Trial Epstein, Maxwell: “There is no evidence, I will not testify”

He followed the trial by talking to lawyers all the time. Then, when the judge called her to testify, Ghislaine Maxwell stood up and uttered these words: “Uh, Your Honor, the charges have not been proven beyond a reasonable doubt, so I see no need for me to witnesses”. With this statement, at 4 pm on Friday, the defendant sat down and the defense considered closed the trial which is held in Manhattan, New York. Maxwell, 59, daughter of publishing tycoon Robert Maxwell, who passed away in ’91, is accused of recruiting and training underage girls on behalf of New York millionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who committed suicide in prison in August 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.

The twenty-three words in English spoken by the defendant – arrested by the FBI on July 2 last year and currently held in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn – were expected, but in the end they were fewer than the witnesses – thirty-five – called by the defense to dismount. the narration of the “harem” of minors wanted by Epstein to satisfy his sexual appetites and that of his small circle of friends, for the most part remained in the shadows.

Among the people involved is Prince Andrew, who has always rejected the accusations. Friday was the day of the last witnesses. Like that of Eva Anderson-Dubin, 60, Epstein’s ex-girlfriend, former Miss Sweden, wife of the financier Glenn Dubin, the first, among those who appeared in the courtroom, who could boast the same rank as the defendant and Epstein. But she was also accused of taking part in orgies with minors in the 1990s. The woman denied the accusations, denied seeing Epstein “inappropriate attitudes” and dribbled questions about the type of relationship between Maxwell and the millionaire. “I can’t define it as a relationship – she just said – but they lived under the same roof”. Then he explained that he had memory lapses due to health problems.

Almost useless testimony, evaporated within a few minutes. The most had happened in previous hearings, when a woman, who presented herself with the pseudonym ‘Jane’, told of orgies in Epstein’s villa in Palm Beach, Florida, in ’94, which was also attended by the former Miss Sweden. Jane, who was 14 at the time, said she was abused multiple times. Two women said they were sexually harassed by Maxwell when they were little girls.

Another expected moment is when around twenty photos found in Epstein’s house on Manhattan’s Upper East Side were shown in the courtroom in 2019. All undated but, according to the indictment, eloquent of the close relationship between Maxwell and the millionaire. . In the images the two appear embraced, in romantic poses; she and him in evening dresses; hunting clothes; she massaging his foot on board a plane. A photo created an uproar for the location: the two appeared sitting in the same place where Queen Elizabeth had spent her holidays, in a villa in Scotland owned by Prince Andrew. The defense called the photos “useless”, while for the prosecution they are a key evidence, given that the defendant’s lawyers tried to distance themselves from Epstein, reducing their relationship to simple friendship and accusing the prosecutor of wanting to try her, not being able to charge a dead man. But if she were to be found guilty of all charges, Maxwell could face up to 70 years, which would amount to a life sentence. The trial, which began on November 29, was due for six weeks, but ended earlier than expected, despite the long list of witnesses. On Monday the parties will present their conclusions, then the court will begin the final work, which will lead to the verdict. Maybe, before Christmas. Day when Maxwell turns 60.