Ghislaine Maxwell trial has reached it's conclusion - Guilty on five out of six charges

[Cowley]

It’s not looking too great for Ghislaine at the moment…
Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Ghislaine Maxwell trial: Prosecutors rest case after 10 days

Prosecutors say Ms Maxwell ran "a pyramid scheme of abuse" with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

www.bbc.co.uk

Prosecutors in Ghislaine Maxwell's sex trafficking trial have rested their case following two weeks of testimony.
Annie Farmer, the last of four alleged victims to testify, recounted on Friday the "dark memory" of abuse by Ms Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein.
Ms Farmer, now 42, said she had been groped by Ms Maxwell, who is accused of grooming underage girls for Epstein between 1994 and 2004.
Ms Maxwell has pleaded not guilty to eight charges against her.
Over the past two weeks, prosecutors sought to portray her as an accomplice to Epstein, a convicted sex offender, calling them "partners in crime" who had built "a pyramid scheme of abuse".
Epstein was convicted of state sex crimes in Florida in 2008, but died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
Ms Maxwell's defence say she is being scapegoated for crimes committed by Epstein because he is not able to face trial.

 

[brad465]

Prince Andrew may have learned how to sweat again: early on in the trial Epstein's former private jet pilot testified that Prince Andrew (along with Trump, Bill Clinton and Kevin Spacey) was one of his passengers. If Maxwell is found guilty I wonder what the prospect of those testified being subject to further investigations is?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

If there's any danger that Maxwell might "spill the beans" on some of her and Epstein's "clients", I'm sure there'll be a conveniently mysterious lapse in detention supervision protocols...

 

[Busaholic]

I'll only say that anyone who's inherited Robert Maxwell's genes has a better than average chance of turning out a wrong 'un.

 

[ABB125]

Surely not! Such a thing could never happen in a democratic country...

Edit: wrong quite used! Here's the correct one:

If there's any danger that Maxwell might "spill the beans" on some of her and Epstein's "clients", I'm sure there'll be a conveniently mysterious lapse in detention supervision protocols...

 

[backontrack]

Content warning: Grooming and trafficking underage girls

The British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell has been convicted guilty on all charges but one of grooming underage girls and trafficking them.

Here is a Guardian article on this breaking headline.

Content warning: Descriptions of sexual abuse.

Ghislaine Maxwell found guilty in sex-trafficking trial

Maxwell, 60, convicted on five of the six charges she faced as US prosecutors hail verdict and say ‘justice has been done’

www.theguardian.com

British former socialite Ghislaine Maxwell has been found guilty in her Manhattan federal court trial.

Maxwell, 60, was arrested in July 2020, charged with involvement in ex-boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse of teenage girls, some as young as 14.

Epstein, a convicted sex offender and presumed billionaire, counted Prince Andrew and former presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump as cronies before killing himself in a New York jail in 2019, about one month after his sex-trafficking arrest.

The verdict marks a dramatic conclusion to an unexpectedly fast-moving trial: proceedings were originally expected to take at least six weeks. Prosecutors called 24 witnesses over 10 days, and defense attorneys called nine witnesses over two days.

Prosecutors said that Maxwell “preyed on vulnerable young girls, manipulated them and served them up to be sexually abused” by Epstein. There were four accusers in this case: Jane, Kate and Carolyn, who did not use their full names, and Annie Farmer.

Jane testified that she was 14 in 1994 when Epstein started to sexually abuse her – and that sometimes Maxwell was present during this abuse. At times, Maxwell participated in the abuse, Jane said. “There were hands everywhere,” Jane recalled of an encounter with Epstein and Maxwell. The abuse continued when she was 15 and 16.

Kate testified that she met Maxwell in Paris around 1994, at age 17. Maxwell extended a tea invitation to her London townhouse shortly after they met, and introduced Kate to Epstein at a subsequent meeting.

Several weeks later, Maxwell called Kate, and said: “Jeffrey was meant to get a massage but the massage therapist had canceled. Could I do her a favor and come over … because I had strong hands.”

Kate testified that Maxwell led her upstairs, where Epstein was wearing a robe. Maxwell closed the door, leaving them alone; Epstein initiated sexual contact. Kate saw Epstein a few times annually over the next several years.

Carolyn said that she wound up in Maxwell and Epstein’s orbit around the early 2000s, when she was 14-years-old, at his Palm Beach mansion.

Carolyn said she went to Epstein’s house “over 100 times” from ages 14 to 18, and testified about a physical encounter with Maxwell while setting up a massage table.

“I was getting fully nude, and she came in and felt my boobs and my hips and my buttocks and said … that I had a great body for Mr Epstein and his friends. She just said that I had a good body type,” Carolyn said.

Annie Farmer, the only accuser to testify under her full name rather than a pseudonym or first name, testified that Maxwell gave her a nude massage when she was only 16 at Epstein’s New Mexico ranch.

Farmer met Epstein in late 1995, when she traveled to visit her sister, Maria, in New York City. Maria worked as a fine art painter for Epstein.

In spring 1996, her mother informed the teen that she would be traveling to Epstein’s ranch, believing it was an educational retreat for high school students.

Annie didn’t want to go – Epstein had touched her hand when they went to a movie in New York – but felt better knowing a woman, Maxwell, would be there.

Following an excursion into town, Maxwell said she’d teach Annie to give Epstein a foot massage. Then, Maxwell said she wanted Annie to have the “experience” of a professional massage.

“She said to get undressed and get [under] the sheet on the massage table, and I did,” Annie said, saying a table was set up in the room where she was staying. “She pulled the sheet down and exposed my breasts, and started rubbing on my chest and on my upper breast.”

Maxwell was tried on six counts in relation to Epstein. She has maintained her innocence.

The conviction is excellent news; let's hope that it leads to the maximum possible sentence being administered. I suppose there is a chance it may be weakened for information.

Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 802 9999. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html

 

[brad465]

As for the result I think a certain Prince will have learned how to sweat again tonight.

 

[Busaholic]

The British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell has been convicted guilty on all charges of grooming underage girls and trafficking them.

Here is a Guardian article on this breaking headline.

Ghislaine Maxwell found guilty in sex-trafficking trial

Maxwell, 60, convicted on five of the six charges she faced as US prosecutors hail verdict and say ‘justice has been done’

www.theguardian.com

The conviction is excellent news; let's hope that it leads to the maximum possible sentence being administered. I suppose there is a chance it may be weakened for information.

I imagine there'll be a restless night at the Old Lodge, Windsor tonight.

 

[Cowley]

As for the result I think a certain Prince will have learned how to sweat again tonight.

I’ll say.
Is there a possibility of her sentence being reduced if she dishes the dirt on a few people or is it too late for that now?

 

[brad465]

I’ll say.
Is there a possibility of her sentence being reduced if she dishes the dirt on a few people or is it too late for that now?

Maybe, but at the same time we might hear about her tragic suicide if she does decide to spill the beans.

 

[LUYMun]

I imagine there'll be a restless night at the Old Lodge, Windsor tonight.

Or at the Pizza Express' Woking branch!

 

[backontrack]

I’ll say.
Is there a possibility of her sentence being reduced if she dishes the dirt on a few people or is it too late for that now?

More likely perhaps that they'd trade information for cushier jail conditions? Reducing her sentence would be too unpopular, I'd have thought.

 

[najaB]

Is there a possibility of her sentence being reduced if she dishes the dirt on a few people or is it too late for that now?

Normally the nature of a plea bargain is "Provide information and we'll charge you of a lesser offence that you then plead guilty to." It's not normal for a deal to be made after conviction.

 

[Cowley]

Normally the nature of a plea bargain is "Provide information and we'll charge you of a lesser offence that you then plead guilty to." It's not normal for a deal to be made after conviction.

That’s what I assumed. I think there’s either been a certain amount of arrogance shown by her in that she thought she’d get away with it.
Or she was too scared to name names?

 

[Busaholic]

That’s what I assumed. I think there’s either been a certain amount of arrogance shown by her in that she thought she’d get away with it.
Or she was too scared to name names?

She chose the Jeremy Thorpe position in court i.e. keep schtum and hope the prosecution's witnesses' evidence can be cast doubt on successfully. She was forgetting two things: it was an American court and she isn't a pillar of the Establishment unlike Thorpe.

 

[najaB]

I think there’s either been a certain amount of arrogance shown by her in that she thought she’d get away with it.
Or she was too scared to name names?

My guess is that she thought she knew enough about high-up enough people that she would be "protected". That "bus hitting something" sound was her finding out that they'll do anything to protect themselves.

 

[gingerheid]

She's definitely found out too late that the world changed. It was common ground that things happened that couldn't be explained in any way that they weren't dodgy. In the past I'm sure a defence of "Do you not know who I am?" would have worked. But as that no longer works she was left with a defence that was something more like "so we're here to talk about something ser 'Oh look! A bunny rabbit! Lets talk about the bunny rabbits!!!' "

 

[brad465]

The BBC have landed themselves in hot water, and possibly even sunk to a new low, after inviting Alan Dershowitz on air to analyse this guilty verdict, even though he's implicated in the case.

https://twitter.com/caoilfhionnanna/status/1476320335301595148

Sorry, what?! @BBCNews now have Alan Dershowitz on to analyse #GhislaineMaxwell’s conviction, without any reference to his background;he’s simply introduced as “constitutional lawyer” as if he’s a neutral expert. Shocked. Utterly bizarre decision & does the audience a disservice.

 

[MotCO]

The BBC have landed themselves in hot water, and possibly even sunk to a new low, after inviting Alan Dershowitz on air to analyse this guilty verdict, even though he's implicated in the case.

https://twitter.com/caoilfhionnanna/status/1476320335301595148

View attachment 107983

I have not been following the case closely enough to understand the significance of this post. The Times quotes the following: (https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...ed-for-interviewing-alan-dershowitz-tmzxtbzjl)

"Appearing on the BBC News channel minutes after a guilty verdict was reached in Maxwell’s trial, the Harvard professor was introduced as a “constitutional lawyer” with no reference made to his involvement in the case or previous representation of Jeffrey Epstein.

The BBC also failed to make clear that Dershowitz, 83, has been accused of sexual abuse by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, the same woman who has alleged similar charges against Prince Andrew. Both men deny the charges."

BBC launches investigation into interview with lawyer implicated in Ghislaine Maxwell case​

Alan Dershowitz has been accused of sexual abuse by Virginia Roberts Giuffre​

Jake Kanter, Media Correspondent | Laurence Sleator
Thursday December 30 2021, 12.30pm, The Times

Alan Dershowitz has been accused of sexual abuse by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, which he denies

The BBC has launched an investigation after admitting that an interview with Alan Dershowitz after the Ghislaine Maxwell verdict breached its editorial standards.

Appearing on the BBC News channel minutes after a guilty verdict was reached in Maxwell’s trial, the Harvard professor was introduced as a “constitutional lawyer” with no reference made to his involvement in the case or previous representation of Jeffrey Epstein.

The BBC also failed to make clear that Dershowitz, 83, has been accused of sexual abuse by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, the same woman who has alleged similar charges against Prince Andrew. Both men deny the charges.

 

[LOL The Irony]

May she rot in the deepest, darkest depths of hell.

If there's any danger that Maxwell might "spill the beans" on some of her and Epstein's "clients", I'm sure there'll be a conveniently mysterious lapse in detention supervision protocols...

She will 100% get epstein'd if she ever spills any beans. In fact, the whole reason epstein got epstein'd was because he was allegedly going to enter into a plea bargin.

The BBC have landed themselves in hot water, and possibly even sunk to a new low, after inviting Alan Dershowitz on air to analyse this guilty verdict, even though he's implicated in the case.

To be honest, it's the bbc, what did you expect?

 

[Busaholic]

May she rot in the deepest, darkest depths of hell.

She will 100% get epstein'd if she ever spills any beans. In fact, the whole reason epstein got epstein'd was because he was allegedly going to enter into a plea bargin.

To slightly misquote Maxwell's Silver Hammer by the Beatles:-

Bang! bang! Maxwell's golden hammer
Came down upon his head
Clang! clang! Maxwell's golden hammer
Made sure that he was dead.

No points for guessing who 'he' is. As was entirely predictable, Maxwell's crimes are being blamed by her cronies (at least, the few who are prepared to admit them) on the bad genes inherited from the man formerly known as The Ego Has Landed.

P.S. One conspiracy theory I'm happily prepared to accept is that R. Maxwell was either pushed from that yacht or the crew, realising he'd fallen off, pretended not to notice his departure into the sea.

 

[vla50]

The BBC also failed to make clear that Dershowitz, 83, has been accused of sexual abuse by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, the same woman who has alleged similar charges against Prince Andrew. Both men deny the charges."

And Dershowitz is now attempting to turn the tables on Virginia Roberts, stating that she could be prosecuted for sex crimes. I honestly can't believe how defensive some of this high end socialite crowd are, Virginia was (and still is) a victim of Epstein, Andrew & Maxwell and the fact Mr Dershowitz is now trying to make her look as if she is in the wrong, well I think that says it all and how they can try and make Virginia the one in the wrong is absolutely beyond me.

(Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...-Virginia-Giuffre-face-sex-crime-charges.html)

I hope more victims speak out and be brought to justice, and I do think the FBI should really be questioning everyone who was logged as flying on Epstein's plane.

 

[LOL The Irony]

And Dershowitz is now attempting to turn the tables on Virginia Roberts, stating that she could be prosecuted for sex crimes. I honestly can't believe how defensive some of this high end socialite crowd are, Virginia was (and still is) a victim of Epstein, Andrew & Maxwell and the fact Mr Dershowitz is now trying to make her look as if she is in the wrong, well I think that says it all and how they can try and make Virginia the one in the wrong is absolutely beyond me.

What a vile scumbag.

 

[43096]

No points for guessing who 'he' is. As was entirely predictable, Maxwell's crimes are being blamed by her cronies (at least, the few who are prepared to admit them) on the bad genes inherited from the man formerly known as The Ego Has Landed.

Also known as “The Bouncing Czech” for several reasons!

 

[vla50]

I do wonder how long it will be before Andrew receives a sentence, surely now Ghislaine's in prison he must be receiving one soon? I believe that there’s no way this man didn't know what was going on, I do wonder how long it'll be before other high profile people involved are questioned from the flight log (surely Bill Clintons many trips on the Lolita Express should mean he should be questioned, again I imagine he was probably involved), Trump, Clinton, I do think Naomi Campbell should be questioned especially as judging by her 31st birthday picture I'm sure with her eye movements she was very much aware of Virginia being there and hopefully justice will be served.

Virginia Roberts shares photo next to Naomi Campbell at a party

Virginia Roberts tweeted a picture appearing to show her beside supermodel Naomi Campbell at her 31st birthday party in St Tropez, France, in 2001.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Busaholic]

I do wonder how long it will be before Andrew receives a sentence

Not in his lifetime. His only real 'inconvenience' will be that he may not be allowed to travel to the USA, not that his advisers would allow him to anyway. When you've got the Queen taking care of your legal costs you're on a different planet to mere mortals.

 

[vla50]

Not in his lifetime. His only real 'inconvenience' will be that he may not be allowed to travel to the USA, not that his advisers would allow him to anyway. When you've got the Queen taking care of your legal costs you're on a different planet to mere mortals.

It would be interesting to hear the Queen's stance on this especially as Ghislaine & Jeffrey have been pictured as staying at Balmoral in 1999 as well as having gone to Ascot in 2000. Ultimately you need permission to be a guest from HRH so it would be interesting to see what the Queen has to say on this.

I imagine Jeffrey used Andrew & Trump for his own personal gain because of their power and not just them, I imagine Bill Clinton he tried to use for his own personal gain, all the people he was surrounded by at parties such as Flavio were very much people he used and I believe he also tried to get involved with Elon Musk through Ghislaine getting into a relationship with Musk's brother. All of those young people he used as well of whom have now been left with scars for the rest of their lives.

Epstein is an awful piece of **** and I hope he rots in hell.

 

[baz962]

Not in his lifetime. His only real 'inconvenience' will be that he may not be allowed to travel to the USA, not that his advisers would allow him to anyway. When you've got the Queen taking care of your legal costs you're on a different planet to mere mortals.

The money is probably irrelevant. Epstein and co are/were quite wealthy. Let's say it like it is . He's a royal and that alone will probably see him alright , it shouldn't.

 

[AM9]

The money is probably irrelevant. Epstein and co are/were quite wealthy. Let's say it like it is . He's a royal and that alone will probably see him alright , it shouldn't.

That's probably correct, but I suspect things might be somewhat different were the Queen to die before the current disquiet about her favourite son's conduct persists.

 

[brad465]

With attention now turning to Prince Andrew, he's being asked to prove he couldn't sweat (good of them to use the past tense as I suspect plenty has now just happened to help him learn how to sweat again):

Virginia Giuffre: Prince Andrew accuser seeks evidence he could not sweat

Lawyers for Virginia Giuffre call on the royal to submit medical reports to a New York court.

www.bbc.co.uk

Lawyers for a US woman who has accused Prince Andrew of sexual assault are seeking proof of the British royal's alleged inability to sweat.
Virginia Giuffre's legal team made the request as part of a civil case against the prince in a New York court.
Ms Giuffre, 38, alleges that Prince Andrew sexually assaulted her when she was a teenager at the homes of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
Prince Andrew has consistently denied the allegations.
In a 2019 interview with BBC Newsnight, he said a "problem" with her account was that a medical condition at the time meant he could not have been sweating, as she claims he was.

A civil case filed in the US alleges that the prince sexually abused Ms Giuffre - then known as Virginia Roberts - at Maxwell's London home, and at Epstein's homes in Manhattan and Little St James in the Virgin Islands.
Convicted sex offender Epstein was found dead in prison in 2019 while awaiting a sex trafficking trial. British socialite Maxwell was found guilty this week of grooming underage girls to be abused by him.
The motion filed by Ms Giuffre's lawyers calls on Prince Andrew to supply "all documents concerning your alleged medical condition of anhidrosis, hypohidrosis, or your inability to sweat".
Prince Andrew's lawyers said he objected to the request "on the grounds that it is harassing and seeks confidential and private information and documents that are irrelevant, immaterial and not reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence".
They added that Prince Andrew had no such documents in his possession to hand over.
The motion also includes requests for details of Prince Andrew's trips on Epstein's planes, and communication he had with Epstein and Maxwell.
The document in the civil case against Prince Andrew was published as Maxwell, 60, was found guilty in a US court of recruiting and trafficking young girls. A date for her sentencing has not yet been set, but the verdict could see her spend the rest of her life behind bars.
The verdict was welcomed by the survivors, with Annie Farmer - the only witness to use her real name during testimony - saying she was "so relieved and grateful".
Ms Giuffre, who was not one of the four women who testified in the case but was referenced on many occasions in court, said she would "remember this day always".
Maxwell's brother Ian told the BBC that she would appeal against the verdict "on legal grounds - both in terms of the pre-trial process and the trial process as well", but did not give further details.
He described the victims' testimony as "heart-rending" but said he still believed his sister's innocence.
Another of Epstein and Maxwell's accusers, Sarah Ransome, criticised Mr Maxwell's remarks.
"This sex trafficking pyramid wouldn't exist without Ghislaine," she said.
"I really think Ghislaine's brother should sit in a room full of Ghislaine's survivors because then he might have a different opinion of what his sister actually has done. She has destroyed hundreds of lives."