Ghislaine Maxwell trial: Second accuser testifies
Prosecutors in the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite and former partner of Jeffrey Epstein, closed the seventh day of proceedings with the surprise announcement that they intend to rest their case this week, perhaps on Thursday.
Ms Maxwell, 59, is accused of grooming teenage girls for abuse by the late convicted sex offender and financier. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges against her.
The day began with jurors being shown photographs depicting Ms Maxwell’s relationship with Epstein. Judge Alison Nathan agreed that the photographs were relevant as they showed the relationship between the pair who were a couple during the 1990s and into the 2000s.
Much of the day was taken up with testimony from accuser “Carolyn”, who was allegedly paid by Ms Maxwell to massage Epstein from when she was 14 to when she was 18 at his Palm Beach residence. She said something sexual happened every time she visited the house, that she was fondled by Ms Maxwell, and she was encouraged to recruit other girls.
If Ms Maxwell is found guilty, she could face up to 35 years in jail.
Controversial phrase revived by trial
The Ghislaine Maxwell trial has revived a meaningless term that needs to be abolished: “underage girls.” By definition, girls are children, and children are underage. The phrase implies that some “girls” are old enough to have sex with adults who aren’t criminals. Call them children, teens, teenage girls, or minors, and call the crime committed against them what it is: sexual abuse. Not “sex with an underage girl.”
Oliver O’Connell8 December 2021 03:30
Epstein gave Maxwell more than $30m bank records show
Oliver O’Connell8 December 2021 02:30
Court sketch artist responds after image of Ghislaine Maxwell sketching her back goes viral
The New York artist, whose drawing of Ghislaine Maxwell drawing her during her trial went viral, has said the socialite has sketched her “a few times in a row.”
Speaking to the Intelligencer, Jane Rosenberg spoke about the image that has captured the imagination of people and said: “In the pretrials in that little courtroom, that’s when the sketching started. She sketched me a few times in a row.”
Maroosha Muzaffar reports.
Oliver O’Connell8 December 2021 01:30
Never before seen photos of Epstein’s Palm Beach mansion shown to jury
A sketch of Ghislaine Maxwell hanging in Jeffrey Epstein’s Palm Beach mansion appears in one of dozens of never-before-seen photographs submitted into evidence by prosecutors in the socialite’s trial.
The images were taken during an FBI raid on Epstein’s Florida home in 2005 and show his bedroom, offices, and a massage table where he received sexualised massages.
Oliver O’Connell8 December 2021 00:30
Oliver O’Connell7 December 2021 23:30
Prosecution says they will rest their case this week
In a surprise announcement at the close of day seven of the trial, the prosecution says it will rest this week, which could theoretically dramatically shorten the length of the trial.
They have decided to not call “Brian” the brother of “Jane” the first accuser to testify against Ms Maxwell.
Only one more accuser is set to take the stand against the socialite, with the court having heard from three in the first seven days of the trial. Testimony could be completed as early as Thursday.
Originally scheduled for five to six weeks, the length of proceedings could be significantly truncated.
Oliver O’Connell7 December 2021 22:19
Ms Maxwell’s defence lawyer’s final question regarded a photograph Carolyn claimed to have seen of the defendant naked and pregnant. After confirming she had seen it, Mr Pagliuca ended the cross-examination.
As Ms Comey began the prosecution’s redirect, Carolyn cried when responding that no, she had not written her own legal complaint that had been referred to earlier.
The defence objected again when Carolyn was asked if she was in court to get money and responded saying that no, what Ms Maxwell did was wrong.
When Ms Comey ended her questioning of Carolyn, Mr Pagliuca asked what happened to $446,000 she had received in 2009. Carolyn replied that she did not know.
Oliver O’Connell7 December 2021 22:07
Another comment from Carolyn is to be disregarded by the jury.
Oliver O’Connell7 December 2021 21:58
Judge Nathan tells the jury to disregard a comment by Carolyn, reminding her that she must follow the rules of the court.
In response to questions from Mr Pagliuca, she asked what any of this had to do with what she is here for today, adding that Ghislaine Maxwell fondled her and broke her soul.
Mr Pagliuca asked whether it is true that she never mentioned Ms Maxwell in therapy, which Carolyn confirms is the case.
Oliver O’Connell7 December 2021 21:45
Mr Pagliuca asks if Carolyn moved from Florida to Georgia to detox, to which she replies, no, that it was to escape traumatic events in her life.
Asked about whether she used cocaine at Epstein’s Palm Beach house, she also replies no.
Referring to her previous testimony in litigation, in which she says she did not have sex with Epstein, she clarifies: “I replied ‘No’ because I was not a willing participant. He had sex with me and I stopped it.”
Oliver O’Connell7 December 2021 21:35