London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Sep 12, 2025

Ghislaine Maxwell’s bid for new trial denied, judge rules

Ghislaine Maxwell’s bid for new trial denied, judge rules

Maxwell repeatedly requested a new trial after a juror on her case failed to disclose childhood sexual abuse during jury selection

Ghislaine Maxwell’s bid for a new trial has been denied, the judge in her Manhattan federal court sex-trafficking case said on Friday.

The daughter of the late British media baron Robert Maxwell repeatedly requested a new trial after a juror in the case failed to disclose childhood sexual abuse during jury selection.

Juror No 50, Scotty David, was questioned in court on 8 March about his omission. He told the judge, Alison Nathan, he had been distracted when quickly completing a screening questionnaire.

In her ruling on Friday, Nathan said she thought David’s explanation was truthful and he gave no indication of bias against Maxwell.

“The court finds Juror 50 testified credibly at the hearing,” Nathan wrote in a 40-page decision. “There are many reasons for that finding. He appeared to testify frankly and honestly, even when the answers he gave were the cause of personal embarrassment and regret. His incentive at the hearing was to testify truthfully or face criminal perjury charges.”

Nathan added: “His tone, demeanor and responsiveness gave no indication of false testimony. The court thus credits his testimony that he was distracted as he filled out the questionnaire and ‘skimmed way too fast’, leading him to misunderstand some of the questions.

“The court further finds that Juror 50 was not biased and would not have been stricken for cause even if he had answered each question on the questionnaire accurately.”

David told Nathan his failure to mention childhood sexual abuse was an “honest mistake” and he was deeply remorseful. He was given immunity to testify, having indicated he would invoke his fifth-amendment right against self-incrimination.

Maxwell was found guilty on 29 December of sex-trafficking and related charges for bringing girls, some aged just 14, to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, for him to sexually abuse. Maxwell insists she is innocent.

Epstein, a convicted sex offender whose high-profile associates once included Prince Andrew, was arrested in July 2019, on sex-trafficking charges. He killed himself in federal jail in New York.

Following Maxwell’s trial, David gave interviews in which he discussed experiencing sexual abuse as a child. He claimed he had told the jury about this so they could understand things from a victim’s perspective.

David’s comments prompted questions because would-be jurors were asked about any history of abuse during selection proceedings. The questionnaire asked, for example: “Have you or a friend ever been the victim of sexual harassment, sexual abuse or sexual assault?”

When David’s comments were revealed, prosecutors requested Nathan investigate. Maxwell’s lawyers made a similar request and then asked Nathan for a new trial. Prosecutors argued against a new trial, noting David’s adamance that he did not fail to reveal his abuse intentionally.

“After the thoughtful and thorough hearing held by this court, it is crystal clear that the defendant received a fair trial,” prosecutors said in court papers. “Juror 50’s sworn testimony at the hearing made evident that he did not deliberately lie in completing the questionnaire, but that he instead made an honest mistake.”

In her decision on Friday, Nathan also addressed the contention of Maxwell’s attorneys that they would have tried to keep David off the jury had they known his history. The judge said that was not pertinent to weighing Maxwell’s push for a new trial.

“What is not at issue in resolving this motion is whether the defendant would have exercised a peremptory strike against this juror had he accurately disclosed his prior sexual abuse,” Nathan wrote.

“Although the defendant argues in her pre-hearing briefing that she is also entitled to a new trial because Juror 50’s failure to disclose his history denied her the opportunity to exercise her peremptory challenges, that is not the law in federal court.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Court Staff Cover Up Banksy Image of Judge Beating a Protester
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
Elon Musk Poised to Become First Trillionaire Under Ambitious Tesla Pay Plan
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
Burning the Minister’s House Helped Protesters to Win Justice: Prabowo Fires Finance Minister in Wake of Indonesia Protests
Brazil Braces for Fallout from Bolsonaro Trial by corrupted judge
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
Nearly 40 Years Later: Nike Changes the Legendary Slogan Just Do It
Generations Born After 1939 Unlikely to Reach Age One Hundred, New Study Finds
End to a four-year manhunt in New Zealand: the father who abducted his children to the forests was killed, the three siblings were found
Germany Suspends Debt Rules, Funnels €500 Billion Toward Military and Proxy War Strategy
EU Prepares for War
BMW Eyes Growth in China with New All‑Electric Neue Klasse Lineup
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
US Justice Department Launches Criminal Mortgage-Fraud Probe into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Escalating Drug Trafficking and Violence in Latin America: A Growing Crisis
US and Taiwanese Defence Officials Held Secret Talks in Alaska
Report: Secret SEAL Team 6 Mission in North Korea Ordered by Trump in 2019 Ended in Failure
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
×