Ghislaine Maxwell put on suicide watch ahead of sentencing: Lawyer

Mod: It has been almost three years since Epstein was murdered in prison.

Ghislaine Maxwell put on suicide watch ahead of sentencing: Lawyer (ABC Newslink): Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell has been put on suicide watch days before her sentencing on five criminal counts, including sex trafficking, according to her lawyer.

She is awaiting sentencing, ahead of Tuesday morning's hearing, at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

"Yesterday, without having conducted a psychological evaluation and without justification, the MDC placed Ms. Maxwell on suicide watch," her lawyer, Bobbi Sternheim, wrote to a federal court in New York on Saturday. "She is not permitted to possess and review legal documents and is not permitted paper or pen. This has prevented her from preparing for sentencing."

Nearly three years ago, her accomplice, Jeffrey Epstein was found dead by suicide at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan. The federal government announced last year that MCC would close due to its poor conditions.

Her lawyers said she is unable to prepare for sentencing and "is prohibited from reviewing legal materials prior to sentencing, becomes sleep-deprived, and is denied sufficient time to meet with and confer with counsel." They said if this doesn't change by Monday, they will formally request to have sentencing date delayed.

"I met with Ms. Maxwell today (after a 97-minute delay following my arrival at the facility)," her lawyer said. "She is not suicidal."

The Department of Justice responded to Maxwell's legal team Sunday afternoon, saying she was put on suicide watch after she allegedly emailed the Bureau of Prisons Inspector General's Office claiming she feared for her safety. However, it said Maxwell does have a hard copy of all her legal documents and "is able to confer with defense counsel."

Mod: More at the link.

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