Ghislaine Maxwell Says a Biased Juror ‘Corrupted’ Her Sex-Abuse Trial

(Bloomberg) -- Ghislaine Maxwell said a juror's post-verdict disclosure of childhood sexual abuse denied her a fair trial and suggested that he might try to destroy evidence of his bias against her.

The British socialite raised the possibility in a filing on Tuesday arguing that the inquiry into the juror's conduct remain secret. Several media organizations have urged U.S. District Court Alison Nathan to unseal the proceedings.

Christian Everdell, a lawyer for Maxwell, said in a letter to Nathan that making her filings public would “provide a roadmap” for the juror to “paint himself and his conduct in the best light possible.” In addition to possibly destroying evidence, the juror might also try to contact other witnesses, Everdell said.

Maxwell, who was convicted on Dec. 29 of enticing, grooming and sexually abusing underage girls with her former boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein, requested a new trial soon after the juror, identified as Scotty David, his first and middle names, told several media outlets that he raised his past sexual abuse to sway other jurors to convict. Though prospective jurors were asked whether they had been victims of sexual abuse, Scotty David told Reuters that he “flew through” the jury questionnaire. He said he didn't remember such a question but would have answered honestly if asked.

In Tuesday's letter, Everdell said there was already enough evidence to throw out Maxwell's conviction on the grounds that Scotty David “violated” her right to an impartial jury. His “responses to the jury questionnaire and questions posed to him during in-person voir dire corrupted the voir dire process and violated Ms. Maxwell's right to a fair trial,” the lawyer said.

Everdell also argued Scotty David should not be allowed to see his pretrial questionnaire, which the juror's lawyer has requested.

A number of legal experts have said Maxwell, 60, has a strong argument for a new trial based on the possibility that Scotty David hid his past abuse in order to get on the jury.

Maxwell's sex-trafficking conviction was hailed as long-delayed justice for victims of Epstein, who was arrested in July 2019 but was later found dead in a federal lockup in Manhattan. His death was later ruled a suicide.