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Ghislaine Maxwell trial – live: Epstein’s massage table brought into court as jury shown video inside his home



Watch live as Ghislaine Maxwell trial continues in New York City

The trial of British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell has adjourned for the weekend in New York City. The59-year-old is answering to charges related to her alleged involvement in financier Jeffrey Epstein’s sex crimes.

Rounding out a week of testimony, on Friday, jurors were shown video footage of the inside of the Palm Beach house at the centre of the allegations. Epstein’s massage table, where much of the abuse is alleged to have occurred, was brought into the courtroom.

His former housekeeper, Juan Alessi, testified in detail on Thursday afternoon about his duties at the Palm Beach mansion, what he saw happen there, and Ms Maxwell’s role. He appeared to back up much of the testimony of the accuser known as “Jane” from earlier in the week.

Ms Maxwell, who spent decades rubbing shoulders with British royals and US presidents, is accused of recruiting and grooming underage girls for the late disgraced financier to sexually abuse between 1994 and 2004.

If found guilty, she faces up to 35 years in jail. The trial is expected to last six weeks.

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Court adjourns for the weekend

Cross-examination of Mr Dawson begins with just ten minutes of court time left and immediately goes to a sidebar.

Questioning starts by referring to Juan Alessi’s admission to stealing from Epstein, but same as all week, Judge Nathan promptly ends proceedings at 5pm sharp.

Noting that this is their first weekend apart, she reminds the jury not to discuss or research the case over the break.

Stay tuned for more reporting and analysis from the courtroom and today’s developments.

Oliver O’Connell3 December 2021 22:10

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New witness: Michael Dawson, Palm Beach Police Department

With just over 20 minutes of Friday’s proceedings left to go, the prosecution introduces a new witness, Michael Dawson of the Palm Beach Police Department.

He was one of the detectives who searched Epstein’s residence.

Mr Dawson said they were looking for the massage table, sex toys, correspondence, and other materials.

He testifies that there were a lot of photographs of nude females.

In addition to the massage table, a phone book, a photo of a nude female, and a sex toy called the “Twin Torpedos” were seized. A photograph of Epstein’s sex toys was introduced into evidence.

Oliver O’Connell3 December 2021 21:41

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​​Cross-examination of Parkinson begins and concludes

Ms Maxwell’s counsel asks Parkinson about his knowledge of the defendant.

He says he does not know Ghislaine Maxwell.

Mr Parkinson confirms that he was called to the Palm Beach property to investigate a burglary after Epstein reported several thousand dollars had been stolen.

It is difficult for the media in the courtroom to report on the line of questioning given that so much of the evidence is sealed.

Oliver O’Connell3 December 2021 21:32

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Epstein’s massage table has been entered into evidence

Assistant US Attorney Maurene Comey has offered Epstein’s actual green massage table into evidence as Government Exhibit 51.

It was brought into the courtroom and shown to the jury.

“I asked that the exhibit be published for the jury by setting the table up.”

After Mr Nathan confirmed that it was manufactured in Vista, California, Ms Comey said she had no further questions.

Mr Everdell of the defence was invited to cross-examine the witness.

Oliver O’Connell3 December 2021 21:10

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Footage from Palm Beach police’s search of the Epstein house

Here is video footage from the Palm Beach Police Department’s search of Epstein’s residence in 2005.

Clearly visible are the photos of Epstein and Maxwell with Pope John Paul II and Cuban leader Fidel Castro as mentioned in Mr Parkinson’s testimony.

Oliver O’Connell3 December 2021 21:07

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Court resumes as jury examine more photos of house

The court is back in session after a long recess with the jurors now examining more photographs of the Epstein Palm Beach residence.

Some of the evidence is sealed. Mr Parkinson described one exhibit as “a bathroom with a phone and a pink, three-cushion couch.”

He points out a portable, collapsible massage table.

Oliver O’Connell3 December 2021 20:59

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Might the jury see Epstein’s massage table?

Molly Crane-Newman of The Daily News, thinks she might have spotted an interesting piece of evidence that may be shown to the jury today.

Oliver O’Connell3 December 2021 20:43

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Domicile of debauchery?

Ms Maxwell’s defence lawyer Bobbi Sternheim says that sealing the video (which is approximately 40 minutes long) gives the impression to the public that the house was a “domicile of debauchery”.

In fact, she argues, only a couple of images were at issue.

Oliver O’Connell3 December 2021 20:36

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Judge says video may be made public in redacted form

As the jury took a snack break, Judge Allison Nathan commented on the video: “I don’t see why a public version can’t be made.”

She suggested it could be in a redacted form, to protect the privacy of “a few individuals”.

Prosecution says they will work on that.

Oliver O’Connell3 December 2021 20:35

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Why the Ghislaine Maxwell trial attracts QAnon extemists

Where is Hillary Clinton?” asks the woman in the camouflage jersey. Speaking to her followers on TikTok, superimposing herself in front of a news story about jurors in the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, she quickly declares the whole thing a whitewash: “These people need to be arrested! Nothing is ever gonna f***ing get done!”

It is just one drop in the tide of conspiracy theories that Ms Maxwell’s trial has unleashed throughout the internet. As journalists across the world follow every detail of the courtroom drama in New York City, social networks from Twitter to Telegram are awash in posts, videos, and meme images weaving each update into existing fantasy narratives.

Io Dodds reports for The Independent.

Oliver O’Connell3 December 2021 20:28



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