By Rex Brown/New York Daily News
New York - A Manhattan federal judge ordered the unsealing Thursday of dozens of documents about Jeffrey Epstein's underage sex trafficking scheme, but an attorney for Ghislaine Maxwell vowed to appeal because the papers could impact her right to a fair trial.
The documents are part of a sprawling, mostly secret civil lawsuit brought by Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre against Maxwell. Judge Loretta Preska is overseeing the methodical process of determining which papers should be made public.
Among the documents she ordered be unsealed: depositions of Maxwell and Giuffre, as well as one of a man identified as "John Doe 1."
Giuffre has said Epstein loaned her to Prince Andrew for sex while she was underage. Giuffre also claims she had sex with Epstein attorney Alan Dershowitz. Both men deny the allegations.
Maxwell attorney Laura Menninger said she would appeal the ruling, raising the possibility the new documents would not be unsealed within a week as Preska ordered.
"Ms. Maxwell has been indicted and a trial has been scheduled," Menninger said.
"We are in a vastly different position and certainly have great concerns about our client's ability to seek and receive an impartial and fair jury."
tca/dpa