Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted Jeffrey Epstein associate, makes pitch to Supreme Court

4:55Ghislaine Maxwell attends Polo Ralph Lauren host Victories of Athlete Ally at Polo Ralph Lauren Store on November 3, 2015 in New York City.Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

Ghislaine Maxwell’s legal team has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to consider her appeal regarding her 2021 conviction for sex trafficking, asserting that the government has a “duty to uphold” a non-prosecution agreement with Jeffrey Epstein that shielded Maxwell from any criminal liabilities, as stated in a brief submitted to the Supreme Court on Monday.

According to the brief, “Plea deals and non-prosecution agreements resolve nearly all federal cases. These often contain commitments that also apply to others—including co-conspirators, family, and potential witnesses. If such commitments hold different meanings in various regions, confidence in our legal system diminishes.”

Federal prosecutors contend that the non-prosecution agreement was limited to Florida and did not establish any obligations in New York, where the charges against Epstein, and subsequently against Maxwell, were filed.

Maxwell’s legal representatives asserted that the conditions of the NPA signed by Epstein were absolute.

The defense brief stated, “It is not restricted to the Southern District of Florida, it is not dependent on the government being aware of co-conspirators at the time, it does not rely on the perceptions of any specific government attorney regarding potential co-conspirators, and it includes no other limitations or exceptions. This should settle the matter.”

Ghislaine Maxwell attends Polo Ralph Lauren host Victories of Athlete Ally at Polo Ralph Lauren Store on November 3, 2015 in New York City.Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

The Justice Department has requested that the Supreme Court dismiss Maxwell’s petition, despite Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche agreeing to meet with Maxwell last week.

Prosecutors maintain that Maxwell cannot enforce the NPA since she was not a signatory to it, a claim the defense disputes.

The defense brief noted, “The alleged role of the petitioner as Epstein’s co-conspirator was the fundamental basis for her prosecution.”

Maxwell’s attorney, David Oscar Markus, remarked, “No individual is above the law—not even the Southern District of New York. Our government entered into a contract, and it must honor that commitment. The United States cannot offer immunity in Florida with one hand while prosecuting in New York with the other. President Trump established his legacy partly on the importance of agreements—and he would surely concur that when the United States gives its word, it must fulfill it. We appeal not only to the Supreme Court but also to the President himself to acknowledge how profoundly unjust it is to blame Ghislaine Maxwell for Epstein’s offenses, particularly when the government assured her that she would not face prosecution.”