After hearing from witnesses, and viewing evidence for three weeks, the jury began its second day of consideration of Maxwell’s fate. Prosecutors tried to prove Maxwell was the key enabler of Jeffrey Epstein’s proclivity towards sexual abuse of teenage girls.
Maxwell, 59 was arrested on July 2020 for grooming girls as young 14-year-olds to believe it was normal and acceptable for them to have sexualized massages with Epstein (her onetime boyfriend, eventual close friend, and employer) in exchange for $100 bills.
Prosecutors claim that she was involved in abuses between 1994 and 2004, after recruiting girls to her with the promise that Epstein’s wealth, connections to powerful people would enable them to achieve their goals. The government stated that many of the girls were from financially poor families who lived in difficult or stressful circumstances.
What is the story with Ghislaine Maxill’s sex abuse case?
The jury indicated that a verdict wasn’t imminent on Tuesday when it requested to end deliberations Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. Jurors were informed by the judge that they could also deliberate Thursday if they so desire.
They requested transcripts of the testimony from three of four women who claimed that Epstein and Maxwell abused them as teenagers. Some women testified that they suffered more sexual abuse over the years.
Defense lawyers claim that Maxwell is being tried as a scapegoat for the dissolution of the sex trafficking allegations against Epstein after Epstein committed suicide in Manhattan federal prison on August 19, 2019.
Maxwell was captured one year later. Judge Alison J. Nathan denied bail requests repeatedly. Maxwell has been held behind bars since then. Defense lawyers offered to secure bail with a $28.5million pledge and 24-hour armed guards to make sure Maxwell didn’t flee.
