NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Monday dealt Ghislaine Maxwell a blow by refusing to block the release of a deposition she gave concerning her relationship with the late financier and registered sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said there was a presumption the public had a right to see Maxwell’s 418-page deposition, which was taken in April 2016 for a now-settled civil defamation lawsuit against her.
In an unsigned order, the court also said U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska in Manhattan did not abuse her discretion in rejecting Maxwell’s “meritless arguments” that her interests superseded that presumption.
Lawyers for Maxwell did not immediately respond to requests for comment, including whether they plan a further appeal.
The appeals court separately rejected Maxwell’s request to modify a protective order in her criminal case, so she could access confidential materials she hoped would persuade Preska to keep the deposition under wraps.
Maxwell was arrested on July 2 in New Hampshire, where prosecutors said she had been hiding out.
Circuit Court of Appeals are Giuffre v. Maxwell, No. 20-2413, and U.S. v. Maxwell, No. 20-3061. »
