What is document EFTA00028163?

This is a January 25, 2021 letter from the Metropolitan Detention Center Brooklyn to Judge Alison Nathan requesting she vacate her January 15, 2021 order regarding Ghislaine Maxwell's discovery access. The document includes Judge Nathan's denial of this request, dated February 2, 2021.

Who is mentioned in this document?

The document mentions Ghislaine Maxwell (the defendant, identified by inmate number 02579-509), Judge Alison J. Nathan (the presiding judge in the Southern District of New York), and references the Federal Bureau of Prisons and Metropolitan Detention Center Brooklyn.

What does this document reveal?

The document reveals the tension between prison authorities and the court over Maxwell's pretrial conditions. While the BOP argued Maxwell already had substantial discovery access (13 hours daily, 5 days per week on a government laptop), the defense had apparently sought expanded access. Judge Nathan's denial of the BOP's request to vacate her order indicates she sided with the defense on this discovery access issue.

What was the dispute about Maxwell's laptop access?

The defense argued Maxwell needed laptop access on weekends and holidays because the prison computer lacked software to read large portions of the discovery. The BOP countered that Maxwell already had significant access time, but Judge Nathan ultimately sided with expanding access.

What is document EFTA00028163?

This is a January 25, 2021 letter from the Metropolitan Detention Center Brooklyn to Judge Alison Nathan requesting she vacate her January 15, 2021 order regarding Ghislaine Maxwell's discovery access. The document includes Judge Nathan's denial of this request, dated February 2, 2021.

Who is mentioned in this document?

The document mentions Ghislaine Maxwell (the defendant, identified by inmate number 02579-509), Judge Alison J. Nathan (the presiding judge in the Southern District of New York), and references the Federal Bureau of Prisons and Metropolitan Detention Center Brooklyn.

What does this document reveal?

The document reveals the tension between prison authorities and the court over Maxwell's pretrial conditions. While the BOP argued Maxwell already had substantial discovery access (13 hours daily, 5 days per week on a government laptop), the defense had apparently sought expanded access. Judge Nathan's denial of the BOP's request to vacate her order indicates she sided with the defense on this discovery access issue.

What was the dispute about Maxwell's laptop access?

The defense argued Maxwell needed laptop access on weekends and holidays because the prison computer lacked software to read large portions of the discovery. The BOP countered that Maxwell already had significant access time, but Judge Nathan ultimately sided with expanding access.

EFTA00028163 - EFTA00028164

A Bureau of Prisons letter requesting Judge Alison Nathan vacate her January 2021 order regarding Ghislaine Maxwell's discovery access, with the judge's denial stamped directly on the document.

This document captures a dispute between the Bureau of Prisons and the court over Ghislaine Maxwell's pretrial conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. The MDC wrote to Judge Nathan requesting she vacate her January 15, 2021 order—likely granting Maxwell expanded laptop access for discovery review—arguing they were not given the opportunity to object to defense counsel's claims. The document shows Maxwell was permitted 13 hours per day, five days per week to review discovery on a government-provided laptop. Judge Nathan denied the BOP's request to vacate the order, as shown by the stamped endorsement on the document.

Key Highlights

•Judge Nathan denied the Bureau of Prisons' request to vacate her January 15, 2021 order regarding Maxwell's discovery access
•Maxwell received a laptop from the government on November 18, 2020 to review discovery materials
•MDC Brooklyn allowed Maxwell 13 hours per day, 5 days per week for discovery review
•The BOP claimed they were not given the opportunity to object to defense counsel's claims before the original order was issued

Frequently Asked Questions

Books for Further Reading

The Spider: Inside the Tangled Web of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell

Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story

Julie K. Brown

Investigative journalism that broke the Epstein case open

Filthy Rich: The Jeffrey Epstein Story

James Patterson

Bestselling account of Epstein's crimes and network

Document Information

Bates Range

EFTA00028163 - EFTA00028164

Pages

Document Content

Page 1 - EFTA00028163

Case 1:20-cr-00330-AJN Document 17/ Filed 02/22/21 Page 7 of 3 January 25, 2021 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Federal Bureau of Prisons Metropolitan Detention Center BY ECF The Honorable Alison J. Nathan United States District Court Southern District of New York 40 Foley Square New York, NY 10007 80 29h Street Brooklyn, New York 11232 A1;21 ALISON J. NATHAN United States District Judge Re: United States v. Ghislaine Maxwell, 20 Cr. 330 (AJN) Ghislaine Maxwell, Reg. No. 02579-509 Dear Judge Nathan: USDC SONY DOCUMENT ELECTRONICALLY FILED DOC DATE FILED: 2/2/21 Having considered the request submitted by the Bureau of Prisons ("BOP") that the Court vacate its January 15, 2021 Order, Dkt. No. 117, as well as the Government's and the Defendant's responses, Dkt. Nos. 129, 130, the Court hereby DENIES the BOP's request to vacate the Order. SO ORDERED. This letter is written in response to Order granted on January 15, 2021, concerning Ghislaine Maxwell, Reg. 02879-509., an inmate currently confined at the Metropolitan Detention Center ("MDC") in Brooklyn, New York. The MDC Brooklyn respectfully requests that Your Honor vacate the Order given MDC Brooklyn was not given the opportunity to object to defense counsel's claims, although the objection had been reiterated to the U.S. Attorney's Office numerous times. Defense counsel expressed various concerns regarding Ms. Maxwell's confinement limiting her access to discovery. However, Ms. Maxwell has received a significant amount of time to review her discovery. On November 18, 2020, the Government provided the MDC Brooklyn with a laptop for Ms. Maxwell to use to review discovery. Ms. Maxwell has been and will continue to be permitted to use that laptop to review her discovery for thirteen (13) hours per day, five (5) days per week. In addition to the Government laptop, she has access to the MDC Brooklyn discovery computers. Although defense counsel has indicated that the MDC Brooklyn discovery computers are not equipped to read all of her electronic discovery, the computers are capable of reviewing most of the electronic discovery. Despite defense counsel's claim that Ms. Maxwell's lacks sufficient time to fully review her discovery, her consistent use of Government laptop and MDC Brooklyn's discovery computers undercuts this claim. Moreover, Ms. Maxwell continues to have contact with her legal counsel five (5) days per week, three (3) hours per day via video-teleconference and via telephone; this is far more time than any other MDC inmate is allotted to communicate with their attorneys. EFTA00028163

Page 2 - EFTA00028164

Case 1:20-cr-00330-AJN Document 13/ Filed 02/02/21 Page 2 of 3 We respectfully request that Your Honor vacate the order of January 15, 2021, and allow the institution to resume the prior schedule of laptop access, Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM — 8:00 PM. Respectfully submitted, /5/ Staff Attorney MDC Brooklyn Federal Bureau of Prisons EFTA00028164