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Case 1:20-cr-00330-PAE Document610_ Filed 02/24/22 Page1of3
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT pia |
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK ELECTRONICALLY FILED
DOC #:
DATE FILED: 2/24/22
United States of America,
_y_
20-CR-330 (AJN)
Ghislaine Maxwell,
ORDER
Defendant.
ALISON J. NATHAN, District Judge:
On January 19, 2022, the Defendant filed a motion for a new trial pursuant to Federal
Rule of Criminal Procedure 33 on the basis that Juror 50 “falsely answered a material question
during voir dire and . . . that, had he answered truthfully, he would have been subject to a
challenge for cause.” Maxwell Br., Jan. 19, 2022, at 48. The Defendant contends that the
current paper record sufficiently supports her motion and should be granted without a hearing.
In the alternative, she requests that a hearing be conducted. /d. She also argues that if a hearing
is ordered, a broader hearing is required based on a news article that suggests a second juror was
allegedly a victim of sexual abuse. /d. at 48-49.
In an Opinion & Order filed under temporary seal, the Court DENIES the Defendant’s
motion for a new trial on the current record. As explained in the temporarily sealed Opinion &
Order, Defendant’s motion on the current record relies extensively on statements made by Juror
50 regarding what occurred during jury deliberations that the Court is prohibited from
considering under Federal Rule of Evidence 606. With regard to Juror 50’s statements that do
not pertain to jury deliberations, in order to resolve the motion on this record, the Court would
have to accept unsworn statements made to media outlets as true and reach factual
determinations that are not available on the current record.
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