Ghislaine Maxwell Case Updates Dec 3 (Day 5)

posted 2 years ago by dem6nic 2 years ago by dem6nic +18 / -0

c/o Inner City Press

Extra Details in comments (c/o Adam Klasfled)

PREVIOUS UPDATES

1411GMT

Before Jury Enters

Maxwell's lawyer: Seeing semen on the table is going to be prejudicial.

AUSA: It was a white stain. It is entirely probative as to whether these massages were just messages or were in fact sexual.

Judge Nathan: I would permit lab tests

Assistant US Attorney: The fact that Mr. Epstein had a collection of school girl uniforms is relevant.

Maxwell's lawyer: This has little connection to Ms. Maxwell and is prejudicial.

AUSA: School girl costumes, small ones, were found in the massage room.

Maxwell's lawyer: They should not be described as school girl uniforms.

AUSA: I'll just lay a foundation then ask the witness about them.

Judge Nathan: You could say, Without describing them, did you find these items.

Maxwell's lawyer: The interior and art work changed, by 2019. The witness we call "Jane" said it was creepy, with drawing of monsters on the walls and naked women. We think these photos should be excluded. The photos of nude girls in the massage room

Judge Nathan: Maybe there's a way to position two screens, and only show them to the jurors. I'll ask Ms. Williams to ask the A/V people. Can show video so that only the jurors can see it, and no one else? We'll see. Please bring in the jurors.

Jury Enters

Judge Nathan: Mr. Alessi, you may return to the stand.

Jury enters. All rise!

Maxwell's lawyer: Mr. Alessi, you said you are called Juan but don't you sometimes say, "I am John"?

ALessi: I am John, in English.

Maxwell's lawyer: Ms. Maxwell speaks Spanish and called you Juan. You did not take it as an insult, no?

Alessi: No, I did not.

Maxwell's lawyer: You took $6300 dollars, right?

Alessi: Yes.

Maxwell's lawyer: But didn't you lie - when you stole twice, in fact?

Alessi: I did not lie.

Maxwell's lawyer: Didn't you try to steal a gun? Didn't you steal over $5000 to pay for the immigration papers of your girlfriend?

Alessi: It was not my girlfriend.

Maxwell's lawyer: Police Officer Dawson questioned you?

Alessi: No, I went to him.

Maxwell's lawyer: You told him you went in to steal a gun.

Alessi: I don't recall.

Maxwell's lawyer: You might have said it, but now you don't recall?

Alessi: That's it.

Maxwell's lawyer: And you went back once again to steal money?

Alessi: I did it one time & I think that is what I told the police.

Maxwell's lawyer: You went through the sliding glass door and stole $5600 from Mr. Epstein's briefcase, $100 bills in a white envelope?

Maxwell's lawyer: Show the witness 3504-002, deposition transcript. I move for admission under Rule 801.

[Note: "(A) is inconsistent with the declarant’s testimony & was given under penalty of perjury at a trial, hearing, or other proceeding or in a deposition]

Maxwell's lawyer: You stole $6000, when you owned properties valued at $1 million.

Alessi: I sold those properties, to buy the property for the multi-family.

Maxwell's lawyer: Let's look again at 3504-002, deposition page 145.

[Note: During all this, Ghislaine Maxwell is leaning back and even masked, seems pleased with herself. When first we practice to deceive...]

Maxwell's lawyer: I'm having trouble seeing in here.

1502GMT

ALERT: Maxwell's lawyer has just openly said the real name of one of the pseudonymous survivor witnesses.

Judge Nathan: Your are admonished to abide by my rulings.

AUSA: May we approach?

Sidebar

1505GMT

Maxwell's lawyer pointedly says, "Mr. Alessi, you testified about when JANE met Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell."

Alessi: In this testimony I mistook the two --

Maxwell's lawyer: In 2016 you were directed to the name JANE and you said No

Now Maxwell's lawyer is cross examining Juan Alessi about Epstein's Palm Beach house. Unclear what Judge Nathan will do about Team Maxwell repeatedly blurting out the real names of pseudonymous survivor(s).

Maxwell's lawyer: Do you see the notation, new moldings in the bedrooms?

Alessi: Yes.

Maxwell's lawyer: And during construction, no one live in its?

Alessi: No, during part of it Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell lived there.

Maxwell's lawyer: You were asked if JANE was driving and you said you never saw Jane driving a car. Those are all questions about Jane, right?

Alessi: I think so.

Maxwell's lawyer: Let's take the break.

Judge Nathan: OK.

Recess

1615GMT

Maxwell's lawyer: I'm asking about what you [Alessi] said --

AUSA: We ask for the whole thing to be read.

Maxwell's lawyer: So you say, Summer, I remember, I was sweating like hell in the car waiting for Ms. Maxwell to come out of the car.

Maxwell's lawyer: Mr. Alessi, didn't you keep a Rolodex of the girls?

Alessi: No, of the massage therapists.

Maxwell's lawyer: You got referrals for massage therapists?

Alessi: No sir.

Maxwell's lawyer: You said, One of Jeffrey Epstein's friends would say, I got a good massage and you'd say, please give me the answer.

Alessi: I never -

Maxwell's lawyer: You previously said this under oath. May I continue your Honor?

Judge Nathan: Yes.

Maxwell's lawyer: Isn't it true that Mr Epstein bought other women to the house and told you to remove the pictures of Ms. Maxwell from the house?

Alessi: I did what he told me to do.

Maxwell's lawyer: Why did you THINK you were taking Ms. Maxwell's picture down, when Mr. Epstein had the other women over?

Alessi: I have no idea.

Maxwell's lawyer: Mr. Alessi, as Mr. Epstein's direction you called women and set up massages, correct?

Alessi: Yes.

Maxwell's lawyer: And that doesn't make you guilty of sex trafficking, does it?

Assistant US Attorney: Objection!

Maxwell's lawyer: And when you cleaned the massage room, you have saw signs of violence, right? No one complained to you of that?

Alessi (voice rising): No but I wish they had, I would have done something.

[Some laughter]

[Programming note, as Alessi ends - some may not believe his statements that he didn't know, or especially the claim near the end of cross examination that if only the victim has complained, he would have acted. Some, it seems, found that laughable. Discretely]

AUSA: No re-direct.

1659GMT

Judge Nathan: Next witness.

It's Gregory Parkinson, questioned by AUSA Maurene Comey. The topic, we believe, will be search of Epstein's home. But first, his credential and career. This could take a while.

Parkinson: I participated in a search in Palm Beach.

AUSA Maurene Comey: What is this?

Parkinson: A map or aerial view.

AUSA: Had you been there before?

Parkinson: Yes, on a report of a theft of currency. I met Mr. Jeffrey Epstein.

Now before it gets into what was found during the search - Judge Nathan calls the lunch break; A/V will set up screens only jurors can see.

1726GMT

Recess

1856GMT

They are showing the jurors a video of the search warrant reading (and execution?) at Epstein's house. But we the Press and public can't see it.

AUSA Maurene Comey: at 1 minute, where are we?

Parkinson: In the 3 car garage

Assistant US Attorney Maurene Comey: What do we see here, during the search?

Officer Parkinson: A picture of Pope John Paul with Jeffrey Epstein.

AUSA Maurene Comey is still telling the jurors to look at one seal exhibit after another, now Government Exhibit 225.

AUSA Maurene Comey: I ask that Government Exhibit 234 be admitted, under seal. Also 241, under seal.

Judge Nathan: Granted. Under seal.

Finally, some exhibits not under seal.

AUSA Comey: What is this, in Exhibit 228?

Parkinson: It's the Garden Room.

There are photos spread out all over the floor, but no details can be made out.

2013GMT

AUSA Comey: I'd like the jurors to look in their binders at Exhibit 255... Oh witness only. I ask that Government Exhibit 278, the master bathroom, be under seal to protect privacy [???]

Judge Nathan: We'll take our break, snacks are here.

[Yes, snacks were cited]

Now even Judge Nathan says US has gone too far in sealing entire 39 minute video, says some portion should be made public.

AUSA Maurene Comey: We'll work on that.

2034GMT

OK, the jurors are back from snacks break.

AUSA Maurene Comey: Let's turn to Government Exhibit 278.

Parkinson: It's a bathroom with a phone and a pink, three cushion couch. And that's a portable inflatable massage table.

We're back to mass-sealing: AUSA Maurene Comey: I ask to admit Government Exhibit 285, under seal, and "direct the jurors' attention to that writing."

Finally: Parkinson comes out of the witness box and touches Government Exhibit 51..."the green massage table."

AUSA Maurene Comey: We offer this [massage table] into evidence. I ask that the exhibit be published for the jury by setting the table up

Parkinson: Now the table is in an open position.

Exhibit 51a: Photo of massage table on its side.

AUSA Comey: Where was it manufactured?

Parkinson: Vista, California.

AUSA Comey: No further questions.

Judge Nathan: Mr. Everdell, you may cross.

Maxwell's lawyer Everdell: You previously investigated a burglary there, correct? Parkinson: True.

Everdell: And Mr. Epstein said that several thousand dollars had been stolen, right?

Parkinson: True.

Everdell is jumping around with his questions, laughing uncomfortably now. He asked Parkinson about an exhibit - sealed - that is Epstein's desk and the photos on it.

And with that, without apparently landing a punch, Everdell's cross examination of Parkinson is over.

Judge Nathan: You may step down, Mr. Parkinson. You are free to take your flight.

New US witness, starting at 4:38pm (2138GMT) on Friday: Michael Dawson, Palm Beach PD

2138GMT

AUSA: What were you looking for, during the search?

Dawson: Massage tables and oil. Sex toys. There were a lot of photos of nude females. We seized a phone book, a massage table, photo of a nude female, a sex toy called the torpedo

[Flashes on screen & is gone]

Now cross examination, starting at 4:49 pm (2149GMT)

Maxwell's lawyer: I'm going to prove up an inconsistent statement.

Judge Nathan: Confer first.

After a time, Maxwell's lawyer: We need a sidebar.

Sidebar

Now the questioning turns to Juan Alessi's admission of stealing from Epstein. But it's 4:59 pm (2159GMT). Cross examination interruptus?

Judge Nathan: We're done for the week. Obey my instructions. Oh and by the way, we will not sit Dec 13, 14 or 15... Why, is not explained. Some letters due Sat & Sunday, both at 8 pm (0100GMT). All rise!

Court Adjourned

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