Lawyers representing Ghislaine Maxwell have asserted that she should be released based on a prior agreement with federal prosecutors.
Maxwell, aged 62, was convicted of aiding disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein in sexually exploiting young girls, resulting in a 20-year prison sentence in June 2022.
In a New York court on Tuesday, Maxwell’s attorney, Diana Fabi Samson, argued that the British socialite was protected by a previous arrangement with prosecutors.
However, US government attorneys oppose this stance, contending that the agreement, which allowed her partner Epstein to serve a lenient sentence for sex offenses, does not entitle Maxwell to freedom.
Maxwell’s appeal focuses not on the facts presented during her trial but rather on the legal issues surrounding the decades-old agreement.
Epstein, known for his associations with high-profile figures, had his crimes first publicized in 2005. In 2008, he struck a deal with federal prosecutors, pleading guilty to state charges in Florida and serving 13 months in prison for soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution.
Criticism of this plea agreement ensued, with prosecutors agreeing not to pursue his alleged accomplices, including Maxwell.
After facing numerous legal actions, Epstein was re-arrested in 2019 in New York on federal sex trafficking charges. He was found dead in his jail cell before standing trial; his death was officially deemed a suicide.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Fabi Samson described the Florida plea deal as “peculiar” and “unconventional,” arguing that it should have terminated any further action against Maxwell.
However, prosecutors dismissed the defense’s assertions as “superficial and underdeveloped,” asserting that the agreement’s scope was limited to the Florida district, whereas Maxwell was convicted in New York.
Throughout Maxwell’s trial in 2022, four women testified to being sexually abused as minors at Epstein’s residences across various locations, including Florida, New York, New Mexico, and the Virgin Islands.
They recounted how Maxwell persuaded them to provide massages to Epstein that escalated into sexual encounters, enticing them with gifts and assurances of Epstein’s wealth and influence.
Despite Maxwell’s legal team’s attempts to dismiss the case, including claiming that a juror failed to disclose their childhood abuse, the judge rejected these arguments.
The judge also dismissed claims that Maxwell was inadequately prepared for trial and that prosecutors delayed bringing charges against her.
The appeals court has yet to deliver its verdict, with Maxwell’s legal team expressing cautious optimism about their chances of success outside the courtroom.
