Day 10 of the Alexander Brothers trial delivered arguably the most explosive and graphic testimony to date, as a former UN employee recounted witnessing what she described as a brutal rape in a hot tub at a Hamptons house party in 2009. The day began with the conclusion of Kayley Brown's testimony, as the defense solidified its timeline of the Aspen trip and highlighted contradictions with Maylen Gehret's account. Then came Avishan Bodjnoud, testifying under her real name, who gave a harrowing, minute-by-minute account of the alleged assault by Tal Alexander and one of his twin brothers. The defense, in turn, launched a ferocious attack on Bodjnoud's memory and motives, questioning why she waited 15 years to come forward and pointing to significant gaps in her recollection of key details.
What the Witnesses Said
Kayley Brown (Pseudonym): The cross-examination of Maylen Gehret’s friend concluded with the defense solidifying its timeline of the Aspen trip. Through photo metadata and text messages, the defense established that the girls had been traveling for many hours before arriving at the club, and that they were in constant, coherent communication throughout the night they were allegedly drugged. The defense also confirmed that Brown and her friends had successfully purchased marijuana from multiple dispensaries, directly contradicting Gehret’s testimony from Day 8. On redirect, the prosecution emphasized that Brown was only 17 at the time, excited to be traveling without her parents, and that her energy and youth could explain the group’s ability to continue partying despite the alleged drugging.
Avishan Bodjnoud: A UN employee, Bodjnoud testified that in the summer of 2009, she was invited by a friend, David Rabello, to a Hamptons house rented by the Alexander brothers. She told the jury that late one night, she witnessed Tal Alexander and one of the twins drag an intoxicated woman into the backyard hot tub. From the living room, she said she heard the woman screaming “stop” repeatedly as the brothers sexually assaulted her. Horrified, Bodjnoud said she left on the first train the next morning, but not before scrawling “Rapists” and “You need to apologize” on a door with her eyeliner. She testified that she was later intimidated into silence by Rabello, who called her the next day and told her the brothers were “powerful” and “well connected.” On cross-examination, the defense pointed out numerous gaps in her memory, including the fact that she could not identify the alleged victim, could not remember the exact date, and had followed Tal Alexander on social media for years after the incident.