Judge vets potential jurors for Ghislaine Maxwell trial

3 years ago 242

NEW YORK – Prospective jurors got their archetypal glimpse of Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite charged with helping Jeffrey Epstein sexually maltreatment girls and women, erstwhile a justice began questioning them individually Tuesday.

Wearing a achromatic suit, Maxwell hugged her lawyers erstwhile she entered the courtroom and concisely sketched a courtroom creator who was drafting her.

Judge Alison J. Nathan’s questions successful Manhattan national tribunal were aimed astatine seeing if imaginable jurors tin enactment impartial successful the sordid lawsuit against Maxwell.

The 12 jurors and six alternates who volition perceive the lawsuit volition not beryllium chosen until Nov. 29, erstwhile opening statements volition begin. The proceedings is expected to agelong to mid-January.

Maxwell, 59, has pleaded not blameworthy to charges she groomed underage victims to person unwanted enactment with Epstein. She has vehemently denied wrongdoing.

Each prospective juror sat unsocial successful a assemblage container for 10 to 15 minutes portion Nathan posed questions from astir 10 feet (3 meters) away.

“I'm Judge Nathan. Nice to spot you successful person,” Nathan greeted 1 imaginable juror, alluding to 2 videos that astir 600 prospective jurors had watched of the justice describing the lawsuit and the assemblage enactment process.

Hundreds were dismissed aft filling retired a written questionnaire. Nathan expects to question astir 230 imaginable jurors, identified lone by number, implicit respective days arsenic Maxwell observes on with her lawyers from a enactment down prosecutors. Most of the 2 twelve spectators spaced isolated to defender against the coronavirus were journalists.

Wearing a achromatic disguise that matched her robe, Nathan reminded prospective jurors that Maxwell indispensable beryllium considered guiltless until a verdict astatine her trial.

Some prospective jurors said they had heard of Epstein but not Maxwell portion others said they had heard of both.

The justice was peculiarly funny successful learning whether immoderate members of the assemblage excavation — drawn from a wide country successful and astir New York City — could stay impartial aft suffering intersexual harassment oregon having atrocious experiences with instrumentality enforcement.

One 68-year-old Manhattan nonmigratory said she believed she had experienced intersexual harassment “as we cognize it today.” But she added that it astir apt wasn't thought of successful the aforesaid mode astatine the clip and she didn't judge she'd ever been the unfortunate of superior harassment oregon abuse.

A 72-year-old Manhattan antheral seemed amused, if not somewhat baffled, erstwhile the justice asked him if moving astir affluent individuals erstwhile helium worked arsenic manager of grooming and work for a high-end catering institution mightiness impact his quality to beryllium just and impartial. Maxwell has estimated her assets to beryllium worthy $22.5 million.

“They provided my livelihood,” helium said with a chuckle.

Epstein was arrested successful 2019, but the lawsuit against him took a shocking crook erstwhile the financier and convicted enactment offender killed himself portion awaiting trial.

After Epstein's death, prosecutors turned their sights connected Maxwell, his ex-girlfriend.

The wealthy, Oxford-educated socialite is the girl of British publishing magnate Robert Maxwell, who died successful 1991 aft falling disconnected his yacht — named the Lady Ghislaine — adjacent the Canary Islands portion facing allegations he’d illegally looted his businesses’ pension funds.

Ghislaine Maxwell holds U.S., British and French citizenships and was repeatedly denied bail successful the run-up to her trial.

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