The judge presiding over the criminal sex abuse case against Jeffrey Epstein’s ex-girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, refused Thursday to ban prosecutors or lawyers for alleged …
The judge presiding over the criminal sex abuse case against Jeffrey Epstein’s ex-girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, refused Thursday to ban prosecutors or lawyers for alleged victims from commenting publicly. U. S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan said in a written order that she expects anyone involved in the case to exercise “great care” to comply with rules designed to ensure a fair trial. But the judge said she “will not hesitate to take appropriate action” if circumstances change. Maxwell is in a Brooklyn federal jail, awaiting trial after pleading not guilty to charges that she procured teenage girls, including a 14-year-old, for Epstein to sexually abuse in the 1990s. Epstein killed himself in jail last August as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. One of Maxwell’s lawyers, Jeffrey Pagliuca, asked for a gag order this week, saying comments made by a prosecutor, an FBI official and lawyers for accusers were prejudicial toward the British socialite.
