Ghislaine Maxwell, once a close associate of Jeffrey Epstein and now a convicted sex trafficker, is preparing to request her release from prison, according to a recent court filing.
In a submission to Judge Paul Engelmayer on Wednesday, Maxwell’s attorney revealed her intention to file a habeas corpus petition, aiming to secure her release from the facility where she is currently serving a 20-year sentence. Her lawyer, David Oscar Markus, stated that Maxwell intends to proceed “pro se,” meaning she plans to represent herself without legal counsel.
This notification came as a response to the Justice Department’s motion to unseal grand jury transcripts and adjust a protective order related to her criminal proceedings.
There has been significant criticism directed at the Trump administration for withholding records about its investigations into Epstein and Maxwell. However, after months of resistance, Trump recently signed a widely supported congressional bill mandating the release of these records within a 30-day timeframe.
The Justice Department has requested that judges overseeing the Epstein and Maxwell cases release grand jury transcripts and amend protective orders. These changes would facilitate the public release of various documents, including financial and travel records, search warrants, and notes from interviews with victims.
On Wednesday, representatives for Epstein’s estate informed the judge that they remain neutral on the issue of unsealing records, provided the government maintains its “commitment” to redact any victim and personally identifiable information.
