The first photo of Ghislaine Maxwell from prison was revealed in court papers released Thursday.
Maxwell, 59, is standing trial in New York City for accusations that she helped traffic and groom young girls for sexual abuse by deceased multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein.
A three-judge panel previously rejected several bail requests by Maxwell’s lawyers, who argued that she was being deprived of sleep while incarcerated due to wellness checks by corrections officers.
In a filing from Thursday afternoon, Maxwell’s attorney Bobbi Sternheim said the defendant noticed a black eye last night and was then confronted by Metropolitan Detention Center officers who demanded to know how she got it.
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Maxwell claims she does not know the cause of the black eye. However, Sternheim stated in the court filing that Maxwell “has grown increasingly reluctant to report information to the guards for fear of retaliation, discipline and punitive chores.”
Sternheim has asked the court to direct the MDC to stop the wellness checks, which occur every 15 minutes to ensure that Maxwell is “still breathing.” He speculated that the bruise may be related to these checks, claiming that Maxwell needs to shield her eyes from the flashlights used during the check.
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Sternheim noted that Maxwell is classified as “an inmate with no significant mental health care.”
Maxwell has remained in federal custody since last year. She also faces charges of lying under oath.
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She has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Her trial is scheduled to start in July.
Fox News’ Marta Dhanis and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.