Judge Rejects Maxwell's Bid to Overturn Epstein Conviction
U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer rejected Maxwell's habeas petition Tuesday, ruling her claims rested on 'speculation, distortions, and/or outright falsehoods.' Her 20-year sentence stands.
- 67 pages long, Engelmayer's ruling called her filing 'lengthy and rambling.'
- 2.5 million pages of Epstein files Maxwell cited actually 'incriminates her,' the judge wrote.
- Maxwell filed the December petition herself, without legal representation.
- Engelmayer also denied the certificate needed for Maxwell to appeal his decision.
Why it matters: The ruling effectively ends Maxwell's court options after a string of losses spanning three years.
- Her conviction was upheld on appeal in 2024; the Supreme Court declined her case last year.
How 27 sources split on this story
Where they split: Coverage agrees on the ruling's outcome but diverges on emphasis: left-leaning outlets highlight the judge's constitutional analysis, while Forbes centers on the pardon question and Trump's relationship with Maxwell.
Center coverage, 13 sources: The center presents the ruling factually as the latest in a series of failed appeals, with the habeas petition as a last legal resort now exhausted.
Associated Press2hFederal judge rejects Ghislaine Maxwell's 'miscarriage of justice' claim and bid for prison releaseCNCTV News2hFederal judge rejects Ghislaine Maxwell's 'miscarriage of justice' claims and bid for prison release
Reuters1hJuiz dos EUA rejeita anular condenação de Ghislaine Maxwell por auxílio a Jeffrey Epsteinabcabc27 (WHTM)2hFederal judge declines Ghislaine Maxwell's bid to toss conviction
BBC News2hUS judge rejects Ghislaine Maxwell's 'frivolous' appeal against conviction
Forbes1hGhislaine Maxwell Won’t Have Charges Thrown Out, Judge Rules—Evidence Only ‘Incriminates’ Her Further
Jerusalem Post0mGhislaine Maxwell loses bid to throw out conviction for aiding Jeffrey Epstein
Newsweek1hGhislaine Maxwell's prison release denied by Obama-appointed judge
PBS NewsHour31mFederal judge rejects Ghislaine Maxwell's 'miscarriage of justice' claim and bid for prison release
The Hill2hFederal judge declines Maxwell bid to toss conviction
TMZ33mFederal Judge Rejects Ghislaine Maxwell's Bid to Get Out of Prison
USA Today1hJudge refuses to overturn Ghislaine Maxwell's convictionsLeft coverage, 7 sources: The left frames the ruling as a straightforward legal defeat, emphasizing the judge's sharp language about constitutional violations Maxwell failed to prove.
CBS News2hJudge rejects Ghislaine Maxwell's effort to overturn sex-trafficking conviction and sentence
The Independent2hGhislaine Maxwell’s bid to toss sex trafficking conviction rejected by judge
Mediaite1hJUST IN: Judge Rejects Ghislaine Maxwell’s Bid for Freedom as ‘Demonstrably Meritless’
MSNBC1hJudge denies Ghislaine Maxwell’s petition for release from prison
NBC News2hJudge rejects Ghislaine Maxwell’s bid to toss conviction and warns against further appeals
Raw Story1hTrump becomes Ghislaine Maxwell’s last hope as judge ends ‘frivolous’ release bidTBGThe Boston Globe57mJudge rejects Ghislaine Maxwell’s bid for prison releaseRight coverage, 7 sources: The right foregrounds the pardon angle, noting Trump's prior social ties to Maxwell and the political calculus surrounding any clemency decision.
Daily Mail2hJudge slaps down Ghislaine Maxwell's bid for release
Fox News1hFederal judge slaps down Ghislaine Maxwell petition for new trial as ‘rambling,’ ‘meritless’
Just the News55mJudge rejects Ghislaine Maxwell bid to overturn conviction
New York Post55mJudge brutally slaps down Ghislaine Maxwell’s bid to free herself
RedState5hGhislaine Maxwell Claims New Epstein Files Help Her Case - This Judge Says Quite the Opposite
The Washington Times1hJudge upholds Ghislaine Maxwell's conviction
Washington Examiner36mJudge denies Ghislaine Maxwell’s bid to toss conviction over miscarriage of justiceWhat’s next: Maxwell's attorney David Oscar Markus has said she will seek a Trump pardon when Epstein coverage fades.
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in February Trump is not considering a pardon.
- Whether Trump will ultimately pardon or grant clemency to Maxwell remains unresolved.
- No new criminal charges have resulted from the Justice Department's review of the Epstein files or interviews.