By Dianne Lipson
The prosecution ended their case today.
It ended with a sickening flourish with pictures of 15 year old Camilla and Keith Alan Raniere on audio talking about adult-child sex – in a favorable way.
The prosecution elicited testimony from FBI Agent Michael Weniger.
Two Photos of Cami With a Scar and One Without a Scar
He testified that he had obtained Cami’s medical records that showed she had an appendectomy when she was 16. The prosecution then showed before and after nude pictures of Cami.
One of the nude photos – the one seized on Raniere’s hard drive in March 2018 – showed Cami had no scar on her body.
They then showed the jury pictures of her taken later with her scars.
This evidenced that Cami was under 16 when she was photographed naked by Keith Raniere.
Audio Recordings Doom Raniere
Then the prosecution played a tape of Keith teaching a [Jness] class where he says that raped women often experience their first orgasm during the rape act.
Raniere also says that if a woman wants to be with another man, the ethical thing for the man is to let her go freely. [Unlike what Raniere did in confining Dani to a room for two years.]
Raniere spoke about the lack of harm when an adult has [non-painful] sex with a child – other than the harm that society imposes [i.e. prosecuting adults, children being traumatized by the arrests, and the potential shame, etc.]
Raniere also asked the question if a family comes from a society where adults give children oral sex and then comes to the US whose morality should prevail. [I do not recall that Raniere named any such society].
He added that people who scream about sexual abuse are the real abusers.
He also said that some children mature younger than others – and that mature children are perfectly happy with sex. He mentioned that in some parts of the world, 12 is the age of consent.
Agnifilo crossed [more on that later.]
After the cross-examination, the prosecution rested.
Then Agnifilo told Judge Nicolas Garaufis that the defense was not putting on a case because the prosecution did not prove any of the charges. Moira Penza disputed that.
The judge asked Raniere to affirm that he understood his rights – and that he waived his right to put on a defense – and to testify on his own behalf – for the record.
Raniere replied, “Yes, Your Honor”.
The prosecution also said they made their witnesses available to the defense for interviews prior to trial and that the defense declined to do that.
The judge changed the date for closing arguments from Tuesday to Monday- at 9:00 AM.
The judge will hold court tomorrow [Saturday] at 11 pm for the jury charging conference. The jury will not be present.
Those planning to attend on Monday for the closing arguments should consider arriving at court early – perhaps 7:00 AM is advisable.
Closing statements are expected to last throughout the day on Monday [each side has estimated about 4 hours] and the jury will be likely charged on Tuesday and begin deliberations as early as Tuesday afternoon.
We will have a fuller report later this afternoon.
Frank Parlato 
Janine Morrison 
J.J. O'Hara 
Richard Luthmann 
Marie White 
Paul Serran
Please leave a comment: Your opinion is important to us!
Vanguard speaks his mind: Having sex with “little children” is fine.
NXIVM Video: Keith Raniere Frames Child Sexual Abuse as “Human Construct”
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/capital-region/news/2019/06/15/nxivm-trial-update#
I want to know why Alison’s BMW still sits at the pool and who owns it.
Well Sherlock shadow is sure that it’s Allison’s car so it must be…What government knows after all?
It’s highly probably not Allison’s , possibly the car said to be Lauren’s car and used by Nicky cline the Week end Allison was in prison…
Well it was parked near her house eceyday and she drove it
After all that’s been seen and said the jury knows that KR is a professional liar. The best would be that he does the closing statment. Keith, please do it!
I suspect that Tubby did originally intend to speak in his own defence, but dropped the idea when it became obvious that it would achieve nothing. The highly ethical genius went out the window on day one. Plus, I think he was afraid of standing in front of a judge and jury who knew that the identity, ‘Vanguard’ was no more real than the Tooth Fairy. And where was Vanguard when Keith Raniere needed him most?
The Vanguard was in the same place as when Dani showed up at the volleyball game and he ran away, a figment of everyone’s imagination.
That sounds about right to me.
Raniere spent his whole life in environments he could control, being put up on a pedestal by people he could easily sway, and using his followers’ assets to get away with murder – perhaps even literally. I suspect that he went to trial rather than making a plea deal because he expected that he and his attorneys could vindicate him and his ideas, and instead got a very rude awakening about how the real world works.
Hey Frank,
When the jurors go back and decide on the case, what are the charges and what will each charge look like to decide guilty or not? Do you know? Would be interesting to be able to read what the burden of proof is to see if the prosecution got it out there based on your amazing reporting.
Thanks!
Each charge has required elements, and the jury has to find each element has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt for each charge. Since there was no defense put on, the defense will try to raise doubts for at least one element of each charge during the closing statement. I assume the DOJ will leverage the other five defendants pleading guilty for the RICO charges, then their main job is to link Raniere to be one of the individuals involved in the racket, and it’s obvious he’s actually the lead person for all of the racketeering charges. I don’t believe the defense can bring up anything that hasn’t already been covered by the opening statement or the direct and cross examinations, so they don’t have much to work with, just like Raniere’s lady friends didn’t have much to work with regarding sex with him, even Agnifilo indicated that he’s “soft.”
Did the defense team fail to hear all of the evidence as it was presented in court? Could that be because they were too distracted by having to babysit for Raniere, the hyperactive pencil/post-it gerbil? The prosecuting attorneys will remind these good old defense boys about the indisputable (and already proven) evidence against Raniere during summation. Signed, sealed, delivered. Now it is getting down to the last few hours for Raniere to try staging a flip-out.
Why did Allison Mack not testify in the trial?
Alternative Simple Theory:
I believe the prosecution may have used the testimony of DOS slave master Lauren Salzman and Allison Mack’s slaves as to not confuse the jury or dilute the prosecution’s narrative that Keith Raniere is the master mind.
***********
Then again Allison Mack seems like she is completely insane and somewhat evil.
Insane and still madly in love with her master.
“Then again Allison Mack seems like she is completely insane and somewhat evil.”
You sound ridiculous and a lot like Shadow…
VanRotten taught followers that Women enjoy Rape. Sick.
https://nypost.com/2019/06/14/nxivm-leader-taught-disciples-that-women-enjoyed-rape-witness/
Looks like he might get some firsthand experience. Or firstfist experience.
VIVA VIVA VIVA
I assume the Saturday session is 11 AM. This seems unusual, the judge must have a hot date next weekend.
All my opinion only:
Sickening. Rape is all about force and unwanted restraint, oftentimes causing injury. It’s pathetic the way he attempts to excuse the act. These days, merely poking someone in the chest can be considered assault.
And from the above, it appears that he advocates sex with children much younger than 15 – almost like, if I can get it to fit, and it doesn’t hurt, it’s OK. He seems to be fine with incest as well.
Can you say DANGER TO SOCIETY?
Plus he is a thieving con man WITH NO ETHICS. Maybe now is the time to review the definition of ethical behavior:
_____________________________________________________________
“Acting in ways consistent with what society and individuals typically think are good values. (It) involves demonstrating respect for key moral principles that include honesty, fairness, equality, dignity, diversity and individual rights.”
_____________________________________________________________
OCD – Totally agree with your sentiments and sensibilities.
As well as the sickening testimony today, FBI Special Agent Michael Weniger said there was a tape of Sarah Edmondson’s branding ceremony leaked to the Mexican media. Agnifilo objected.
https://nypost.com/2019/06/14/nxivm-leader-taught-disciples-that-women-enjoyed-rape-witness/
“Agnifilo told Judge Nicolas Garaufis that the defense was not putting on a case because the prosecution did not prove any of the charges”. Agnifilo is an arrogant sob just like his client.
Marc’s professional behavior and his personal beliefs are 2 different things. Marc does not condone what DOS did.
Good strategy on the part of the defense, leaving this bombshell till last. It’s a late impression the jury has of Raniere before deliberations begin early next week; I can just imagine the emotional impact it had on them, the disgusting images combined with his smug, outrageous assertions about the propriety of adult/child sexual relations. I can’t imagine any of them having sympathy for him now; there’s nothing lower than a child molester. Even if the facts of the case were in doubt — which they are not — the jury must be eager to nail him to the wall.
I wonder how long the jury will deliberate?
Accutane-
You meant the prosecution right? Or is the lithium wearing off?
Wow, can’t believe it’s almost over. This trial is the most talked-about trial
No, it’s not. This trial is hardly a blip on the media radar screen. OJ was a most talked-about trial, this one isn’t even close.
I told you Raniere would never take the stand. He’s a little coward whose entire history has been guarded by a facade both human and virtual – via a wall of lies of misinformation he propagated by himself and his enablers or the reliability of others who chose to blind themselves in naivety but otherwise had good intentions.
Anonymous-
“I told you so?”, nobody knows who you are
Well, I made an anonymous comment in the article speculating on whether Raniere would take the stand. I said there was no way that he would because he’s a coward. That’s the only reason I said “I told you so”.
anon 529
“I made an anonymous comment in the article speculating on whether Raniere would take the stand.”
That wasn’t you. That was a different Anonymous that said that!
This case will end with a whimper, not a bang.
And all the remaining NXIVM crimes and scandals will be quietly swept under the rug.
I am sure Frank Parlato, whose Frank Report brought down the Vanguard, will not rest until Emi Salinas and others who probably should have faced criminal penalties are hauled into court. I am sure Frank Report will continue to follow any civil actions which will result from the collapse of ESP/NXIVM/Rainbow CULTural Gardens, etc. I for one think that while Sara Edmondson is considered a heroine in these quarters, she apparently realized hundreds of thousands of dollars a year from her involvement with the evil NXIVM empire and some form of restitution/disgorgement would be appropriate. I guess her ultimate sentence will be that she is married to a man(?) who, upon finding that his wife had been branded like a piece of cattle, reacted by sending a pathetic email.
Viva Frank Parlato. Viva The Frank Report. Maybe Vanflaccid will be sentenced to Devens FMC, where he can watch as John Tighe is released from prison, just as his own hopefully long stretch in the stir will be just beginning.
I think Frank is ready to move onto something else, with an occasional report regarding legal updates, which will drag out for years, if not decades.
It looks to me like any prosecution of Salinas and other Mexicans, is going to be up to Mexico. It can be very hard to extradite foreign nationals, and I think that that US authorities have determined that they weren’t key enough players in what went on in this country, to be worth trying to go after.
The important job left, is to get the next tier down of those in the US – and Canada – who committed various crimes, including financial ones.
Shadowstate & Everyone,
The best part of Keith Raniere being prosecuted……
…. Is the fact that no more young girls or women will ever be victimized by Keith Raniere ever again.
How many more victims would there have been if this monster had not been stopped?
Shadowstate maybe your underwhelmed but how often are real monsters brought to justice?
Let’s hops so, Niceguy. We have yet to get through verdict, sentencing and appeal. But like you, more than anything I want him locked away so he can no longer victimize and physically abuse.
I speculate that if KAR had a diagnosis of full blown AIDS, he would keep quiet about it and spread the disease far and wide by requiring sex with no protection. It was reported here that there was an outbreak of herpes among the harem. Can you imagine him spreading disease to an underage girl or young child?
Couldn’t agree more Niceguy! Well said.
“Shadowstate maybe you’re underwhelmed but how often are real monsters brought to justice?”
Real Monsters are brought to Justice all of the time.
Just this Spring El Chapo was brought to Justice right in Brooklyn.
Muammar Ghaddaffi and Saddam Hussein were brought to Justice as was Osama Bin Laden.
And all the same, new Monsters are popping up to take their place.
Shadow,
You may be right; it may too much of a political bombshell for both parties, the AG and the NYSP for anyone to act. Nx had almost everyone in the Albany area with any power in their pockets regardless of political affiliation..
However, your redeeming quality is that you care enough to write to the governor and state representatives. Maybe, you and Frank can try to wake someone up who is not in Albany to investigate this. Rolling Stone has done some good investigative journalism and people take it more seriously now. Maybe, you can research and write a piece for them or some other magazines?
I’m not so sure. I have a feeling that NDNY will step in once this case is over.
OCD what makes you think NDNY will do anything? NYS did nothing since 2012 and cant wait to continue this trend
who will spearhead this campaign for JUSTICE???? got someone in mind? just curious as a new yorker i have no faith in this government and the moral compass of anyone in leadership positions either side of the aisle
I understand your feelings on that. I just think NDNY has been outed and shamed in the press for prior inaction, so they may feel compelled to do something. Surely they’re not going to let the child porn charge sit, after locking up John Tighe?
you see what i see {smell what i smell}