The prosecution on Monday called on the jury of a New York court to sentence Briton Ghislaine Maxwell for sex crimes, “a sophisticated predator, who knew very well what she was doing”, according to the prosecutor.
Ghislaine Maxwell, 59, faces a very heavy prison sentence if the jury, who withdrew Monday night to deliberate, finds her guilty of providing young underage girls to Jeffrey Epstein – a multimillionaire financier of the jet -set American died in 2019 – so that he exploits them sexually.
“It is time for her to be held to account,” said prosecutor Alison Moe in her indictment on the last day of a three-week trial.
According to the prosecutor, Mr.me Maxwell was “the key” to the system set up by Jeffrey Epstein to recruit young girls whom he sexually assaulted. “They carried out their misdeeds together”, launched the prosecutor to the jury. ” Behind closed doors, […] they were committing horrible crimes. “
Since the hearings began on November 29, prosecutors have sought to portray this Briton – who also has American and French nationality – as the accomplice between 1994 and 2004 of Jeffrey Epstein, who committed suicide in prison in August 2019, in waiting for his own trial.
It’s time to [Ghislaine Maxwell] be accountable
In the Manhattan federal court room, Ghislaine Maxwell, clad in a creamy white sweater and wearing a black mask, would often take notes that she passed to her attorneys or pasted on a file, while the prosecutor claimed that she was “guilty”.
Over the weeks of the trial, four women have testified against the daughter of former media mogul Robert Maxwell.
Two of the witnesses thus affirmed that they were not more than 14 years old when Ghislaine Maxwell had encouraged them to lavish massages on Jeffrey Epstein, these ending in sexual acts.
One of them, known by the pseudonym “Jane”, detailed how Ghislaine Maxwell recruited her to a summer camp and made her feel “special”.
“Jane” also recounted how encounters and sex acts with Jeffrey Epstein had become routine, sometimes in the presence of Ghislaine Maxwell.
Another witness, “Carolyn,” said she was usually paid $ 300 after each sexual encounter with Jeffrey Epstein, and that Ghislaine Maxwell often gave the money herself.
” No proof “
In argument Monday afternoon, the defense pointed to the prosecution’s “lack of evidence” and focused its line of defense on the “very poor and variable memory” of witnesses on events over 25 years old. “There is no evidence that Ghislaine Maxwell has coaxed one of the four” women, who were then young girls, launched the lawyer Laura Meninger to the jurors.
These four witnesses “all changed their version when the Epstein fund was opened,” she said, referring to an official mechanism of reparation drawn from the fortune of the billionaire after his death.
The defense lawyer asked jurors to acquit his client on all counts.
Ghislaine Maxwell refused to testify at her trial, merely stating that the prosecution had not proven her guilt.
“Your honor, the prosecution has not provided evidence beyond a reasonable doubt, so I do not need to testify,” she said Friday.
The trial was expected to go until January, but Ghislaine Maxwell could now know her fate before December 25, her 60th birthday.e birthday.
If jurors fail to reach a verdict by Wednesday evening, they will go their separate ways for the Christmas weekend before meeting again on Monday, December 27.
The jury must reach a unanimous decision to find Ghislaine Maxwell guilty. If not, then Judge Alison Nathan could cancel the trial, which would have to start from scratch.
Ghislaine Maxwell pleads not guilty to all counts for which she faces up to 80 years in prison, including a maximum of 40 years for trafficking in minors.