Maxwell Opposes Request to Unseal Epstein Grand Jury Papers
'Jeffrey Epstein is dead,' her lawyers wrote. 'Ghislaine Maxwell is not. Whatever interest the public may have in Epstein, that interest cannot justify a broad intrusion into grand jury secrecy in a case where the defendant is alive, her legal options are viable and her due process rights remain.'
The court filing came as two judges are considering requests by the Trump Justice Department to release the grand jury transcripts in the Epstein and Maxwell cases. The judges had set Tuesday as the deadline for victims of the scheme and Ms. Maxwell to offer their views on the proposed disclosure.
The judges set the same deadline for a representative of Mr. Epstein to provide an opinion. Mr. Epstein was found hanged in his cell in August 2019 as he was awaiting trial; his death was ruled a suicide.
In their letter, Ms. Maxwell's lawyers argue that after Mr. Epstein's death, federal prosecutors 'pivoted and made Maxwell the face of his crimes.'
'She became the scapegoat and the only person the government could put on trial,' her lawyers, David O. Markus and Melissa Madrigal, wrote.
The unsealing request came as Mr. Trump has tried to quell criticism and conspiracy theories from many of his supporters about Mr. Epstein and his circle of associates. Some of those theories were put forth by top aides to Mr. Trump before they entered government service, leading Mr. Trump's followers to assume U.S. files still held secrets about powerful people connected to Mr. Epstein's crimes.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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