Keith Raniere’s latest attorney, Deborah J. Blum, asked for and received an extension to September 5 to amend her client’s 2225 application, pending before US District Court Judge Nicholas Garaufis.
Once filed in September, the US Attoney will have at least ten days to respond, and following that, Raniere will get an opportunity to reply.
If the judge decides quickly after that, and decides to release the former Vanguard and ethicists of NXIVM, Raniere might be out of prison in mid-October and in time for preparations for Halloween and trick or treating.
Raniere has had a parade of attorneys since his conviction in 2019. Blum’s delay in filing the 2255 application was partly caused by difficulties conferring with Raniere, who is serving his sentence at the maximum security USP Tucson.
Judge Garaufis sentenced the NXIVM leader to 120 years in prison in 2020. He has been in custody for six years. With time off for good behavior, Raniere has 96 years to go, plus five years probation.
If he serves his full sentence, he will be 159. His release date is June 2120. Upon release, he will serve five years of probation.
A 2255 application allows prisoners to contest their sentences if they believe a significant legal error has occurred in their trial or at sentencing. If Judge Garaufis agrees, he can vacate, set aside, or correct the sentence. The success rate of 2255 applications is around 3%, but in Raniere’s case, it is around zero.
Blum’s letter describes her difficulties communicating with Raniere.
“In my limited communication with Mr. Raniere, it has become apparent that I will need to set up an in-person legal visit with him to finalize the submission.
During the one call that I had with Mr. Raniere, the call kept getting dropped and it is my understanding that this frequently occurs during his legal calls. Additionally, to my knowledge, Mr. Raniere has only been permitted four (4) in-person legal visits by USP Tuscon in the past nine (9) months.”
This tells me Raniere is still in the SHU, and the prison officials at USP Tucson are not letting him have many legal visits, and possibly listening in and monkeying with his legal phone calls.
Blum represents Raniere solely on his 2255 application.
Some of Raniere’s past attorneys include:
Trial Lawyers
Marc Agnifilo
Post Conviction
Arthur Aidala,
Joseph M. Tully.
Marc Fernich
Marty Tankoff
Alan Dershowitz
Jennifer Bonjean
Dennis Burke
Civil Lawyers
Stephen R, Coffey,
Pam Nichols