Ghislaine Maxwell’s legal professionals known as one in all Jeffrey Epstein’s ex-girlfriends as a protection witness on Friday within the British socialite’s Manhattan federal court docket sex-trafficking trial.
Maxwell’s protection staff additionally rested their case on Friday afternoon and he or she declined to testify. Her trial will enter a brand new stage Monday when the prosecution and protection will current their closing arguments.
Eva Dubin, a former Miss Sweden whose husband is hedge fund supervisor Glenn Dubin, stated that she dated Epstein on and off from 1983 to about 1990-1991. Eva stated that she had traveled with Epstein on his planes.
After Eva and Glenn Dubin married in 1994, they remained pleasant with Epstein. That friendliness continued after the Dubins had kids, two women and one boy, she stated.
“Had been you and Mr Dubin comfy with the connection between Mr Epstein and your kids?” requested Jeffrey Pagliuca, one in all Maxwell’s attorneys.
“Sure, we have been.”
“Did it seem to you that Mr Epstein was keen on your kids?”
“Sure, he was.”
“Did it seem to you that your kids have been keen on Mr Epstein?”
“Sure, they have been.”
Pagliuca requested whether or not her kids and Epstein’s relationship was “uncle-like”. She replied within the affirmative.
Did they’ve a nickname for him?
“They known as him ‘Uncle F’.”
She was requested if she ever noticed any inappropriate conduct between Epstein and any teenage women or underage females?
“I didn’t,” she stated.
Pagliuca additionally tried to undermine claims from Maxwell accuser Jane about being in group sexual encounters. At one level throughout Jane’s cross-examination, she stated that one participant in a sexualized group therapeutic massage was named “Eva”.
Jane didn’t present Eva’s final identify.
“Have you ever ever been in a gaggle sexual encounter with the individual that we’re calling Jane?” Pagliuca requested.
“Completely not.”
The Dubin identify has been embroiled in Epstein-related controversy for a number of years. Virginia Giuffre, a longtime Epstein accuser, alleged in a 2016 deposition that Maxwell directed her to have intercourse with Glenn.
Giuffre has additionally alleged that Maxwell and Epstein pressured her right into a sexual encounter with Prince Andrew when she was simply 17 years outdated. Andrew has denied her allegation.
After the deposition and different information in Giuffre’s go well with have been unsealed in 2019, the Dubins stated in a press release: “Glenn and Eva Dubin are outraged by the allegations within the unsealed court docket information, that are demonstrably false and defamatory. The Dubins have flight information and different proof that definitively disprove that any such occasions occurred.”
Eva Dubin’s testimony got here on the second day of Maxwell’s protection case.
Late Friday afternoon, Choose Alison Nathan requested Maxwell whether or not she can be testifying in her case. “Ms Maxwell, I need to just remember to perceive that you’ve the fitting to testify in your personal protection,” Nathan stated. “You even have the fitting to not testify.”
“Your honor, the federal government has not confirmed its case past an inexpensive doubt, and so there is no such thing as a want for me to testify,” Maxwell stated in a gradual voice.
Maxwell’s first protection witness was Cimberly Espinosa, who labored as her assistant from 1996 to 2006. Throughout testimony Thursday, Espinosa described her time with Maxwell in glowing phrases, saying the work was “enjoyable” and that “I seemed as much as her very a lot, and I really realized loads from her.”
Among the many different witnesses known as on day one of many protection was Dr Elizabeth Loftus, a psychologist whose experience is in false reminiscences. Loftus instructed jurors that point and media publicity can weaken and affect reminiscences; her testimony is meant to bolster the protection’s makes an attempt to undermine accusers’ credibility.
“If there may be post-event suggestion, possibly disinformation, it will possibly enter a witnesses reminiscence and trigger a contamination,” Loftus testified. “The older the occasion is, the extra inclined persons are to having post-event suggestion probably contaminate their reminiscence.”
Maxwell, 59, is on trial for six counts for her purported involvement in Epstein’s sexual abuse of youth women. She was arrested in July 2020 at an opulent New Hampshire property. Maxwell has pleaded not responsible to all costs and maintains that she has dedicated no wrongdoing.
Epstein, Maxwell’s former boyfriend and a convicted intercourse offender, had Prince Andrew and former US presidents Donald Trump and Invoice Clinton amongst his highly effective and rich associates.
The disgraced financier Epstein killed himself in a New York Metropolis federal jail greater than two years in the past, pending his personal intercourse trafficking trial.
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Data and help for anybody affected by rape or sexual abuse points is on the market from the next organisations. Within the US, Rainn presents help on 800-656-4673. Within the UK, Rape Disaster presents help on 0808 802 9999. In Australia, help is on the market at 1800Respect (1800 737 732).