Alison J. Nathan

Judge Alison J. Nathan presided over jury selection and the presentation of evidence. She gave preliminary instructions on the burden of proof, what counted as evidence, and restrictions on outside research and discussion, while also managing anonymity, sealing, redaction, and exhibit-review procedures for sensitive material and pseudonymous witnesses.

Across the prosecution and defense cases, Judge Nathan ruled on foundation, relevance, prejudice, impeachment, expert limits, and witness scope. She limited the jury's permissible use of Kate's testimony, allowed Elizabeth Loftus to offer general blind-expert opinions within defined bounds, and precluded most proposed testimony from defense attorneys while permitting one narrow question to Robert Glassman. After the government rested, she denied the defense's Rule 29 motion and set the disclosures and schedule for the defense case.

At the Day 13 charge conference, Judge Nathan resolved contested instructions and verdict-sheet language. On Day 14, she ruled on objections during closing arguments, denied a mistrial request concerning Exhibit 52, and delivered the final charge on the six counts, the government's burden, evaluation of evidence and credibility, limited-purpose evidence, and individual unanimous deliberations.

During deliberations, Judge Nathan supplied a definition of enticement and directed jurors back to the full written instruction when their Count Four question was too ambiguous for a direct answer. She later denied the defense's renewed request for another Count Four instruction, finding that the existing charge was correct and the proposed formulation misstated the law. As COVID-19 risks increased, she ordered daily deliberations through the remainder of the week, allowed jurors to identify substantial hardship, and told them not to treat scheduling as pressure to reach a decision.

On Day 19, the jury returned guilty verdicts on five counts and a not-guilty verdict on Count Two. The jurors individually confirmed the result, after which Judge Nathan discharged them and instructed them to protect other jurors' identities, the privacy of deliberations, and information maintained under seal.