Alan Dershowitz reportedly lobbied Trump to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell before trial

The lawyer who represented Donald Trump during his impeachment trial allegedly lobbied the former US president to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell.

Jeffrey Epstein’s former lawyer lobbied Donald Trump to pre-emptively pardon Ghislaine Maxwell during the final days of his presidency after talks with her family.

The Times London has reported Alan Dershowitz, 83, a former Harvard Law School professor, represented Epstein during the 2000s and Mr Trump during his first impeachment trial.

He has since been accused of abuse by one of Epstein’s under-age victims, which he denies.

Towards the end of Mr Trump’s time in office the constitutional lawyer used his ties to the US president to secure pardons for paying clients.

Alan Dershowitz, a member of President Donald Trump's impeachment legal team, allegedly lobbied the former US president to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

Mr Trump, 75, used his executive powers to pardon or commute the sentences of various convicts, some of them political allies, and even considered pardoning himself for unspecified crimes. He was also reported to have taken a sudden interest in Maxwell’s fate.

According to the book Landslide, by the American journalist Michael Wolff, he asked aides: “Has she said anything about me? … Is she going to talk? Will she roll on anybody?”

Mr Trump’s interest in Maxwell, 60, came after Mr Dershowitz spoke to him about her case when she was in prison awaiting trial for sex trafficking of under-age girls.

Dershowitz raised the possibility of Trump granting a pardon to Maxwell over crimes for which she might be convicted. The lawyer had discussed the idea of clemency with one of Maxwell’s brothers.

However, Ian Maxwell, 65, said he had not paid Mr Dershowitz for his services. He said: “There was one phone call between Professor Dershowitz and a family member during which the generic issue of pardons was touched on.”

Mr Maxwell added that Mr Dershowitz was not explicitly asked, nor volunteered, to raise the matter with Trump, and that any resulting contact with him was purely incidental.

Mr Dershowitz has declined to discuss his contact with Mr Trump. Asked if it would be correct to say he raised the Maxwell case with Trump, a source said: “It would not be unreasonable to report that.”

The Times said Mr Trump could not be reached for comment.

MAXWELL’S LAWYERS ASK FOR NEW TRIAL AFTER JUROR’S SHOCK CLAIM

Ghislaine Maxwell’s lawyers demanded a new sex crimes trial Wednesday after a juror said he had helped convict the British socialite by telling fellow jury members about his experience of sexual abuse.

Maxwell’s lawyers told New York judge Alison Nathan that the comments by Scotty David, identified by his first and middle names, “presents incontrovertible grounds for a new trial.” The juror, one of 12 who found Maxwell guilty last week of trafficking minors for late financier Jeffrey Epstein to abuse, has given several interviews about deliberations since the December 29 verdict.

Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell sits as the guilty verdict in her sex abuse trial is read in a courtroom sketch in New York City. Picture: Reuters

In them, the 35-year-old said he had helped sway panellists who were doubting the accounts of the two main accusers, “Jane” and “Carolyn.” He said he told them that he did not remember every single detail of the abuse he had received.

Maxwell’s lawyer Christian Everdell said in a letter sent to Nathan that was filed in court Wednesday that his team believed “the law and facts are clearly on our side.”

“The defence respectfully requests that the court set a briefing schedule for this motion alone and defer setting a briefing schedule for any other post-trial motions,” he wrote.

Maxwell’s request came after New York prosecutors wrote to Nathan requesting an inquiry into whether Scotty David had disclosed that he was a sexual abuse victim during jury selection.

British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell and US financier Jeffrey Epstein. Picture: AFP

“While the court instructed jurors that they were free to discuss their jury service with anyone of their choosing, some of the statements, as related in the media, merit attention by the court. In particular, the juror has described being a victim of sexual abuse,” prosecutors wrote.

“Assuming the accuracy of the reporting, the juror asserted that he ‘flew through’ the prospective juror questionnaire and does not recall being asked whether he had been a victim of sexual abuse, but stated that ‘he would have answered honestly’.

“Based on the foregoing, the government believes the court should conduct an inquiry.”

During the lengthy process, prospective candidates were asked in an initial questionnaire whether they or any relatives had been victims of sexual abuse.

Anyone who answered yes was subject to further questioning to try to determine whether they could be an impartial juror.

Ghislaine Maxwell and US financier Jeffrey Epstein. Picture: AFP

In an interview with a news agency, Scotty David said he “flew through” the questionnaire and could not remember being asked about any personal experiences of abuse.

One inquiry on the questionnaire stated: “Have you or a friend or family member ever been the victim of sexual harassment, sexual abuse, or sexual assault?”

Another asked: “Witnesses in this case may testify claiming sexual abuse or sexual assault. Would you have any difficulty assessing the credibility of a witness claiming sexual assault or abuse just like you would any other witness?”

He added however that he would have answered honestly, the agency reported. “The government believes the court should conduct an inquiry,” wrote Damian Williams, US lawyer for the southern district of New York.

“The government proposes that the court schedule a hearing in approximately one month,” he added.

Maxwell, 60, was convicted on five of six counts and faces spending the rest of her life behind bars.

Originally published as Alan Dershowitz reportedly lobbied Trump to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell before trial