Elizabeth Holmes Asks Judge to Please Be Nice to Her

Elizabeth Holmes and her sound defence squad are postulate for an 18 - month period of business firm arrest , as opposed to the maximum 80 years of possible poky time the Theranos founder faces . In a memorandum pleading for leniency , Holmes requested that the courtyard “ look beyond that impersonation , ” of her in the media and “ examine Ms. Holmes the human being . ”

Now , an 82 - Sir Frederick Handley Page document charge recently on Thursday is her defense squad ’s in style move to minimize their node ’s prison house clock time . It begins with a description of Holmes ’ puerility and include department titles like : “ Ms. Holmes Objects to the Calculation of the Number of dupe , ” “ Caring and Reliable Friend , ” and “ Deep sake in Making the World a Better Place . ” In addition to the memoranda , Holmes also filed hundred of pages of sustain papers include 130 letters submitted by “ individuals who actually experience [ her ] . ”

Further , the filing tell harm endure by Holmes — let in an alleged 2003 rape and claims of repeated abuse at the hands of her romantic and business partner , Ramesh “ Sunny ” Balwani — who was foundguilty on 12 countsof imposter in connectedness to Theranos . The memo name her late unpaid worker work in livelihood of sexual assault survivors as yet another reason why she should n’t be sent to pokey .

Elizabeth Holmes in federal court on Oct. 17, 2022

Elizabeth Holmes in federal court on Oct. 17, 2022Photo:Jeff Chiu(AP)

Such filing , cognise asmitigation reports , are a stock part of criminal defense . They are charge in almost all showcase , and often — if a legal squad is able , they will be as in - deepness as Holmes ’ .

For a defendant as in public scorned as the Theranos founder , such extenuation might initially seem like a big - religion effectual maneuver . However , failing to put in a comparable news report could actually be deemed malpractice , saidEmily Galvin - Almanza , a former California - based public defender and co - founder of the non - profit Partners for Justice , in a text edition interchange with Gizmodo .

In her sentence as a public defender , Galvin - Almanza , noted that she and her co-worker worked their hardest to accede as full-bodied mitigation as possible for their clients — including background like childhood and trauma experiences . “ It ’s a very serious affair , look at assume X of a human living . It merits considering how they came to be in this view and their likelihood of succeeding if give a hazard , ” she wrote . And , as with any wide - publicized trial , what bump to Holmes could set a legal expectation and inform democratic belief .

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Unfortunately , as the Stanford dropout is likely to learn firsthand , we dwell ina carceral statewhere being skillful some of the clock time and hold up retiring trauma does n’t needfully grant you a get - out - of - jail - loose poster . On the other hand , being whiteandwealthyin the white - collar law-breaking domain will probably lend Holmes some perks . If the evaluator does choose for a prison house sentence , the bug out - up scammer is potential to serve her fourth dimension in a low - security measures adeptness and end up with a conviction of less than ten years , concord tosomeexpert venture .

Holmes ’ prescribed sentencing is schedule for Nov. 18 , and prosecutors will file their own sentencing recommendation for Judge Davila before then . In the meanwhile , you’re able to read the full extent of Holmes ’ request for compassion below .

Update 2025-02-19 , 11:48 a.m. ET : This story has been updated with additional context from a legal expert .

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