SDNY COURTHOUSE,
Dec 20 – Ghislaine
Maxwell,
charged with
sex
trafficking
and other
charges, is nearing
the end of
trial that
started on
November 29,
after the
November 23
final-final
pre trial conference,
vlog here.
On
December
18 in a rare
Saturday charging
conference,
Inner City
Press learned
a bit more
about
Maxwell's
legal team. Laura
Menninger came
and left,
presumably
preparing
her closing
argument
for December 20.
On
Sunday December
19, with the
draft charge still
not in the
docket, AUSA Maurene Comey wrote
in jointly
with Maxwell and
her legal
team stating
that
with regard to
the closing
arguments,
"the public
interest in
viewing the
parties’
presentations
is marginal."
Inner City Press
immediately
filed
opposition to
Judge
Nathan, calling
this inaccurate
and insulting, and asking for
unsealing (and
a public
call-in line).
Inner City
Press letter here
and here.
On the
morning of
December 20
AUSA Alison
Moe gave the
government's
closing
argument.
Inner City
Press live
tweeted here,
podcast
here,
8:30 am
live
stream
here
Then,
the defense rebuttal, live tweeted here,
podcast
here
Maxwell's lawyer Menninger: I am not here to
defend Jeffrey Epstein. He is not my client.
The US presented evidence like a sensational
tabloid. Private island, photos. These were
things that Epstein did, perhaps, his crimes.
But Ghislaine Maxwell is not Epstein
Menninger: Where are the other 37,000
photographs? Who was in them? You don't know.
They didn't bring you those photos. There were
folders and binders. But they brought you the
most innocuous photos of a couple that was
once together.
Menninger: This is straight up
sensationalism, your Honor, I mean, ladies and
gentlemen. There's the lack of evidence. Jane
hired Robert Glassman two weeks before she
spoke to the FBI in 2019. The lawyers like
Boies Schiller helped set up the Epstein
victims fund
Menninger: Then there's the manipulation
piece. We'll go through the stories of each
witness. The stories have changed. Carolyn had
a lawyer in 2008, a story about Epstein and
Sarah Kellen who she also sued without
mentioning Ghislaine Maxwell.
Menninger: Where are your boots that you
say they bought you? We had to ask those
questions. The truth was manipulated over
time. They've made Ghislaine Maxwell to be
Cruela DeVille and the Devil Wears Prada all
rolled up in to one.
Menninger: The pilot told you Jane was a
fully growth, mature woman. Ghislaine didn't
entire her to travel. The US said she was
"sometimes in the room when it happened." But
Jane said she wasn't sure.
Menninger: Jane said she went to
Epstein's house every week. But no one took
the stand to say she spent time with
Ghislaine. Who are these relatives? Annie's
mom came; she said she never spoke to Maxwell.
Menninger: Larry the pilot said Jane was fully
mature. No pilot testified he saw Carolyn, or
Kate, or Annie. There was not culture of
silence, you just got the sound of silence.
One got a two time burglar with an ax to
grind.
Menninger: They said you'd learn
Ghislaine was in the room. But Jane can't
remember. And there's no motive. They say a
happy, educated woman in her 30s would end her
career as a facilitator of sexual abuse - but
where's the evidence? Epstein was a
manipulator
Menninger: Do you know Ghislaine's life style
before Epstein, and after? Maybe it was
Jeffrey who needed Ghislaine and her
connection, and not the other way around.
Menninger: I want to talk about Jane's
age. Her father died at 13 - tragic. But she's
applying to go to an arts camp that cost $4000
per person. They didn't even apply for
financial aid.
Menninger: We see her travel records,
this person who says he was indigent - she
traveled to Italy. There's a flight I'll show
you [slides withheld from press and public]
that shows Jane flew at earliest at 16.
Menninger: Jane got her dates wrong, in a case
that's about dates, and about travel. This
homeless Jane, traveling all over. She says
she sang for Mike Wallace's 80th birthday. But
she was 17 by then. She got it wrong.
Menninger: The government just said, We'll
assume your first time to New York wasn't the
Lion King data. Doctor Loftus said this is
unlikely, this unremembering.
Menninger: Now let's talk about the boots. She
said the government didn't ask for them in
2006. You'll have the boots with you back in
the deliberation room, you'll see how worn
they are.
Menninger: Where is the chef from the
ranch? Where are her diaries? What you got is
a photograph of the front and back of a diary,
and few pages. But not the rest. Ms. Farmer
told you she met Boies Schiller when she was
going to be a witness in Roberts' case ]
Menninger: Kate filled out a U visa
application for exceptional people. She said
she is exceptional - she's a music therapist.
She says she's using a pseudonym because of
her child. But she used her own name in court
after Epstein's death.
Menninger: Kate claims she met Ghislaine
Maxwell in London, when she was younger than
17. The said "the house with the red door,"
look at it, across from the Nag's Head Pub.
[Slide withheld from Press and public]
Menninger: Let's talk about Carolyn. She says
she saw a photograph of Ghislaine Maxwell
pregnant. But no one else saw this. Money. The
first time Maxwell is accused of anything by
Carolyn was during the compensation process.
Inner City Press @innercitypress · 3h
Menninger: Let's talk about Shawn, her ex
boyfriend, with his felony convictions.
Carolyn tried to minimize her drug abuse. But
Shawn told you they were abusing marijuana,
cocaine, ecstasy and other drugs. They shared
a phone, calls from Kellen and Epstein
Menninger: Let's talk about Dr Rocchio, the
ultimate victim apologist. She's not trained
to question accusers accounts. There was no
evidence Ghislaine Maxwell groomed anyone.
Kate was dating a man Maxwell's age.
Menninger: The government has no basis
to say that Ghislaine Maxwell wrote the
document about her relationship with Epstein,
told in the third person. There's no proof.
Menninger: And why didn't Virginia Roberts
testify? If she could corroborate what Carolyn
told you, don't you think she would have? Why
would a proper Oxford educated woman do this?
Menninger: Larry the pilot said sure he signed
a Non Disclosure Agreement, people don't want
talk about famous people flying on the plane,
like Bill Clinton and John Glenn...
Menninger: Epstein put his helicopter in the
name of Air Ghislaine. That would correspond
to the $7 million. Rich people do that.
Epstein was generous. He was building a lodge
at Interlochen that was handicapped
accessible.
Menninger: Certainly no one from JP
Morgan told you what the money was
for... Judge Nathan: Ms. Menninger,
we're just going to take a real quick stretch
break. [Ghislaine Maxwell stands up,
stretches, sits down]
Menninger: Mr. Alessi told you when women
other than Ghislaine visited, he would take
her photo down -- Oops, I got ahead of myself
[Menninger say] Check out the flight logs for
yourself.
Menninger: Mr. Alessi was not doing a good
job. Does being a tough boss make you an
enforcer of a code of silence? He doesn't
really authenticate the black address book.
Where are the other staff?
Menninger: Mr. Alessi told you a story
that was not true. That he broke in to help
someone. But it was to steal a gun. He broke
in twice. You can't trust this man's word.
Menninger: Memory doesn't work like a
tape recorder, that you could rewind and just
hit play. None of these interviews were
recorded. They all had a plan to get money.
Menninger: The government would ask
again and again, are you sure there was no
sexual abuse in New Mexico? Doctor Dubin was
solid on what she did not have the group sex
alleged.
Menninger: Counts 2 and 4 rely on Jane
entirely. If you don't believe her, drop the
counts Count 6 relies on Carolyn. If you don't
believe her, drop the count.
Menninger: Ghislaine is being tried here for
being with Jeffrey Epstein. Maybe it was
the bigger mistake of her life. But it is not
a crime. Acquit her.
Judge Nathan: Let's take a break.
Then the
rebuttal
by AUSA
Comey and charge, live tweeted here:
in
US v. #GhislaineMaxwell, now AUSA
Maurene Comey's rebuttal summation
- with all slides and
demonstratives withheld from Press
and public. Inner City Press
challenged
AUSA Comey: Ghislaine Maxwell
touched three witnesses breasts.
The defense tried to get you to
look way through the massive
amount of evidence Ms. Moe walked
you through this morning [all
slides and demonstratives withheld
from public and Press]
AUSA Comey: You saw it in this
exhibit [withheld] - who needs
that many massages? She was in the
room, she knew. The $30 million is
"we molested kids together" money.
AUSA Comey: People who prey on
children do not leave behind
documents. The defendant was not
walking out of massage rooms and
writing a memo, Today I touched
Jane's breasts.
AUSA Comey: Look at the flight
logs [we'd like it], Epstein
flying to New Mexico, then leaving
a year later with Ms. Maxwell. Ms.
Menninger was trying to mislead
you.
AUSA Comey: The defense's
own expert Professor Loftus said,
Some things you never forget,
moments that change your life.
Imagine you had to remember
Thanksgiving from years ago.
Turkey happens every time
AUSA Comey: There is not a shred
of evidence that a group of
lawyers got together and made up a
story about Maxwell. The lawyers
got their money before this trial
started.
AUSA Comey: Why would the
ex-boyfriends come here and lie to
you? And Alessia - the defense
tried to dirty him up. But he
admitted he stole. He has no
reason to lie.
AUSA Comey: If they wanted to
frame Maxwell they would have put
way deeper in. No. They testified
for justice. ... The defendant is
guilty.
Judge Nathan: Thank you Ms. Comey.
I will now read the charge.
Programming note - during reading
of the jury charge, a copy of
which Inner City Press put on
DocumentCloud, ran to cover
proceeding in CIA #Vault7 leaks
case of Joshua Schulte. Small
world: he complained about delay
getting back to MDC because of
Maxwell
Judge Nathan has reached
page 50 of 83 of the charge: "when
Jane was under the age of 17,
Maxwell participated in multiple
group sexual encounters with
Epstein and Jane." While read-out
continues, we'll tweet into the
thread counts and penalties per
SDNY
"counts/potential sentences:
Count 1: conspiracy to entice a
minor to travel to engage in
illegal sex acts, which carries a
maximum sentence of 5 years; Count
2: enticing a minor to travel to
engage in illegal sex acts, which
carries a maximum sentence of 5
years
Count 3: conspiracy to
transport a minor with the intent
to engage in criminal sexual
activity, which carries a maximum
sentence of 5 years' Count 4:
transporting a minor with the
intent to engage in criminal
sexual activity, carries a maximum
sentence of 10 years
Count Five: conspiracy to
commit sex trafficking of minors,
which carries a statutory maximum
of five years in prison; and Count
Six: sex trafficking of minors,
which carries a statutory maximum
of 40 years in prison. [Judge
Nathan still reading the charge]
Judge Nathan's charge
read-out almost over. It's 4:39 -
unclear how much deliberation
could occur today. (Jurors was
asked to be prepared to stay to 6
pm, but we'll see). Should find
out soon - watch this thread Judge
Nathan: I'm sure if you listen to
the views of your fellow jurors.
Give me a few minutes for a
sidebar while you remain in the
juror boxes. Everyone else, remain
quiet. [Ghislaine Maxwell is
sitting all alone at the defense
table]
Judge Nathan: Five alternate
jurors can leave, but remain on
call. They are Jurors number 125,
149, 151, 152 and 170. The others
you can begin to deliberate. Ms.
Williams will show you how to
access the admitted exhibits. All
rise!
[With jury gone] Judge
Nathan: We'll wait to hear back
from the juror. I want to thank
the 8 counsel, I learned a lot
from you. [Marshals take Maxwell
out of the courtroom. But she'll
be brought back in when the jurors
came back in, or for any note they
send.]
Update of 5:45 pm - the jury has
been sent up and will start
deliberating December 21 at 9 pm.
Watch this site.
How
large is
Maxwell's
legal and other team? Watch
this site - and
#MaximumMaxwell
On October 29
and again on November 12
Maxwell
and the US
Attorney's
Office for the
Southern
District of
New York filed
a flurry of
motions in
limine,
heavily
redacted; the
Government
argued that
trial exhibits
are not public
and will be
withheld.
Inner City
Press opposed
and opposes
the continued
secrecy. And
see DC op-ed here.
On
December 16,
after a three
day hiatus as
Judge Nathan
went to DC
seeking
2d Circuit seat,
Maxwell's
defense began,
with her executive
assistant
Cimerly Espinosa.
Inner City Press
live tweeted
here,
8:45 am live
stream here,
podcast here
On
the afternoon
of December
17, the
defense rested,
and Ghislaine
Maxwell said
there was no
reason for her to
testify
because, she
said, the
government had
not proved its
case beyond
a reasonable
doubt,
after Eva
Dubin. Inner
City Press
live
tweeted here,
podcast here,
midday live
stream here
On
Saturday
December 18
Judge Nathan
held the
charging
conference, at
which references
to "the defendant"
were changed to
a more
Lady-like "Ms.
Maxwell" and
foreign travel
and the
word "minor"
were dropped and
replaced.
Inner City
Press live tweeted
here,
and below,
pre-conference
live
stream here, podcast
here
On
December 10,
leading up to
the US resting
of its case,
Annie Farmer
was cross
examined, then
her
ex-boyfriend
and mother
testified.
Inner City
Press live
tweeted it here,
podcast here,
stand-up,
GMax
sister -
and circus
Again,
where is the
Press
opposition to
all this
sealing, and
the
decision-maker?
On October 18 the US
Attorney's Office opposed the
request, saying the the voir
dire questions should be asked
by Judge Nathan, and that
there should only be sidebars
on "sensitive questions such
as those that relate to sexual
abuse and media exposure."
Full letter on Patreon here.
In a
conference on October 21 on
that as scheduling issues,
Judge Nathan denied the
request to seal. Inner City
Press live tweeted it
here (podcast here)
On October 22 the
draft jury questionnaire was
unsealed and Inner City Press
has immediately published it
on its DocumentCloud here,
including "Have you or a
family member ever supported,
lobbied, petitioned,
protested, or worked in
any other manner for or
against any laws, regulations,
or organizations relating to
sex trafficking, sex crimes
against minors, sex abuse or
sexual harassment?" Photo here.
After the death of Jeffrey
Epstein in the MCC prison, on
July 2 Acting US Attorney for
the SDNY Audrey Strauss
announced and unsealed in
indictment of Maxwell on
charges including sex
trafficking and perjury.
Inner City Press went to her
press conference at the US
Attorney's Office and asked,
Doesn't charging Maxwell with
perjury undercut any ability
to use testimony from her
against other, bigger
wrong-doers? Periscope here
at 23:07.
Strauss
replied that it is not
impossible to use a perjurer's
testimony. But how often does
it work?
At 3:30 pm
on July 2 Maxwell appeared in
the U.S. District Court for
the District of New Hampsire,
before Magistriate Judge Andrea
K. Johnstone.
Inner City
Press live
tweeted it
here.
(Also
live tweeted
bail denial of
July 14, here.)
In
the July 3 media coverage of
Maxwell, media all of the
world used a video and stills
from it of Maxwell speaking in
front of a blue curtain, like
here.
What they
did not mention is something
Inner City Press has been
asking the UN about, as under
UNSG Antonio Guterres with his
own sexual exploitation issues
(exclusive video
and audio)
it got roughed up and banned
from the UN: Ghislaine Maxwell
had a ghoulish United Nations
press conference, under the
banner of the "Terramar
Project," here.
On July 5,
after some crowd-sourcing,
Inner City Press reported on
another Ghislaine Maxwell use
of the United Nations,
facilitated by Italy's
Permanent Representative to
the UN, UN official Nikhil
Seth and Amir Dossal,
who also let into the UN and
in one case took money from
convicted UN briber Ng Lap
Seng, and Patrick Ho of CEFC
China Energy, also linked to
UN Secretary General Antonio
Guterres.
At the
Ghislaine Maxwell UN event,
the UN Deputy Secretary
General was directly involved.
List of (some of)
the participants on Patreon here.
Inner City
Press has published a phone of
Maxwell in the UN with Dossal,
here. But the connection runs
deeper: Dossal with "25 years
of UN involvement" was on
Terrarmar's board of
directors, one of only five
directors, only three not
related to Maxwell by blood
and name.
The directors:
Ghislaine Maxwell, Christine
Malina-Maxwell, Steven Haft,
Christine Dennison and... Amir
Dossal. Inner City Press is
publishing this full 990 on
Patreon here.
Dossal has
operated through the UN Office
of Partnership, with Antonio
Guterres and his deputy Amina
J. Mohammed, here.
And the links to
the world of UN bribery,
including Antonio Guterres
through the Gulbenkian
Foundation, runs deeper. More
to follow.
Antonio Guterres
claims he has zero tolerance
for sexual exploitation, but
covers it up and even
participate in it. He should
be forced to resign - and/or
have immunity waived.
Terramar
has been dissolved, even
though Maxwell's former
fundraiser / director of
development Brian Yurasits
still lists the URL on his
(protected) Twitter profile,
also here.
But now
Inner City Press has begun to
inquire into Ghislaine
Maxwell's other United Nations
connections, starting with
this photograph of another
day's (or at least another
outfit's) presentation in the
UN, here.
While co-conspirator Antonio
Guterres has had Inner City
Press banned from any entry
into the UN for two years and
a day, this appears to be in
the UN Economic and Social
Council (ECOSOC) chamber.
We'll have more on this, and
on Epstein and the UN. Watch
this site.
The case
is US v. Maxwell, 20-cr-330
(Nathan).
***
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