Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters), – On Thursday, a U.S. judge will question a Juror in Ghislaine’s sex Trafficking Case who did not disclose that she was sexually abused as a Child.

U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan, Manhattan, also rejected Maxwell’s request for a fresh trial. This was at least until the March 8 hearing. Juror 50 from Manhattan will then testify in open court under oath.

Nathan claimed Maxwell was above the law to receive a post-verdict hearing.

Maxwell (60) was found guilty of five out of six charges she faced in connection to Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse of minor girls by aiding him.

British socialite is facing up to 65 year imprisonment

After Juror 50 (identified himself as Scotty David) told media, including Reuters, that he had shared his past of sexual abuse with jurors during five days of jury deliberations, the verdict was clouded.

When he filled out the juror questionnaire asking if he was a victim of sexual abuse and whether he can judge Maxwell fairly, he stated that he hadn’t disclosed any abuse to Maxwell.

Juror 50 (a man in his mid-30s) also said to Reuters he couldn’t recall the question, and that he would have answered honestly. However, he stated that he only “flew through the questionnaire.”

Nathan called Juror 50’s statements “clearly strong, substantial and uncontrovertible evidence”. He also claimed that Maxwell was lying on the questionnaire. Maxwell’s lawyers lost an opportunity to interview him.

Nathan denied a new trial and said that she couldn’t accept Juror 50’s statements as true because they weren’t sworn or were inadmissible according to federal evidentiary laws.

Judge 50 also directed that the questionnaire of Juror 50 be published.

Maxwell’s lawyers also requested to speak with a second juror. He reportedly said that he would discuss his experiences as a victim of child sexual abuse. Nathan declined to grant the request on Thursday.

Maxwell lawyers did not respond immediately to inquiries for comment. Todd Spodek was a Juror-50 lawyer and declined to comment.

Juror dishonesty is a common reason jurors overturn verdicts. It happens when jurors lie to get seated and not when they conceal crucial information.

Maxwell is due to be sentenced on June 28.

Epstein committed suicide on Aug. 10, 2019, at the age of 66, while in Manhattan prison awaiting his sex-trafficking case.