Ghislaine Maxwell, the former companion of Jeffrey Epstein, has petitioned a federal judge to overturn her sex trafficking conviction and release her from a 20-year prison term. Maxwell claims that new evidence has surfaced, revealing constitutional violations that tainted her trial. In a habeas petition filed in Manhattan federal court, she alleges that crucial information was withheld and false testimony was presented to the jury, leading to a miscarriage of justice.
Maxwell asserts that post-trial revelations from various sources, including civil actions, government disclosures, and investigative reports, demonstrate constitutional breaches that undermined the fairness of her trial. She argues that this new evidence would have exonerated her and no reasonable juror would have found her guilty.
The filing coincided with the impending public release of records related to her case, mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act signed into law by former President Donald Trump. Following public and political pressure, the U.S. Justice Department is set to disclose 18 categories of investigative materials from the extensive sex trafficking probe, such as search warrants, financial records, victim interview notes, and electronic data.
Jeffrey Epstein, a wealthy financier previously convicted of state sex charges, was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges in 2019 and later died in custody. Maxwell, a British socialite, was convicted of sex trafficking in 2021. Amid ongoing legal proceedings, her attorney raised concerns about potential prejudice if documents from her case are unsealed, emphasizing that untested allegations could impact a fair retrial.
Despite objections, a judge approved the public release of materials requested by the Justice Department. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton affirmed his commitment to complying with legal requirements and court directives regarding the records. The released materials reportedly focus on Epstein and Maxwell’s involvement with underage individuals, as stated by Judge Engelmayer, who previously rejected unsealing requests before the transparency legislation was enacted.
