Topline
A federal judge Friday denied Ghislaine Maxwell’s request for a new trial on sex trafficking charges because a juror admitted he failed to reveal his status as a sexual abuse survivor during jury selection, with the judge dismissing this incident as an accident.
A courtroom sketch of disgraced socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted in December of sex … [+]
Key Facts
The juror who failed to reveal his personal history said he “skimmed way too fast” through a jury selection form.
U.S. District Court Judge Alison Nathan wrote that the juror “harbored no bias toward the defendant and could serve as a fair and impartial juror,” the AP reported.
Key Background
Maxwell was convicted in December of helping the late financier Jeffrey Epstein abuse young girls, and could face up to 60 years in prison. The juror who failed to reveal his status as a sexual abuse survivor, throwing Maxwell’s conviction in jeopardy, was granted immunity from prosecution to testify in a hearing on the issue, nullifying his right to refuse to answer questions so as not to incriminate himself.
Further Reading
“‘Bombshell Revelation’ Of Ghislaine Maxwell Juror Should Be Seen Before Ruling, Lawyer Says” (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacharysmith/2022/04/01/judge-declines-to-dismiss-ghislaine-maxwell-conviction-saying-juror-had-no-bias/