Ghislaine Maxwell seeks to overturn conviction, citing new evidence in released files
Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell attend de Grisogono Sponsors The 2005 Wall Street Concert Series Benefitting Wall Street Rising, with a Performance by Rod Stewart at Cipriani Wall Street on March 15, 2005 in New York City. (Photo by Joe Schildh
Ghislaine Maxwell, the former British socialite and girlfriend of convicted felon and accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, is looking to overturn her conviction and sentence, saying her rights were violated.
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What we know:
Attorneys for Ghislaine Maxwell have filed an amended petition arguing that newly released records under the Epstein Files Transparency Act reveal violations of her constitutional rights. The filing claims that lawyers representing Epstain’s accusers effectively acted as "de facto prosecutors" for the government, allegedly infringing on Maxwell’s due process protections.
The petition also accuses federal prosecutors of a "failure to follow witnesses and evidence," asserting that the government conducted "no real investigation of their own." As an example, the defense notes that prosecutors never interviewed retail billionaire Leslie Wexner, who employed Epstein to manage his personal finances.
Maxwell’s attorneys further allege gaps in witness testimony and other instances of government suppression of evidence as further grounds to overturn her conviction.
The other side:
Federal prosecutor Jay Clayton countered, saying most of the claims filed by the defense were filed too late and others were based on speculation or failed to definitely show she was treated unfairly during her trial.
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The backstory:
Jeffrey Epstein was first accused in 2005 of paying a 14-year-old girl for sex and was arrested the following year. Afterward, dozens of other underage girls reported similar sexual abuse. Epstein was convicted for procuring a person under 18 for prostitution and felony solicitation of prostitution and later indicted on federal sex trafficking. He died by suicide in jail while awaiting trial.
Ghislaine Maxwell was later prosecuted for helping recruit his underage victims. She was convicted in 2021 and is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence in Texas.
The Source: This story was written with information provided by Reuters. This story was reported from Orlando.