Prosecutors in the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York received approval to apply for immunity for the juror from Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jennifer A.H. Hodge in a letter dated Monday.
The application for immunity must be approved by US District Judge Alison Nathan. A spokesman for the US Attorney’s Office declined to comment.
After the jury in Maxwell’s criminal trial found her guilty, a juror known as Juror 50 gave multiple interviews to media outlets saying he had been sexually abused as a child and he shared his experience with other jurors during deliberations.
Maxwell’s lawyers have argued she should be granted a new trial because the juror lied on his form and misled the court.
In interviews published shortly after Maxwell’s conviction, the juror, who identified himself only as Scotty David, said his own story of abuse helped influence fellow jurors’ decision-making.
During Maxwell’s trial, prosecutors argued she and Epstein conspired to set up a scheme to lure young girls into sexual relationships with Epstein in New York, Florida, New Mexico and the US Virgin Islands.
Maxwell was found guilty of sex trafficking of a minor, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and three related counts of conspiracy. She faces up to 65 years in prison.
She was acquitted on a charge of enticing a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts.
The jury of six women and six men had deliberated for about 40 hours across parts of six days before the verdict.
