Ghislaine Maxwell could file for a mistrial after a juror revealed he used his own experience of childhood sexual abuse to sway deliberations, experts believe.
Juror Scotty David told Reuters that he only opened up about his own abuse during deliberations when others questioned the credibility of two of the women testifying against Jeffrey Epstein's madam.
He recently told Independent that the room went silent when he detailed his past, telling them that — like the witnesses — he could only remember some of the details.
He also told jurors how he’d waited until high school before telling anyone about his abuse, in an effort to justify why the witnesses may not have come forward earlier.
David admitted in both interviews that his confession influenced the deliberations that saw Maxwell convicted and facing up to 65 years in prison.
"When I shared that, they were able to sort of come around on, they were able to come around on the memory aspect of the sexual abuse," he told Reuters.
The 60-year-old, who was labeled "dangerous" by the prosecution, faces the rest of her life in jail for helping to entice vulnerable teenagers to Epstein's various properties for him to sexually abuse between 1994 and 2004.
Maxwell was found guilty of five federal charges, including sex trafficking of a minor, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and three related counts of conspiracy.
She was acquitted on the charge of enticing a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, per BBC News.
During jury selection, some 230 prospective jurors were given questionnaires asking, among other things, if they or anyone in their families had experienced sexual abuse, court records show.
If they marked yes, they then had to say if that would affect their "ability to serve fairly and impartially."
David told Reuters told that he "flew through" the questionnaire and cannot remember being asked about personal experiences with sexual abuse.
If he failed to reveal it, it could be used as grounds to call for a mistrial for Maxwell, whose legal team has already stated plans to appeal the conviction.
It "could definitely be an issue," former New York federal prosecutor Moira Penza told the Telegraph.
"I certainly hope the juror disclosed this fully on his questionnaire. A little strange the defense didn’t strike him. In the first instance, it would likely form the basis for a motion to Judge [Alison] Nathan for a new trial," she added.