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United States Ghislaine Maxwell news - live: Juror admits to hiding sex abuse history under oath
Ghislaine Maxwell’s lawyers request retrial after sex trafficking conviction
The juror in Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial who was accused of failing to reveal his own history of sexual abuse has admitted to the error under oath.
The juror, who publicly identified himself to the media as Scotty David, made the admission at a hearing in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday after the Justice Department granted him immunity in exchange for his testimony.
At the start of the hearing, the juror said he intended Fifth Amendment right to avoid self-incrimination but waived it under the immunity offer.
Maxwell was convicted of grooming young girls for her “partner in crime” Jeffrey Epstein in a five-week sex-trafficking trial late last year.
Her last-ditch bid to have those charges dismissed hinges on the conduct of the 35-year-old juror, who has said in media interviews that he drew on his own experience when encouraging other jurors to find her guilty.
Maxwell’s lawyers have argued that the juror’s failure to disclose his history in jury selection was grounds for a retrial.
Scotty David insisted that his incorrect answer was an “inadvertent mistake”.
Asked if he intentionally answered incorrectly to land a spot on the jury, he said: “Absolutely not.”
“This is one of the biggest mistakes I have made in my life,” he told Judge Nathan.
He explained that as he rushed through the form he thought the question about history of sex abuse was only asking about friends or family, not himself.
“This is a terrible excuse, but I really didn’t think I would be chosen,” he added.
Megan Sheets8 March 2022 15:52
Explaining his inaccurate answer, Scotty David told the judge: “I flew through this questionnaire. I honestly never thought I would be chosen to sit on this jury.
“At this point, I was super-distracted. There was a lot of talking going on [...] and so I just start going through.
“I didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about it.”
Megan Sheets8 March 2022 15:42
After taking the stand and accepting immunity in exchange for his testimony under oath, Scotty David was presented with the jury questionnaire he filled out prior to Maxwell’s trial.
He was specifically directed toward question 48, which states: “Have you or a friend or family member ever been the victim of sexual harassment, sexual abuse, or sexual assault?”
The questionnaire shows he put an X through the box marked “No”.
Scotty David admitted that the accurate answer would have been: “Yes, for self.”
“I would have put: ‘I was abused as a child. It was a family member who is no longer part of the family and one of his friends when I was nine or 10 years old.”
Megan Sheets8 March 2022 15:38
Scotty David, the juror facing examination under oath at today’s hearing, has now arrived in the courtroom accompanied by his lawyer Todd Spodek.
Judge Alison Nathan greeted him and agreed to his request to be referred to as “Juror 50” instead of by his real name.
She then asked if he intended to assert his Fifth Amendment right, to which he said: “Yes, your honour.”
Judge Nathan is now reviewing the immunity agreement presented by prosecutors.
Megan Sheets8 March 2022 15:28
Virginia Giuffre’s case against Prince Andrew is being officially dismissed following the settlement agreement dated 12 February 2022, and pending the judge’s signature.
Ms Giuffre, a victim of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, had accused the prince of sexually abusing her while she was underage in the US.
A stipulation of dismissal document from the US District Court for the Southern District of New York reads:
“Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41 (a)(1) (A)(li), and the parties' settlement agreement dated February 12, 2022, Plaintiff Virginia L. Giuffre and Defendant Prince Andrew Duke of York hereby stipulate to the dismissal of this action, with prejudice. Each party to bear her/his own costs and fees.”
Here’s our coverage of the settlement agreement:
Oliver O'Connell8 March 2022 15:15
Bevan Hurley reports on how the Scotty David juror inquiry came about in the two months since Ghislaine Maxwell’s conviction.
Oliver O'Connell8 March 2022 15:06
Scotty David, juror in the trial of the Jeffrey Epstein associate accused of sex trafficking Ghislaine Maxwell, arrives at court this morning in Manhattan
(REUTERS)
(REUTERS)
Oliver O'Connell8 March 2022 14:29
Attorney Lisa Bloom, who advised Harvey Weinstein amid sexual abuse allegations and represented women whose sexual harassment claims led to the firing of Bill O'Reilly from Fox News, feels it is likely that Maxwell will get a new trial.
She tweeted: “Not looking good for Ghislaine Maxwell victims when a juror needs immunity to avoid pleading the Fifth. It’s likely she’ll get a new trial.
