“Pharma felon” Martin Shkreli’s former lawyer soon heads to trial in the pair’s alleged ponzi-like scheme — and he’s begging the judge to switch up jury selection in order to spare him from the three-day roasting that his reviled ex-boss endured earlier this summer.
Evan Greebel is asking the Brooklyn judge to issue a preemptive questionaire to potential jurors so that people are weeded out earlierꦯ on if they have prejudicꩲes.
The move comes after the disastrous three days it took to get a jury for Shkreli’s case — during which potential jurors variously skewered the 34-year-old “Most Hated Man in America” as a “snake,” “evil” and a “d–k.”
“Martin Shkreli will be the elephant in the room at the trial of Mr. Greebel,” Greebel’s lawyers wrote to Brooklyn federal-court Judge Kiyo Matsumoto in their request that she use questionnaires to impanel jurors.
“As this Court knows, jury selection in the Shkreli trial lasted nearly three entire trial days,” the letter reads.
“Literally hundreds and hundreds of jurors were appropriately dismissed because it became clear to the Court that they had preconceived negative views of Mr. Shkreli and could not serve impartially.”
Matsumoto previously denied requests by Shkreli’s defense team for the use of a questionnaire, setting up the seemingly perpetual lambasting.
The jurist has yet to rule on Greebel’s request.
Shkreli was convicted o🧸n three cou🗹nts of securities fraud Aug. 4 and acquitted of five other counts of conspiracy to commit securities fraud,🥀 wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit wir﷽e fraud. He has indicated his team will appeal the convictions.
Greebel is set to head to trial later this year.