EFTA00094725.pdf

§ase 1:20-cr-00330-AJN Document 362 Filed 10/20/21 Page 1 of 4 REPORTER COMMITTEE FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS October 20, 2021 1156 15th SI. NW. Suite 1020 Washing's% D.C. 20005 (202) 795.9300 • www.rcfp.ors BY ECF Bruce D. Brows EKCIA AV Director tibrowl*refp.org • (332) 795.9301 The Honorable Alison J. Nathan STEERLE0 COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN STEPHEN J. ADLER United States District Court STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS Southern District of New York WOLF BIJEZER CAW United States Courthouse DAVID BOARDAIAN Temple lektimnity 40 Foley Square THEME-PRE J. BOUTROUS,JR. WrenMond Chas,LIP New York, New York 10007 MASSIMO CALMRESI Thor Aferprine MANNY GARCIA Re: United States v. Ghislaine Maxwell, 20 Cr. 330 (AJN) Amain AmotkonsTrarermau alai° GARCIA-RUIZ Saw &meek* CheomIde Dear Judge Nathan, JOSH GERSTEIN POLIFICO ALEX GIBNEY Avers Peothenioni With the government's consent, the defendant has requested to file the SUSAN GOLDBERG .Varlotal Grognipki JAMES GRIMALDI parties' joint proposed juror questionnaire and joint proposed voir dire under seal. 17w B'dl Steer bend LAURA HANDMAN Ants NW& Diwarne Letter of U.S. Att'y, October 12, 2021 (Dkt. No. 339) ("Letter"). The Reporters DIEGO IBARGGEN Mom JEREMY JOJOLA EVENS Colon& Committee for Freedom of the Press and the 17 undersigned news media KAREN KAISER Assochwed Pens DAVID TAUTER organizations respectfully urge the Court to deny the defendant's request. Globe The Los Andes Times MARGARET LOW "BUR COLLEEN MCCAIN NELSON Newspaper Co. v. Superior Ct for Norfolk Cty., 457 U.S. 596, 609 n.25 (1982) The MeCleedy Campea,• MAGGIE AIULVIIIILL Bo en OM main (stating that "representatives of the press and general public must be given an JAMES NEFF Tbe PAileaMphia NORMAN PEARLSTINE New loft New leek opportunity to be heard on the question of their exclusion" (cleaned up)).1 THOMAS C. RUBIN Siambed law School BRUCE W. SANFORD Both the common law and the First Amendment afford the public a qualified RetAnlioneeln. en. CHARLIE SAVAGE The New Poet Times right of access to criminal proceedings. Indeed, the Supreme Court has long JENNIFER SONDAG Bkoatherg News NAHUM SPED llw Markup recognized that public access to criminal proceedings assures both the fairness and ADAM SYMSON Tler wCsmpmr PIERRE THOMAS ARCNon legitimacy of the criminal justice system. Id. at 606 ("Public scrutiny of a criminal MA1T1HOMPSON 17w New leek Timex VICKIE WALTONJAMES trial enhances the quality and safeguards the integrity of the factfinding process, NPR JUDY WOODRUFF PRS.The Nonllow SUSAN 2IRINSKY CBSNow HONORARY LEADERSHIP COUNCIL I The defendant also has requested that the Court order "individual sequestered juror voir dire and J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE. AssociatedPa" limited counsel-conducted voir dire." ECF No. 341. The government opposes both requests. CHIP BOK onion S)wx/kiave ECF No. 355. To the extent that the defendant seeks to limit press and public access to any aspect DAHLIA UTHWICK,Mare TONY MAURO. AntenarmLawn Media. to of voir dire in this case, the same constitutional and common law presumptions of public access JANE MAYER. The New lakes discussed herein apply. ANDREA MITCHELL NBCNews CAROL ROSENBERG. The New leek hmes PAUL STEIGER. PeottaWka SAUNDRA TORRY. Nwelthwe Apla0Orts afro,only pepsine:es ofitlemiflealint EFTA00094725  Case 1:20-cr-00330-AJN Document 362 Filed 10/20/21 Page 2 of 4 with benefits to both the defendant and to society as a whole."). Voir dire is a critical stage of criminal proceedings, and the public interest in favor of access to voir dire is correspondingly weighty. United States v. Shkreli, 260 F. Supp. 3d 257, 259-60 (E.D.N.Y. 2017) ("Press coverage of voir dire, no less than coverage of opening statements or the cross examination of a key witness, contributes to the fairness of trials."); accord United States v. Avenatti, 2021 WL 1819679, at *1 (S.D.N.Y. May 6, 2021). Recognizing that interest, the Supreme Court has held that the First Amendment requires the voir dire process be presumptively open to the press and public. Press-Enter. Co. v. Superior Ct. of California, Riverside Cty., 464 U.S. 501, 510 (1984). Juror questionnaires, which are used to facilitate and expedite the jury selection process, are subject to the same presumption of openness as that which attaches to voir dire generally. See United States v. King, 140 F.3d 76, 82 (2d Cir. 1998) (including juror questionnaires when analyzing whether limited closure of voir dire violated public's right of access); see also Order, In re The Washington Post, No. 15-1293 (4th Cir. Apr. 27, 2015) (stating that "the public enjoys a presumptive right of access to voir dire proceedings, including voir dire questionnaires"); In re Access to Jury Questionnaires, 37 A.3d 879, 886 (D.C. 2012) ("Every court that has decided the issue has treated jury questionnaires as part of the voir dire process and thus subject to the presumption of public access." (citing In re South Carolina Press Ass'n, 946 F.2d 1037, 1041 (4th Cir. 1991), and collecting other cases)); Stephens Media, LLC v. Eighth Judicial District Court, 221 P.3d 1240, 1245 (Nev. 2009); Forum Commc'ns Co. v. Paulson, 752 N.W.2d 177, 182-83 (N.D. 2008); Ohio a reL Beacon Journal Publ tg Co. v. Bond, 781 N.E.2d 180, 187-89 (Ohio 2002); United States v. Bonds, No. C 07-00732 SI, 2011 WL 902207, at *3 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 14, 2011); United States v. McDade, 929 F. Supp. 815, 817 n.4 (E.D. Pa. 1996); In re Washington 2 EFTA00094726  Case 1:20-cr-00330-AJN Document 362 Filed 10/20/21 Page 3 of 4 Post, No. 92-301, 1992 WL 233354, at •2 (D.D.C. July 23, 1992); Copley Press, Inc. v. Superior Court, 228 Cal. App. 3d 77, 89 (1991). The presumption of openness that attaches to voir dire—including juror questionnaires— "may be overcome only by an overriding interest based on findings that closure is essential to preserve higher values and is narrowly tailored to serve that interest."' Shkreli, 260 F. Supp. 3d at 260 (quoting Press—Enter. Co., 464 U.S. at 510). "Where the overriding interest to be protected is the defendant's right to a fair trial, the court must make specific findings that 'there is a substantial probability that the defendant's right to a fair trial will be prejudiced by publicity that closure would prevent and, second, reasonable alternatives to closure cannot adequately protect the defendant's fair trial rights.'" Id. (quoting ABC, Inc. v. Stewart, 360 F.3d 90, 98-99 (2d Cir. 2004)). "The Second Circuit has explained that the party seeking to restrict press access bears a `heavy' burden." Id. (quoting Stewart, 360 F.3d at 106). Here, the defense manifestly fails to carry its "heavy burden." Id. The defendant's request to seal provides the Court with no basis on which to make the specific factual findings required to conceal voir dire, including the parties' joint juror questionnaire, from the public. Stewart, 360 F.3d at 98. In an effort to justify the defendant's request, the Letter speculates that "media coverage may prejudice the jury selection process." Letter 1. Such conclusory speculation cannot overcome the deeply rooted presumption of openness applicable to voir dire. Accordingly, the Court should order the parties to file the proposed juror questionnaire and proposed voir dire on the public docket. Respectfully submitted, AlKatie Townsend Katie Townsend REPORTERS COMMITTEE FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS 1156 15th St. NW, Suite 1020 3 EFTA00094727  Case 1:20-cr-00330-AJN Document 362 Filed 10/20/21 Page 4 of 4 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 795-9300 ktownsend®rcfp.org The Miami Herald The National Press Club American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. The National Press Club Journalism Institute The Center for Investigative Reporting NBCUniversal Media, LW The Daily Beast Company LLC The New York Times Company Daily News, LP Radio Television Digital News Association The Media Institute Reuters News & Media Inc. MPA—The Association of Magazine Media Society of Professional Journalists National Newspaper Association The WNET Group Society of Environmental Journalists 4 EFTA00094728