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On the 26th floor of a federal courthouse in Manhattan, a palpable tension has settled in as the trial progresses.
Over the past three weeks, I have been present at the sex trafficking trial involving the Alexander brothers, who were once prominent millionaire siblings. They stand accused of masterminding a long-running scheme over a decade, involving the luring, drugging, and assaulting of women. The courtroom has seen heart-wrenching testimonies unfold, painting a vivid and distressing picture of the alleged crimes.
Witnesses, predominantly women, have broken down in tears as they recounted the assaults they claim to have endured. Family members of those involved can often be seen with heads bowed in silent prayer. Tensions have run high, with moments of volatility, such as when the brothers’ father angrily confronted a photographer from the Daily Mail.
As the trial reaches its midpoint, the atmosphere inside the courtroom has noticeably shifted from the early days. The initial confidence and bravado displayed by the brothers’ supporters have been replaced by a more somber and vigilant demeanor. Their expressions now seem more restrained, reflecting the gravity of the proceedings.
The visible confidence of those first days has given way to something more guarded among the brothers’ supporters. They appear more serious, more watchful.
The easy smiles are gone. The note-passing has grown more frantic. Nearly every ruling from the bench is met with tight expressions and tense whispers.
As I discuss in the new episode of the Daily Mail’s podcast, The Trial: USA, the brothers themselves – Tal, 39, and twins Oren and Alon, 38 – remain outwardly composed, conferring intently with counsel and, at times, pulling out the chairs of the female attorneys seated beside them before they rise to speak.
Tal Alexander, 39, and twins Oren and Alon, 38, are each facing numerous federal sex trafficking charges
The trial began in Manhattan in late January and is expected to run through early MarchÂ
So far jurors have heard from nine women who allege they were invited to exclusive parties or trips, plied with alcohol or drugs, and sexually assaulted by one or more of the brothers behind closed doors.
One moment that reduced the courtroom to near silence involved a video prosecutors say shows Oren and another man raping an unconscious 17-year-old girl in 2009. The girl in the footage, now 34, later appeared before the jury, tearfully explaining she did not even know the video existed until she was contacted by federal investigators.
But while the allegations have been graphic and emotionally charged, the defense has methodically sought to dismantle the government’s narrative.
Through hours of cross-examination, the brothers’ attorneys have highlighted inconsistencies in timelines, gaps in memory and differences between witnesses’ accounts.Â
They have pointed out that none of the accusers immediately contacted police or sought drug tests, and that some exchanged friendly messages with the brothers afterward or continued to spend time in their company.
The legal bar the government must clear is high. To secure convictions on federal sex trafficking charges, prosecutors must persuade jurors not only that assaults occurred, but that the brothers knowingly used force, fraud or coercion as part of a coordinated venture –Â a burden legal experts often describe as notoriously difficult to meet.
In opening statements, prosecutors described what they called a 12-year ‘playbook,’ arguing the brothers operated as a team – recruiting women, promising luxury trips and, at times, drugging them – to repeatedly carry out sexual assaults.
Assistant US Attorney Madison Smyser told jurors the brothers used ‘whatever means necessary’ to execute their shared plan, including supplying flights, mansions, alcohol and drugs, and, when needed, brute force.
Shlomi Alexander lunged at the Daily Mail’s photographer outside Manhattan federal court earlier this month
Maya Miller, a Nevada nurse appearing under a pseudonym, told jurors Tal Alexander raped her as she wept in a shower during a weekend away at a $13 million Hamptons mansion
The testimony heard so far has painted a picture of strikingly similar allegations across multiple women.
From my seat in the courtroom, that pattern has been difficult to ignore. But federal sex trafficking law demands more than a pattern. Prosecutors must prove the brothers acted knowingly as part of a coordinated venture.
Whether jurors believe that burden has been met is the question that now looms over the second half of the trial.
One male juror, it seems, had already reached his own conclusion.
He was dismissed by Judge Valerie Caproni on Thursday after reportedly telling fellow jurors he had formed an opinion about the verdict and did not believe the brothers were guilty of sex trafficking.Â
The judge was alerted in a letter from another juror. The defense objected and moved for a mistrial, which Caproni denied.
The trial is now in the middle of a planned hiatus and will resume on February 24.
I’ll be continuing to report from inside the courtroom as it unfolds.
You can hear more behind-the-scenes detail from the past three weeks on the Daily Mail’s podcast, The Trial: USA, hosted by Kayla Brantley and featuring my firsthand account.
For ongoing updates, you can also subscribe to The Crime Desk’s weekly newsletter, delivered each Wednesday.