The sex trafficking trial of the Alexander Brothers, a trio of former titans on the New York and Miami party scenes, entered its second week on Monday, with the prosecution prepared to call on more witnesses.
Tal Alexander, 39, along with Oren and Alon Alexander, both 38, were charged in a 12-count indictment, which includes conspiracy to commit sex trafficking; sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and inducement to travel to engage in unlawful sexual activity.
The brothers have denied all allegations and have pleaded not guilty. If convicted, they could face life in prison. The trial is expected to last at least a month.
Here are three takeaways from the first week.
The prosecutors said the brothers used their wealth to lure women.
Last week on Tuesday, lawyers for the government and for two of the three brothers delivered their opening statements to the six men and six women serving on the jury.
Assistant U.S. attorney Madison Smyser said the brothers “masqueraded as party boys when really they were predators.” She asserted that they used their wealth, offering various things of value, to lure women so they could rape themShe said that conduct amounted to sex trafficking under federal law.
The defense lawyers denied these allegations, contending that all of the sexual activity was consensual, and any reports to the contrary are motivated by regret or greed.
Teny Geragos, a lawyer for Oren Alexander, admitted her client was a “womanizer” and a “playboy,” but said his conduct never amounted to the charged crimes. And Deanna Paul, a lawyer for Tal Alexander, pointed out that several accusers were suing for a significant amount of money, adding “when credibility is everything, motives matter.”
Howard Srebnick, a lawyer for Alon Alexander, opted to reserve his opening statement for later in the trial when the defense’s case begins.
The first two witnesses described how they met the brothers.
Two women, both using pseudonyms, testified last week.
Katie Moore said she met Alon and Tal Alexander at the actor Zac Efron’s apartment in 2012 before heading to a club in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan. She said she took a small amount of the drug Molly and had a drink or two at the apartment. Then she felt her body go weak before leaving the club with the brothers. Soon, she said, her memory cut out.
Ms. Moore testified that she came to and found herself naked in a bed with Alon Alexander standing over her, also naked. She said she told him she didn’t want to have sex — he laughed and said “but you already did.” Despite her objections, Ms. Moore said Alon Alexander continued to rape her.
Later in the week, Maya Miller testified that Tal Alexander invited her and a friend to fly from Nevada to a house in the Hamptons for a long weekend in 2014. As the trip progressed, she said she grew uncomfortable around him and decided to leave early.
But before she left, Ms. Miller said Tal Alexander tackled her onto a bed and asked, “Is this how you thank me for inviting you to a beautiful home?” She said she then ran into the bathroom and into a shower where he cornered her and raped her.
On their respective cross-examinations, defense lawyers highlighted the accusers’ conduct after the alleged assaults, including Ms. Moore changing her Facebook profile picture to a photo taken of her and a friend on the night in question and Ms. Miller later exchanging friendly texts with Tal Alexander and commenting on his Instagram post.
The jury was shown graphic evidence toward the end of the first week.
On Thursday, the prosecution introduced emails, photos and videos belonging to the brothers that had been seized by law enforcement.
Immediately after Ms. Miller’s testimony, the prosecutors introduced an email where Tal Alexander had forwarded her flight details to Alon Alexander and wrote, “See below, these cheap hookers coming to the Hamptons this weekend.”
Later, the prosecution showed the jury several photos and videos. While only the jury was permitted to view the content, Ms. Geragos told the jury in her opening statement that it would see a video that Oren Alexander filmed of himself having sex with a woman by the pseudonym Amelia in 2009. Prosecutors have said that Amelia, who was 17 at the time the video was taken, was drugged and raped.
The courtroom was silent as the videos played on the monitors in front of the jurors. Donning headphones to privately hear the audio, several jurors shifted in their chairs or held their heads in their hands. A few took notes.
In the waning minutes of the trial’s first week, prosecutors also introduced an email where Oren Alexander had forwarded the video to a friend.
Prosecutors are expected to resume their case on Monday in Manhattan, where they plan to call additional witnesses.
Kate Christobek is a reporter covering breaking news for The Times.
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