regular part of his sexual routine, his lawyer said.
Find ’em, feel ’em, mind fuck ’em, fuck ’em and abort ’em.
The Post reports, “The comment came as lawyers for both sides probed prospective jurors.
One of the questions on the 80-plus question juror questionnaire touches on prospective juror’s views on abortion.
The question is: “There may be evidence in this case about abortions. Would hearing about that type of evidence affect your ability to serve as a fair and impartial juror in this case?”
According to the Post, “One potential panelist indicated that he was strongly against abortion, writing, [on the jury questionnaire form] ‘I don’t think lives should be taken’.”
At a sidebar conference with attorneys and the judge – which was conducted out of earshot of the juror – Agnifilo argued that the man should not be permitted to serve as a juror because, “as part and parcel of [Raniere’s] desire to have sex with lots of women, he used abortions cavalierly. There are a lot of abortions in this case,” Agnifilo said, “Dozens.”
Amanda Ottaway for Courthouse New added that the prosecution said, “This is not a case about abortion.”
When asked, the potential juror said, according to the Post, “he didn’t think he could put aside the bias he might feel if he learned that a number of women had legally terminated their pregnancies following sexual relationships with Raniere, and he was dismissed,” the Post reported.
Frank Report long ago reported that Raniere had caused his slaves and harem members to have numerous abortions.
It does not surprise me that Agnifilo admitted they numbered in the dozens. Here is a man who was constantly having sex with women and not using birth control. His slaves would never have been allowed to choose whether they wanted to keep the baby or not.
This stands in contrast in some cases to his promise to certain women that he would sire for them an avatar baby.
It is believed he ordered abortions for many harem women including Barb Jeske, Lauren Salzman, Karen Untereiner and Pam Cafritz.
The case of Pam Cafritz was especially sad. For years, she wanted to be a mother. But each time she got pregnant, Raniere told her she had too many issues to be a good mother and ordered her to have an abortion. She did.
Finally, when she was in her mid-40s- and got pregnant – she was desperate to have the baby, knowing she would not likely ever have the chance again.
Raniere again ordered her to have an abortion – an order than friends of Pam knew broke her heart.
Meantime, Pam continued to live menage a trois with Raniere and Mariana Fernandez.
Pam ultimately contracted renal cancer and as a fitting touch to her last days with Raniere, as she lay on her deathbed, Raniere impregnated Mariana – who conceived on or around the very day Cafritz died.
One close associate of Raniere told Frank Report that Keith probably had sex right in front of Pam [as he often did with Mariana] while Pam was dying just to torture her on her deathbed – for her to die knowing that while she died childless – Mariana would have a baby.
The child, Kemar, a son, was born almost nine months to the day after Pam died.
When Raniere was trying to make bail, he put in his bail application that he was so blue about Pam’s death that on the anniversary of her death he spent the entire day in their old house thinking about his lost love. Probably he was with some young girl – maybe promising her an avatar baby.
When Raniere was interviewed by Vanessa Grigoriadis for New York Times Magazine, he frequently wept in front of her, she reported, when he spoke about the late Pam Cafritz.
Creepy scoundrel.