In a striking move during the ongoing federal trial of Oren, Alon, and Tal Alexander, defense attorneys formally asked Judge Valerie Caproni to declare a mistrial, arguing that the government itself irreparably poisoned the proceedings. In a letter filed on February 1, 2026, the defense says the U.S. Attorney’s Office crossed a line by releasing a massive tranche of so-called “Epstein files” while the jury was already empaneled and hearing evidence.
According to the filing, the January 30 release was not a routine administrative disclosure but a full media event that “contained the largest batch of Jeffrey Epstein files to date,” including “false, unverified, and sensational allegations.” The defense argues that the release falsely associated the Alexanders with Epstein, creating what they call a “uniquely toxic stigma” that cannot be cured by jury instructions or by questioning jurors about their exposure to the coverage.