Preparations Begin for D.C. Madam Trial
D.C. Madam faces charges for involvement in an alleged sex-for-hire business.
March 11, 2008— -- If the disgraced governor of New York lands in court for entangling himself with a prostitution service, he'll join Deborah Palfrey, aka the "D.C. Madam," who also faces charges for involvement with what prosecutors allege was a sex-for-hire business.
April 7 is slated to be the first day of a federal trial for Palfrey, who insists her company was a "sexual fantasy services" firm that did not sell intercourse. She faces charges of financial crimes related to what prosecutors say was a criminal enterprise.
Preparations for the trial are underway. Earlier this month Judge James Robertson ruled on a flurry of motions, denying a request by Palfrey to dismiss the proceedings and another one to suppress evidence from her home.
According to another filing, prosecutors last week shared with Palfrey's lawyer the identities of previously unnamed people who testified before the grand jury which indicted Palfrey, and also gave him names of those they believed were part of Palfrey's operation, and those they believe engaged in racketeering acts with Palfrey. (Those categories are "somewhat overlapping," prosecutors said in a filing.)
Palfrey declined to be interviewed by ABC News yesterday, referring calls to her court-appointed attorney, Preston Burton. Burton likewise declined comment.
Depending on how you count, Burton is Palfrey's third, fourth or possibly even fifth counsel. The Charleroi, Pa. native was first represented by A.J. Kramer, but replaced him with Burton last May. She dismissed Burton in favor of her civil counsel, Montgomery Sibley, several months later. Last month she dismissed Sibley in favor of representing herself but later agreed to be represented again by Burton.