Mike Lacey
Backpage.com Judge Refuses to Recuse Herself, Lacey Responds
Last Friday, the Phoenix federal judge presiding over the criminal trial against the former owners of Backpage.com issued a 14-page ruling that detailed her refusal to recuse herself from the case, following a motion by the defendants that revealed her husband’s explicit activism against them as part of a crusade alleging “human trafficking.”
Backpage.com Criminal Trial Once Again Postponed, to April 2021
The Arizona judge overseeing the criminal trial of the former Backpage.com owners has granted another motion by the defense to move the trial date, this time to April 2021, which will coincide with the third anniversary of Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin’s arrest and assets seizure.
Backpage Defense Asks Judge to Recuse Herself Over Husband's Propaganda Pamphlet
Lawyers for the former owners of adult classified website Backpage.com have requested that Judge Susan Brnovich recuse herself from their ongoing trial over public statements made by her husband, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a vocal activist against what he calls “human trafficking,” including a lurid pamphlet published by his office.
Appeals Court Sets Date Set for Backpage.com Oral Arguments
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has scheduled a date for oral arguments in the Backpage.com case, which are now set to occur remotely on August 11.
Backpage Owners' Lawyers Argue for Access to Seized Servers
Last Friday, a pre-trial hearing was held in a Phoenix federal court regarding the ongoing government lawsuit against former Backpage owner Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin.
Reason: Memos Show Charges Against Backpage.com Were 'Bogus'
Reason magazine has just published two memos written by federal prosecutors that contradict the government’s allegation that Backpage’s business model included child prostitution and “sex trafficking.”
Appeals Court Returns Ongoing Backpage Case to District Court
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling yesterday sending back the Backpage case (known as “USA vs. Larkin” after Jim Larkin, former co-owner with Mike Lacey of the adult online classifieds website) to Judge R. Gary Klausner of the Central District of California.
Sentencing of Backpage Exec Turned Key Prosecution Witness Delayed
As proceedings against Backpage.com founders Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin continue unraveling in California courts, the sentencing of former associate Carl Ferrer, who is now cooperating with the government as a witness against them, has been delayed until July 2020.
Cambria: Government 'Not Effective' During Backpage Appeals Hearing
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals today heard oral arguments from the appellants and the U.S. government regarding the shutting down of the Backpage.com classifieds website and the seizure of millions of dollars in assets.
Former Backpage Owners Claim to Be Victims of "Moral Panic" About Sex Work
Former Backpage owner Michael Lacey, who appeared alongside business partner Jim Larkin at a Libertarian gathering in Phoenix last Friday, claimed that the political/legal campaign to shut down the popular classifieds website was fueled by a "moral panic, based on a false premise [and it] has put sex workers in danger’s way.”