In her appeal, Maxwell’s lawyers said prosecutors scapegoated her because Epstein was dead and “public outrage” demanded that prosecutors pin blame somewhere.
The lawyers also said the government waited too long to bring charges, and that Maxwell was immune under a 2007 non-prosecution agreement between Epstein and federal prosecutors in Florida.
In addition, Maxwell’s lawyers said the trial was tainted because one juror failed to disclose he had been sexually abused as a child.
Prosecutors believe the appeal is meritless.
I forget sometimes that the function of a jury is to establish the fact of guilt and nothing else. Deciding appropriate punishment is not within their domain, that’s for the judge.
In that context I do agree with you and I suppose I retract my earlier statement.