Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries was recorded telling his British partner 'we're screwed' and in 'big trouble' if found fit to stand trial on sex trafficking charges, a New York federal court has recently disclosed. The audio was part of a series of more than 100 phone calls between Jeffries and Matthew Smith, forming the crux of a four-day mental competency hearing on Long Island.
Jeffries' attorneys argue he suffers from dementia and late-stage Alzheimer’s disease, rendering him unfit for trial alongside his partner and an alleged middleman this coming October. Conversely, prosecutors assert that his mental state has improved, with evidence from the calls suggesting he is focused on being deemed incompetent.
In recordings presented during the hearing, Jeffries expressed hopes for a favorable outcome, voicing a desire to be found incompetent and expressing disdain about being fit for trial. This situation mirrors a prior finding of mental incompetence last May, though prison officials later declared him fit post-hospitalization in December.
Testimonies from experts conflicted sharply, with defense witnesses claiming that Jeffries displayed symptomatic behavior indicative of dementia, while prosecution experts indicated that he could engage cognitively in his defense. One prosecutor pointed out the irony in Jeffries memorizing significant career milestones but failing to recall numerous alleged orgies during his tenure.
As the legal proceedings unfold, presiding Judge Nusrat J. Choudhury will decide Jeffries' trial fitness based on insights from psychiatric evaluations. Jury selection is set for October 26, with the expectation that the trial could proceed even if Jeffries is ruled incompetent.
