Ghislaine Maxwell's appeal to revisit sex trafficking conviction denied
- Ghislaine Maxwell's attorneys filed a petition on November 1 requesting a broader judicial review of her conviction.
- The 2nd U.S. Court of Appeals used existing case law to uphold the ruling against Maxwell.
- The court's decision represents a major blow to Maxwell's efforts to challenge her conviction.
In the United States, a federal appeals court has rejected Ghislaine Maxwell's request for the court to reconsider its decision to uphold her conviction related to Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking operation involving minors. The 2nd U.S. Court of Appeals, based in Manhattan, denied the petition filed by Maxwell's attorneys on November 1. In their application, they sought an en banc review, which allows all judges of the court to reassess a prior ruling made by a panel of judges. The attorneys argued that previous case law limited the judges' authority to overturn certain decisions. Maxwell's request stemmed from a non-prosecution agreement (NPA) involving Epstein made with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Florida. They pointed to a clause in that agreement that they believed provided immunity to potentially co-conspirators like Maxwell. However, a district court ruled that while she benefitted from the NPA, it did not grant her immunity, a decision supported by the earlier Annabi case. Ultimately, the appeals court concluded the petition was without merit, marking a significant setback for Maxwell and her legal team as they pursued further avenues to contest her convictions.