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Her testimony primarily targeted on her reminiscences of “Jane,” one of many 4 ladies who testified Maxwell groomed her for sexual abuse when she was underage.
Jane gave the impression to be “in all probability 18” when she met her, Ms Espinosa mentioned, and Jane’s mom instructed staff that Jane was Epstein’s goddaughter.
Ms Espinosa testified that Epstein handled Jane properly, so far as she might see.
Jane testified earlier within the trial Epstein sexually abused her – and that Maxwell at instances joined in on the abuse – each in Palm Seaside, Florida, and Manhattan when Jane was 14, 15 and 16 years outdated.
Ms Espinosa additionally testified that Maxwell and Epstein have been a “little flirty” and gave the impression to be in a romantic relationship.
Within the early 2000s, although, she believed they’d stopped relationship and have been not touring to and from the workplace collectively.
The assistant mentioned she revered Maxwell, who handled her pretty and properly, and she or he praised Epstein as beneficiant.
She mentioned she’d by no means seen something to counsel Maxwell or Epstein ever behaved inappropriately with underaged ladies.
The assistant’s testimony got here because the defence started to current its case within the intercourse trafficking conspiracy trial of Maxwell, Epstein’s shut confidante and longtime affiliate.
The defence’s case is predicted to final only a few days.
Choose Alison Nathan mentioned she expects closing arguments to happen Monday, with the case going to the jury afterward.
This is able to give the jury two full days to deliberate forward of the Christmas vacation.
The prosecution rested its case final Friday after calling 24 witnesses throughout 10 days of testimony.
Their case was highlighted by 4 ladies who mentioned they have been sexually abused by Epstein once they have been underneath 18 and who mentioned Maxwell facilitated and generally participated in that abuse.
Prosecutors launched images of Maxwell and Epstein embracing and smiling for the digicam over time, together with a number of exhibiting her massaging his foot.
The defence objected to exhibiting the jury these images, however the prosecution insisted their shut relationship was central to the case, and the decide agreed.
“Their relevance is self-apparent, given the contents of the images,” prosecutor Alison Moe mentioned. “The connection between Maxwell and Epstein is central to this case.”
Defence attorneys have argued Maxwell is being scapegoated for Epstein’s actions and have attacked the reminiscences and motivations of the ladies who say they have been abused.
Maxwell, 59, has pleaded not responsible to 6 federal expenses: intercourse trafficking of minors, attractive a minor to journey to have interaction in unlawful intercourse acts, transporting a minor with the intent to have interaction in prison sexual exercise and three counts of conspiracy.
Epstein, who pleaded responsible in 2008 to state prostitution expenses, was indicted on federal intercourse trafficking expenses in July 2019 however died by suicide in jail a month later. Maxwell was arrested a 12 months afterward.
Physician explains science of reminiscence
Physician Elizabeth Loftus, a psychologist and professor on the College of California Irvine, testified about false reminiscences as a part of the defence’s try to broadly undermine the reality of the accusers’ testimony.
She testified Thursday that people could be uncovered to misinformation about an occasion after the very fact and incorporate it into their reminiscence, making it inaccurate.
“Even traumatic experiences could be subjected to post-event suggestion that may exaggerate, distort or change the reminiscence,” Dr Loftus mentioned.
She mentioned that exterior components reminiscent of substance abuse, marijuana or in any other case have been present in research to impair an individual’s potential to create a reminiscence on the time of an occasion.
She testified that false reminiscences could be expressed with a excessive diploma of confidence and emotion shouldn’t be essentially an indicator of credibility.
“Emotion isn’t any assure that you simply’re coping with an genuine reminiscence,” she mentioned.
On cross-examination Thursday, she at instances turned a little bit flustered when questioned about her motives and the suggestion that she was profiting off prison defendants.
She turned her head and spoke on to the jury when requested if her work and the media consideration she acquired from testifying for well-known and high-profile defendants raised her profile.
She seemed on the jury and mentioned, “I would not put it that manner.”
Dr Loftus mentioned she has solely testified as soon as for the prosecution aspect within the roughly 300 instances she’s given professional testimony for the reason that Nineteen Seventies.
On cross-examination, prosecutor Lara Pomerantz requested Dr Loftus a couple of e-book she wrote referred to as “Witness for the Defence.”
Ms Pomerantz learn a quick excerpt from the e-book that mentioned, “Ought to psychologists in a courtroom of regulation act as an advocate for the defence or an neutral educator? My reply to that query, if I am utterly sincere, is each.”
Dr Loftus mentioned that quote was out the context and there was no additional questioning on the topic.
Choose rejects nameless defence witnesses
Three potential defence witnesses who wished to testify anonymously is not going to be allowed to take action, the decide dominated Thursday.
Earlier this week, a defence legal professional instructed the courtroom that three defence witnesses requested to testify anonymously or underneath a pseudonym as a result of they “may get plenty of undesirable consideration.
Choose Nathan rejected that request.
She mentioned an order increasing on that ruling will probably be posted to the docket later within the day.
Ms Nathan additionally dominated the defence can not search testimony from attorneys for 2 of the ladies who testified that they have been sexually abused whereas underage.
Nevertheless, the defence will probably be allowed to name to the stand Robert Glassman, an legal professional for a 3rd accuser who testified underneath the identify “Jane,” to testify on a slim problem associated to his shopper’s data of how her cooperation would impression her payout with the Epstein Sufferer Compensation Fund.
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