Maxwell juror to plead the Fifth

A juror involved in British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial, whose post-trial media interviews have since prompted a motion for a retrial, is planning to plead the Fifth, his lawyer says.

Attorney Todd Spodek told a judge in a letter dated on Tuesday that he is representing “Juror 50,” who is Scotty David, according to Bloomberg, and that his client “will invoke his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination” at a March 8 hearing regarding whether to overturn Maxwell’s convictions.

Both prosecutors and defense raised concerns after David, who identified himself using his first and middle name to the press, spoke to several different media outlets, saying he had informed fellow jurors that he had suffered sexual abuse but had not mentioned that while filling out a questionnaire as a prospective juror.

The questionnaire asks if they or a family member has experienced sexual abuse, and a judge involved in the trial would address a juror’s response if a prospective juror responded “yes” to it. David had told Reuters that he “flew through” the questionnaire but said he would have been honest about it had he been asked. 

The Maxwell juror explained he did not remember being asked about the matter. 

Those interviews prompted a motion for a retrial from Maxwell’s attorneys. Maxwell, an associate of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was previously found guilty of sex trafficking charges in December. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams also wrote to Judge Alison Nathan on Tuesday, saying the government was writing to let the court know “that it is in the process of seeking internal approval to seek an order … compelling Juror 50’s testimony at the hearing.”

Subject to approval from the Justice Department, the government would “submit a proposed order to the Court in advance of the hearing,” Williams wrote.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to comment beyond the filings to The Hill. The Hill has reached out to Spodek for comment.