Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch chief fit to stand trial in sex trafficking case, judge says
Jeffries was declared "mentally incompetent" by a court last year and said to be suffering with dementia and late onset of Alzheimer's disease.
Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries is deemed fit to stand trial on sex trafficking and prostitution charges, a federal court has determined. This overturns a previous ruling that deemed him mentally incompetent due to dementia and late-stage Alzheimer's disease. Judge Nusrat Choudhury based her decision on an examination of Jeffries' medical records and over 21 hours of audio recordings from 109 phone calls.
The judge found ample evidence showing Jeffries was capable of participating in the trial. Jeffries faces multiple charges related to violating interstate prostitution laws. His trial is set to begin on October 26th. Judge Choudhury noted that the audio recordings showed Jeffries to be a fluent conversational partner, able to learn new information auditorily, and demonstrate a rational understanding of the proceedings.
Despite Jeffries' age and cognitive impairments, the court will make accommodations, including a shortened trial schedule with breaks and daily transcripts for review.
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