An internal DOJ email from December 2020 where prosecutors discuss Ghislaine Maxwell's discovery access at MDC Brooklyn, prompted by a defense filing in an unrelated sex trafficking case that cited Maxwell's access as preferential treatment.

This is an internal email between Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Southern District of New York dated December 21, 2020. A prosecutor handling the Carl Andrews sex trafficking case alerts colleagues that defense attorneys for Justin Rivera (a co-defendant) have filed a letter with the court arguing that Rivera is receiving inferior access to discovery materials at MCC (Metropolitan Correctional Center) compared to Maxwell's access at MDC (Metropolitan Detention Center). The email requests a discussion about Maxwell's discovery access before a court appearance, noting obvious differences between facilities—MDC being larger with more space, and Maxwell being housed in a women's unit with its own library.

Key Highlights

• •Defense attorneys in an unrelated sex trafficking case used Maxwell's discovery access as a benchmark to argue their client was being treated unfairly
• •Reveals internal DOJ discussions about the preferential access Maxwell was receiving at MDC compared to male inmates at MCC
• •The Carl Andrews case trial was scheduled for mid-February 2021, and Justin Rivera was eventually sentenced to 21 years for sex trafficking
• •Shows how the Maxwell case influenced other criminal proceedings in the same court

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