Court Rejects Objections To Refusal To Reschedule Trial Dates For Alleged Religious Reasons

In People v. Alliance Warburg Capital Management, (NY Cty. Sup. Ct., Oct. 17, 2017), a New York trial court rejected religious free exercise arguments by defendant who had been convicted of defrauding investors out of over $4 million.  Defendant objected to the court’s refusal during trial to agree to hold no sessions on Fridays– though only one session was in fact held on a Friday.  The state did not object to defendant’s request.  The court found defendant’s religious claims to insincere.  Defendant claimed to be Jewish and contended that