Ghislaine Maxwell, the long time companion of Jeffrey Epstein, is opposing a government request to unseal grand jury transcripts in the case. Ms. Maxwell is currently serving a 20 year prison term after being convicted of federal sex trafficking charges in 2021. Grand jury proceedings are always sealed and are not available to the public unless released by the court. Ms. Maxwell’s lawyers are opposing the release of the transcripts, based upon their argument that the release of transcripts would compromise her current petition in the U.S. Supreme Court, asking for review of her case. Generally speaking, judges rarely release grand jury transcripts, unless a compelling reason for the release is demonstrated.
The Pressure to Plead Guilty in the College Admissions Case
For any defendant facing federal charges, the pressure to plead guilty is very strong. There are two main reasons for this: 1) the extreme financial burden of going to trial with a private lawyer; and 2) the long sentence that waits those who lose at trial. So when...
