After being indicted on federal sex trafficking charges 16 months ago, 15 Somali immigrants head to trial in a Nashville courtroom Tuesday. The defendants' attorneys are scheduled to present opening arguments in USA v. Adan et al. this morning.
Originally, 30 defendants were indicted, but over the past several months, U.S. District Court Judge William J. Haynes severed defendants and charges into separate trials. Two defendants aren't in custody.
Tuesday is just the beginning of what is likely to be a months-long trial, according to court documents. In January, The City Paper reported on the challenges surrounding the large court case [1].
The 30 defendants were originally indicted in November 2010. Currently facing trial are: Adifatah Adan, Ahmad Ahmad, Musse Ali, Hassan Dahir, Faduma Farah, Idris Fahra, Abdullah Hashi, Fatah Hashi, Abdirahman Hersi, Dahir Ibrahim, Abdifatah Jama, Andrew Kayachith, Fuad Nur, Yasin Yusuf, and Mohamed Amalle.
Links:
[1] http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/lumbering-child-sex-trafficking-trial-must-find-courtroom-28-defendants-lawyers