In this courtroom sketch, Ghislaine Maxwell stands facing her attorney Bobbi Sternheim while a U.S. marshal removes her shackles in the courtroom prior to a hearing Monday, Nov. 1, 2021, in New York. Maxwell was brought into a Manhattan courtroom for the lengthy hearing where U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan made a series of rulings over how the trial starting later this month will unfold. (AP Photo/Elizabeth Williams)
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UPDATED 11:39 AM PT – Tuesday, November 2, 2021
The accomplice of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had her final pre-trial hearing. In a Manhattan court on Monday, Ghislaine Maxwell asserted she has committed no crimes.
The socialite was charged with conspiracy and enticing minors to travel to engage in illicit acts as well as transporting minors for criminal acts. Maxwell allegedly recruited underage girls for Epstein and is being accused of joining him in sexually assaulting the victims.
Associated Press reporter Larry Neumeister explained some of the courtroom protections for those telling the court their experience with the couple as some were as young as 14 at the time they say they were assaulted.
“…The victims and the women who are going to be testifying during the trial about the ordeals they went through can use pseudonyms and sometimes just a first name,” he explained. “And won’t have to divulge their full name or full identities to jurors”.
Neumeister also covered how Judge Allison Nathan dismissed attempts by the defense to submit evidence of the prosecution operating outside their jurisdiction.
“…How they built their case and who they interviewed and who they subpoenaed, but Judge Nathan said none of that can be told to the jurors, so that’s all out of the trial,” explained the reporter. “She said to bring that in would confuse jurors, would make the trial last too long and wouldn’t relate to the charges.”
Prince Andrew allegedly participated in the sex trafficking operations. A photo of the prince with Epstein victim Virginia Giuffrie exists, in turn, linking him to the scandal. Although there has been speculation he will be part of the prosecution’s attack, Neumeister believes the Duke of York will not feature prevalently in the hearing.
“If he comes up at any point in the trial it will probably be very brief and won’t be in any detail about him,” he stated. “But he’s not a big part of this trial. However, there is a lawsuit against him going on in this federal court and that will be developing in the next half year or so.”
Epstein allegedly took his own life behind bars in 2019 and all sex trafficking charges against him were dropped, though the judge showed support for his accusers. Meanwhile, Maxwell was apprehended in her New Hampshire home last year and is set for trial later this month.
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