Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal to overturn sex-trafficking conviction ‘falls far short’, lawyers claim
AN appeal court has been urged not to overturn Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex-trafficking conviction.
US government lawyers say the jailed 61-year-old’s arguments “fall far short” of what is needed.
The shamed socialite was found guilty in 2021 of luring young girls to massage rooms for paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein to molest.
She was jailed for 20 years by a New York court 12 months ago.
But Maxwell hinted she would appeal shortly after her conviction and her lawyers claim her victims had “faded, distorted and motivated memories”.
Her attorneys claim she did not have a fair trial as juror Scotty David had failed to disclose on a questionnaire he had been sexually abused.
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Judge Alison Nathan had ruled his “errors” did not undermine the trial.
In response to the arguments about Mr David, the US Government's attorneys said: "Judge Nathan conducted a thorough inquiry and determined that Juror 50's inadvertent errors on the jury questionnaire did not undermine Maxwell's right to a fair trial.
"Maxwell does not meaningfully engage with Judge Nathan's careful opinion, instead suggesting that Juror 50's testimony at the hearing was 'patently absurd'."
Maxwell’s lawyers have made numerous bail bids.
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Epstein was found dead in jail in 2019 while he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges.
Maxwell has been imprisoned since July 2020, despite numerous attempts from her defence counsel to have her released on bail.