Prosecutors and defense lawyers in the Nxivm sex-cult case have asked the judge to keep jurors anonymous, according to a new court filing.
The request surfaced in the proposed jury questionnaire filed Tuesday, which shows that both sides also want to question prospective jurors regarding their views about cults, incest, branding, Scientology, abortion, wealthy people, sex and sexual deviance.
As for the panel’s anonymity, “The parties also jointly request that the Court issue an order preventing public release of prospective jurors and empaneled jurors’ names until after trial and requiring that jurors be identified only by juror number in open court,” the filing reads.
Opening statements are set to kick off April 29 for alleged cult leader Keith Raniere, “Smallville” actress Allison Mack, Seagram’s heiress Clare Bronfman and the group’s accountant, Kathy Russell.
“Have you or has anyone close to you ever sought treatment (court-ordered or otherwise) for sex addiction or sexual deviance?” one question reads.
The alleged cult’s members are variously charged with kidnapping, forced labor, sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and other counts.
Nxivm co-founder Nancy Salzman pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy last month, while her daughter, Lauren Salzman, secretly pleaded guilty last week to the same charge — and admitted to keeping a woman locked in a room for two years as her slave.
While Raniere and his followers have pitched Nxivm and its women’s “sorority,” DOS, as self-help groups, prosecutors claim DOS was simply starving and branding women with Raniere’s initials as it groomed them to have sex with him.
Raniere was also charged last month with manufacturing child pornography and accused of having sexually inappropriate relationships with underage girls.
“Do you believe that people under seventeen should be able to consent to sex with adults?” jurors could also be asked, according to the proposed questionnaire.
Other questions pertain to whether the potential panelists themselves have been victims of sexual assault, rape, incest or others crimes.
Brooklyn federal court Judge Nicholas Garaufis has yet to sign off on the questionnaire.
The parties are due in court Thursday.