Feds ordered to reveal names of Ghislaine Maxwell’s alleged co-conspirators
Federal prosecutors must divulge the “identities of any
unnamed co-conspirators” that they plan on referencing at Ghislaine Maxwell’s
sex trafficking trial in Manhattan, a judge ruled Friday.
The order was to ensure Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged madam is
able to “adequately prepare her defenses,” Judge Allison Nathan wrote.
Prosecutors must also “disclose all co-conspirator
statements it intends to offer at trial,” Nathan ruled, arguing the
government’s claim that the revelation would cause ‘potential danger to
co-conspirators’ or risk ‘compromising continuing investigations,’” was bogus.
“The Government provides no explanation for this purported
harm and none is apparent to the Court,” Nathan wrote. “Thus, the Court finds
that this concern alone does not outweigh the risk of surprise to the Defendant
in this case or the need for the parties to litigate co-conspirator issues in
advance of trial to ensure the absence of delay.”
Maxwell, 59, had requested that prosecutors name the two
co-conspirators described in their indictment to avoid being ambushed at her
trial, which is set to begin on Nov. 29.
The British socialite, who has been held without bail since
her arrest in July of last year, is accused of procuring underage girls for
multi-millionaire Epstein to abuse in the 1990s and early 2000s. She’s pleaded
not guilty to the charges.
Maxwell is also facing separate perjury charges related to
allegedly lying in a deposition in a civil case filed by Virginia Giuffre, who
has accused Epstein pal Prince Andrew of sexual abuse.
Epstein was previously arrested and charged with sex crimes
by the same prosecutor’s office as Maxwell, but killed himself in a Manhattan
jail cell before he stood trial.
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