By Luc Cohen

NEW YORK (Reuters) – A juror in Ghislaine Maxwell’s intercourse trafficking trial who didn’t reveal earlier than trial that he was sexually abused as a toddler was in search of “quarter-hour of fame,” the British socialite’s attorneys argued on Monday, however prosecutors mentioned she obtained a good trial.

Maxwell, 60, was convicted in December of serving to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse teenage ladies. She has requested a brand new trial due to the juror’s false statements.

In a listening to final week in Manhattan federal court docket, the juror – recognized as Juror No. 50 – mentioned he falsely answered “no” when requested earlier than trial if he had ever been the sufferer of sexual abuse or different crimes.

In a Monday night time letter to U.S. District Choose Alison Nathan, Maxwell lawyer Bobbi Sternheim pointed to social media posts he made after the trial saying he had served on the jury as “sturdy proof” of his bias.

“Juror 50 was not trying to keep away from discover. He was trying to absorb his quarter-hour of fame,” Sternheim wrote.

Prosecutors in a Monday night time letter argued that Maxwell couldn’t present that Juror 50 was biased as a result of he asserted throughout jury choice that he could be truthful and neutral and would resolve the case based mostly on the proof.

The juror testified finally week’s listening to that he made a “enormous mistake” and answered incorrectly as a result of he rushed by means of the screening questionnaire. Sternheim mentioned that clarification was not credible.

“Juror 50 doesn’t wish to be answerable for the retrial of Ghislaine Maxwell, so he tried to provide innocuous explanations for his false questionnaire responses,” Sternheim mentioned.

Todd Spodek, a lawyer for the juror, declined to remark.

Nathan has not but dominated on Maxwell’s request for a brand new trial.

Consultants advised Reuters that instances the place verdicts had been overturned largely concerned jurors who intentionally omitted data to attempt to get on the panel. Final week, Juror No. 50 mentioned he didn’t intentionally lie.

In a January interview with Reuters after the decision, the juror recognized himself by his first and center names, Scotty David, and mentioned he didn’t recall the query on the shape, however that he would have answered truthfully.

Epstein died by suicide at age 66 in a Manhattan jail cell whereas awaiting trial on intercourse trafficking costs.