Ghislaine Maxwell, the previous girlfriend and convicted confederate of Jeffrey Epstein, is opposing a renewed push by the US Division of Justice (DOJ) to unseal grand jury transcripts within the high-profile intercourse trafficking case, arguing that doing so would violate her due course of rights and undermine her pending enchantment earlier than the US Supreme Courtroom.
Maxwell’s authorized crew urged the courtroom to reject the federal government’s proposal to launch the transcripts, emphasising that public curiosity alone doesn’t justify breaching grand jury secrecy in an lively felony case.
“No matter curiosity the general public might have in Epstein, that curiosity can’t justify a broad intrusion into grand jury secrecy in a case the place the defendant is alive, her authorized choices are viable and her due course of rights stay,” Maxwell’s attorneys David O. Markus and Melissa Madrigal argued.
The Justice Division, beneath the Trump administration, had petitioned two federal judges in New York to permit the discharge of transcripts associated to the grand juries that indicted each Epstein and Maxwell. The transfer, officers mentioned, was prompted by rising public demand for transparency within the high-profile sex-trafficking case.
Maxwell is at the moment serving a 20-year sentence for aiding Epstein in trafficking dozens of younger girls, a lot of them minors. Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019 whereas awaiting trial. The courtroom gave Maxwell and Epstein’s property till Tuesday to reply to the DOJ’s request.
Maxwell claims unawareness of content material
Maxwell’s attorneys argued that unsealing the supplies would “irreparably taint” any future proceedings, particularly if her Supreme Courtroom enchantment is profitable. Additionally they revealed that Maxwell has by no means reviewed the grand jury supplies in query and stays unaware of their content material.
Including additional complexity to the case, Maxwell was just lately visited in a low-security Florida jail by Deputy Legal professional Basic Todd Blanche. She was subpoenaed to testify earlier than Congress relating to Epstein’s community, and has requested immunity in trade for her testimony. She was later transferred to a minimum-security facility in Texas.
President Donald Trump and Legal professional Basic Pam Bondi have confronted rising stress to handle public considerations over the Epstein case. Whereas Trump has acknowledged understanding Epstein, he has mentioned their relationship ended years earlier than Epstein’s arrest and loss of life.
