SDNY COURTHOUSE,
Nov 30 – Ghislaine
Maxwell,
charged with
sex
trafficking
and other
charges, faces
a November 29,
2021 trial today, after
the
November 23
final-final
pre trial conference,
vlog here.
On October 29
and again on November 12
Maxell
and the US
Attorney's
Office for the
Southern
District of
New York filed
a flurry of
motions in
limine,
heavily
redacted; the
Government
argued that
trial exhibits
are not public
and will be
withheld.
Inner City
Press opposed
and opposes
the continued
secrecy.
The
entire morning
of Day 1 was
devoted to
the final selection
of the jury.
Inner City
Press live
tweeted it here
(vlog on way in here;
podcast
midway through
here)
At 2 pm, the
government's
opening
statement.
Inner City Press
live tweeted
here.
Then
Maxwell's
opening, which
Inner City
Press live
tweeted here:
(podcast here)
First
of Day 2 was
the US witness,
Epstein pilot
Larry Visoski,
Inner City
Press live
tweeted his Day
1 here
(podcast here)
and his Day 2
with cross
examination here
(podcast here)
(vlog here)
Before
Visoski
re-takes the
stand
(scheduled for
9:30), Judge
Nathan brings
up again the
unidentified
juror who'd
have to travel
between
Christmas and
New
Years.
Maxwell's
lawyer
Pagliuca: We'd
like to know
which juror it
is, or at
least if they
are an
alternate.
Judge
Nathan: I
think I have
to excuse the
juror, if they
can't cancel
or move the
trip. I'll
step down.
Clerk Ms.
Williams: All
rise!
Judge
Nathan returns
and says: I
asked but it
seems there is
no way to
change or move
the trip. So I
have excused
Juror Number
58. The other
jurors are
ready. Please
bring the
witness into
the box. Larry
Visoski, in
the plexiglass
witness box,
says, "I'm
OK."
Assistant
US Attorney
Maurene Comey:
May the
witness remove
his mask?
Judge Nathan:
Yes. AUSA
Comey: Good
more, Mister
Visoski. What
assistants did
Mr. Epstein
have other
than Ms.
Maxwell?
Visoski: There
were many.
AUSA
Comey: Did Ms.
Maxwell have
assistants?
Visoski: She
did. AUSA
Comey: Can you
name some
assistants?
Visoski: There
was a Kimberly
and, of
course, Sarah
Kellen. AUSA
Comey: Is that
Ms. Kellen?
[Exhibit is a
woman in a
bright green
dress]
Visoski: Yes.
AUSA
Comey: Shat's
this? Visoski:
The entrance
to Mr.
Epstein's
Zorro Ranch...
There is a
triple-wide
trailer with a
faux Western
facade. We had
a runway and a
hangar for our
aircraft. AUSA
Comey: How
many acres was
Mr Epstein's
ranch?
Visoski: Ten
thousand
acres.
AUSA
Comey: Did you
ever go into
the main
residence.
Visoski: Yes.
To pick up
luggage, and
install
electronics.
Mr. Epstein
was a real
audiophile.
He also had a
home theater
with a
drop-down
screen. He had
a little
family room
off to the
side.
AUSA
Comey: Turning
now to Mr.
Epstein's
island, what
was it called?
Visoski:
Little St.
James. It was
a regular
destination. I
also flew the
helicopter,
from St.
Thomas to
Little St.
James. Also,
more
electronics
installation.
AUSA
Comey: How
else could you
get there?
Visoski: Boat.
AUSA Comey:
OK, where did
you meet Ms.
Maxwell?
Visoski:
She had a
three bedroom
apartment, I
installed
electronics
there too.
Then she
bought her own
townhouse.
AUSA: Why did
you go there?
Visoski:
Luggage.
AUSA
Comey: Did Ms.
Maxwell ever
fly the
helicopter?
Visoski: Many
times. AUSA
Comey: And
what are these
photos?
Visoski:
That's Mr.
Epstein in
front of his
plane. [The
plane is black
and Epstein is
standing in
front of it in
a yellow
windbreaker,
with a smile.]
AUSA
Comey: For Mr.
Epstein, did
you ever fly
to Traverse
City,
Michigan?
Visoski: Yes.
Must have been
summer or
Fall, cherry
season. AUSA
Comey: Where
did you pick
up his
luggage?
Visoski: The
Interlochen
School of
Music [Center
for the Arts]
AUSA
Maurene Comey:
I offer into
evidence this
stipulation,
that the dates
of birth of
these
individuals
are correct.
We are
submitting
these under
seal. Let the
jurors pick up
the binders
under their
chairs, to see
the sealed
exhibits. But
don't open it.
Judge
Nathan: And
don't put them
on the screen.
Paper only.
[Pause] I need
glasses.
AUSA
Comey:
Government
Exhibit 12...
Mr. Visoski,
is this the
name of the
female singer
you remember
being a
passenger on
Mr. Epstein's
plane?
Visoski: Yes.
AUSA
Comey: We'll
call her Jane.
How did you
meet her?
Visoski: Mr.
Epstein
brought her to
the cockpit.
She had
piercing
powder blue
eyes. AUSA
Comey: Do you
remember
Virginia
Roberts?
Visoski: Yes.
A shorter
woman with
dirty blonde
hair.
AUSA
Comey: Nothing
further. Judge
Nathan: You
may cross
examine.
Maxwell's
lawyer
Christian R.
Everdell: You
started
working for
Mr. Epstein
with Dave
Rogers,
correct?
Visoski:
Yes.
Everdell: And
he let you use
the restroom?
Visoski: Yes.
Like I need to
now. Judge
Nathan: I hope
you had a
pleasant and
TIMELY break,
jurors. You
may proceed.
Maxwell's
lawyer
Everdell:
I trust you're
feeling
better.
Visoski: Much
better.
Everdell: So
you walked
through the
Gulf Stream to
use the
restroom,
correct?
Visoski: Yes.
Everdell:
If Mr. Epstein
were engaging
in sex acts
with underage
girls he
probably would
have told you
not to leave
the cockpit,
correct?
Objection!
Judge Nathan:
Overruled.
Visoski:
Correct.
Everdell:
So this was
before cell
phones, and
you were using
beepers,
correct?
Visoski: Yes.
I'd recognize
Mr. Epstein's
number.
Everdell: And
you'd mostly
hear about
flights from
Ghislaine if
she was going
to be on them,
right?
Visoski:
Mostly.
Everdell:
So former
President Bill
Clinton flew
on the plane,
right?
Visoski: Yes.
Everdell: And
you were told
to clean up.
Visoski: Yes.
Everdell: But
some
passengers,
you were never
told the
names, right?
Visoski:
Correct.
Everdell:
I want to ask
you about a
few specific
flights. You
mentioned
Interlochen,
the arts
center. Did
you know that
Epstein
himself
attended the
summer camp,
when he was a
child?
Visoski: I was
not.
Everdell:
On your
flights to
Interlochen,
wasn't Itzhak
Perlman on
one? Visoski:
Yes he was.
Everdell: And
Epstein had a
cabin there,
right?
Visoski: Yes.
Everdell: And
you flew Mr.
Epstein to
Columbus, Ohio
to see Les
Wexner, right?
Visoski: Yes.
Everdell:
And the women
we're calling
Jane, you knew
her real name,
right?
Visoski: I
do.
Everdell: And
beyond the
striking blue
eyes, you have
said she had
large breasts,
right?
Visoski: She
was a mature
woman.
Everdell:
I'm sorry,
we're having a
choreography
issue.
Judge Nathan:
Can we move
past it
without
sending the
jurors back
into the jury
room?
Everdell: Yes,
as long as I
can return to
it. Judge
Nathan: We'll
just take a
five minute
break now.
Clerk:
All rise! Jury
returns late.
Judge Nathan:
Well at least
you're getting
your steps in.
Please
proceed.
Everdell: So
there were
others in
Epstein's
world who had
the same name
as the person
we are calling
Jane? Visoski:
Yes. Everdell:
Like sealed
exhibit LV3a
and LV3b
Maxwell's
lawyer
Everdell: Are
you familiar
with Prince
Andrew?
Visoski: Yes.
Everdell: And
he flew on Mr.
Epstein's
plane, right?
Visoski: He
did.
Maxwell's
lawyer
Everdell: Are
you familiar
with Annie
Farmer?
Visoski: I've
heard the
name. But I
don't know of
any record.
Everdell: Put
up LV4 and
LV5. Mr.
Visoski, do
you see the
documents,
with names?
Visoski: Yes.
Judge Nathan:
Admitted under
seal.
Everdell:
The person
we're calling
Kate, her real
name is on
LV4, right?
Visoski: I
don't remember
that name at
all.
Everdell:
You've
mentioned Bill
Clinton,
Itzhak
Perlman,
Prince
Andrew... Did
Donald Trump
fly on
Epstein's
plane?
Visoski.
Yes, he did.
Everdell:
And John Glenn
and George
Mitchell flew
on Epstein's
plane, right?
Visoski: Yes.
Everdell: And
Kevin Spacey?
Visoski:
Yes. [Inner
City Press
coverage of
Spacey case here
Everdell:
After first
staying in a
hotel, did Mr.
Epstein put
you up in an
apartment?
Visoski: Yes.
At 301 East 66
Street. Sarah
Kellen stayed
there too. And
the person
who's name we
can't say,
LV3a.
Everdell: But
not Jane,
right?
Visoski: I did
not see Jane.
Inner City
Press
@innercitypress
· 20m
Everdell: The
green sports
car, who gave
it to Mr.
Epstein?
Visoski: Les
Wexner.
Everdell: And
Mr. Epstein
gave you 40
acres of land
in New Mexico,
on which to
build you
home>
Visoski: Yes.
Everdell: And
he paid your
two children's
college
tuition?
Visoski: Yes.
Everdell:
He cared about
your daughters
when they were
in college,
right?
Visoski: And
even when they
were younger.
Everdell: And
Mr. Epstein
had back
problems and
needed
massages,
right?
Visoski: Yes.
Everdell:
He used 10,000
Waves Studio
in Santa Fe,
yes? Visoski:
Yes.
Everdell: And
when he met
him, Epstein's
girl friend
was Eva
Andersson-Dubin,
right?
Visoski: Yes.
Everdell: And
Ms. Maxwell
just worked
for him?
Visoski: It
seemed that
way.
Everdell:
Later,
whatever
personal
relationship
existed
between Mr.
Epstein and
Ms. Maxwell
fizzled out,
right?
Visoski: Yes,
in the
2000s.
Everdell: And
Epstein
brought in
others, like
personal
assistant
Sarah Kellen,
right?
Visoski:
Yes. Everdell:
And later
Ghislaine was
in a
relationship
with Ted
Waitt, CEO of
Gateway
Computers,
right?
Visoski: Yes.
Everdell: She
introduced you
to Mr. Waitt's
pilot, right?
Visoski:
Yes. Everdell:
Good time for
a break.
Judge
Nathan: Done.
On
November 23
there was a
final final
pre-trial
conference and
Inner City
Press live
tweeted it here
(podcast
here)
Likewise,
Inner City
Press opposes
censorship by
the UN, which
after it asked
why UN
Sec-Gen
Antonio
Guterres' head
of Partnerships
Amir Dossal
was
on the board
of Maxwell's
Terramar Foundation
was roughed up
and banned
from the UN,
summary here,
Quinn
Emanuel lawyers'
letter Q&A
here.
Now this: a
petition,
submitted
Monday to the
United Nations
Working Group
on Arbitrary
Detention,
filed by
international
criminal
lawyers
François
Zimeray and
Jessica
Finelle on
behalf of
Maxwell’s
three sisters
and three
brothers, arguing to
Maxwell's
partners at
the UN that
Maxwell’s
“abnormally
rigorous”
lock-up
conditions at
the
Metropolitan
Detention
Center in
Brooklyn are
horrific,
and thus
unlawful and
discriminatory.
The petition asks
the UN to call
on the US
government to
release
Maxwell
pending trial
and to urge an
independent
investigation
into her
“arbitrary
detention.”
This
while the UN
active covers up its own
peacekepers
child rapes.
This is
ghoulish.
On November
15, Judge
Nathan held a
conference
about jury
selection, Inner
City Press
live tweeted here
(and podcast here)
On the
morning of
November 16,
Judge Nathan
questioned prospective
jurors; Inner
City Press
live tweeted here
(podcast here); Nov 16
afternoon here.
Late on
November 16 it
emerged
that Judge Ali
Nathan is
being
nominated for
elevation to
the Second
Circuit Court
of Appeals by
Senator Chuck Schumer.
She
said, "If I am
nominated
I...will
continue to do
my day job,
which means
presiding over
this trial
until
completion and
handling the
hundreds of
other civil
and criminal
matters on my
docket."
So
it
appears she would
complete the
Maxwell trial.
But any
sentencing?
Would she
follow 2d
Circuit Judge
Richard J.
Sullivan in
keeping some
SDNY cases? (As
noted,
Judge Sullivan
is still
rightly allowing
call-in lines
to in-person
cases, here).
On
November 17,
jury selection
continued with
questions of
seized phones,
jail
conditions,
and the death
of Epstein, Inner
City Press
live tweeted here
(podcast here)
On the
afternoon of
November 17,
it continued,
Inner
City Press
live tweeted here
(podcast here)
Jury
(pre)
selection
ended on the morning
of November
18, Inner City
Press live
tweeted here
With so much
of the case,
and so many of
the victims, far
from Epstein's
Manhattan
townhouse, in Florida,
the Caribbean,
New Mexico,
the UK and by
private jet in
Africa, the lack
amid COVID of
a listen-only
call-in line during
the trial
proper would
be all the
more unfortunate.
On October 29,
after the flurry of redacted
motions, Inner City Press
filed formal requests with
SDNY District Judge Alison J.
Nathan, on DocumentCloud here.
On
November 12, while Maxwell and
DOJ still redacting and a
notice that after 50 people,
no more would be admitted even
on November 15, Inner City
Press filed again. This time,
both letters were docketed -
appreciated - but denied,
letter on CourtListener here.
"ENDORSED LETTER
as to Ghislaine Maxwell
addressed to Judge Alison J.
Nathan from Matthew Russell
Lee, dated 10/29/2021, re:
timely opposition to blanket
requests to seal portions of
motions in limine, trial
exhibits, public access.
ENDORSEMENT: The Court
received the attached letters
via email. This District no
longer permits public access
by telephone for in-court
criminal proceedings,
including trials. The
memorandum can be found here.
The Courts public access
orders for all proceedings in
the case can be found here.
The Court has implemented a
procedure for docketing
filings with proposed
redactions and is ruling on
the proposals as expeditiously
as possible. See Dkt. No. 401.
SO ORDERED. (Signed by Judge
Alison J. Nathan on
11/12/2021)."
Earlier on
November 12, Inner City Press
called in to, and reported on,
a January 6 case in the
District for the District of
Columbia - and even other
in-person criminal matters in
the SDNY. For November 15,
only 50 people will be allowed
in. Meanwhile, for example,
the Kyle Rittenhouse in
Wisconsin state court is on
YouTube. While engaged and
appreciative on the
Federal / SDNY beat,
we'll have more on this.
Here was from the
October 29 request: Re: US v.
Maxwell, 20-cr-330 (AJN),
timely opposition to blanket
requests to seal portions of
motions in limine, trial
exhibits, public access
Dear Judge
Nathan: On
behalf of Inner City Press and
in my personal capacity, I
have been covering the
above-captioned case. This
concerns in the first instance
the flurry of motions in
limine filed earlier this
evening, replete with
redactions justified by a
conclusory reference to Lugosch
v. Pyramid Co. of Onondaga,
435 F.3d 110 (2d Cir.
2006).
The
Government's Justifications
for redaction (Docket No. 399,
docketed at 10:06 pm on Friday
Oct 29) cites Lugosch then
says "The Government also
seeks sealing of trial
exhibits, which are not
public." Inner City Press
immediately opposes
this.
As one
example within this motions of
limine, the Government has
redacted the entirety of its
Argument X, even the title and
the page number. And as to
trial exhibits, see for
example Judge Jed S. Rakoff's
order in US v. Weigand,
20-cr-188 (JSR), here.
There,
Judge Rakoff ordered the US
Attorney's Office to make
trial exhibit available to the
public at large. While this
was done, belatedly, in US v.
Parnas, it was refused in the
current US v. Cole. It cannot
be refused in this
case. Also,
Inner City Press understands
that the listen-only call-in
telephone lines available so
far in the case, there may be
an attempt to discontinue
them. The Court should take
judicial notice of continuing
COVID-19 issues, including
people's understandable
concerns about congregating
even in so-called overflow
rooms. Be aware that the
District for the District of
Columbia still allows public
phone access to all criminal
proceedings, even those held
in-person. That should happen
here. The loss of First
Amendment freedoms, even for a
short period of time,
unquestionably constitutes
irreparable injury. Elrod
v. Burns, 427 U.S. 347,
373
(1976).
Inner City Press
will cover the trial, and all
the comes before and after it;
#CourtCaseCast and song I,
Song
2, Song
3, fifth song
and now Nov
27 song
On October 18 the
US Attorney's Office opposed
the request, saying the the
voir dire questions should be
asked by Judge Nathan, and
that there should only be
sidebars on "sensitive
questions such as those that
relate to sexual abuse and
media exposure." Full letter
on Patreon here.
In a
conference on October 21 on
that as scheduling issues,
Judge Nathan denied the
request to seal. Inner City
Press live tweeted it
here (podcast here)
On October 22 the
draft jury questionnaire was
unsealed and Inner City Press
has immediately published it
on its DocumentCloud here,
including "Have you or a
family member ever supported,
lobbied, petitioned,
protested, or worked in
any other manner for or
against any laws, regulations,
or organizations relating to
sex trafficking, sex crimes
against minors, sex abuse or
sexual harassment?" Photo here.
After the death of Jeffrey
Epstein in the MCC prison, on
July 2 Acting US Attorney for
the SDNY Audrey Strauss
announced and unsealed in
indictment of Maxwell on
charges including sex
trafficking and perjury.
Inner City Press went to her
press conference at the US
Attorney's Office and asked,
Doesn't charging Maxwell with
perjury undercut any ability
to use testimony from her
against other, bigger
wrong-doers? Periscope here
at 23:07.
Strauss
replied that it is not
impossible to use a perjurer's
testimony. But how often does
it work?
At 3:30 pm
on July 2 Maxwell appeared in
the U.S. District Court for
the District of New Hampsire,
before Magistriate Judge Andrea
K. Johnstone.
Inner City
Press live
tweeted it
here.
(Also
live tweeted
bail denial of
July 14, here.)
In
the July 3 media coverage of
Maxwell, media all of the
world used a video and stills
from it of Maxwell speaking in
front of a blue curtain, like
here.
What they
did not mention is something
Inner City Press has been
asking the UN about, as under
UNSG Antonio Guterres with his
own sexual exploitation issues
(exclusive video
and audio)
it got roughed up and banned
from the UN: Ghislaine Maxwell
had a ghoulish United Nations
press conference, under the
banner of the "Terramar
Project," here.
On July 5,
after some crowd-sourcing,
Inner City Press reported on
another Ghislaine Maxwell use
of the United Nations,
facilitated by Italy's
Permanent Representative to
the UN, UN official Nikhil
Seth and Amir Dossal,
who also let into the UN and
in one case took money from
convicted UN briber Ng Lap
Seng, and Patrick Ho of CEFC
China Energy, also linked to
UN Secretary General Antonio
Guterres.
At the
Ghislaine Maxwell UN event,
the UN Deputy Secretary
General was directly involved.
List of (some of)
the participants on Patreon here.
Inner City
Press has published a phone of
Maxwell in the UN with Dossal,
here. But the connection runs
deeper: Dossal with "25 years
of UN involvement" was on
Terrarmar's board of
directors, one of only five
directors, only three not
related to Maxwell by blood
and name.
The directors:
Ghislaine Maxwell, Christine
Malina-Maxwell, Steven Haft,
Christine Dennison and... Amir
Dossal. Inner City Press is
publishing this full 990 on
Patreon here.
Dossal has
operated through the UN Office
of Partnership, with Antonio
Guterres and his deputy Amina
J. Mohammed, here.
And the links to
the world of UN bribery,
including Antonio Guterres
through the Gulbenkian
Foundation, runs deeper. More
to follow.
Antonio Guterres
claims he has zero tolerance
for sexual exploitation, but
covers it up and even
participate in it. He should
be forced to resign - and/or
have immunity waived.
Terramar
has been dissolved, even
though Maxwell's former
fundraiser / director of
development Brian Yurasits
still lists the URL on his
(protected) Twitter profile,
also here.
But now
Inner City Press has begun to
inquire into Ghislaine
Maxwell's other United Nations
connections, starting with
this photograph of another
day's (or at least another
outfit's) presentation in the
UN, here.
While co-conspirator Antonio
Guterres has had Inner City
Press banned from any entry
into the UN for two years and
a day, this appears to be in
the UN Economic and Social
Council (ECOSOC) chamber.
We'll have more on this, and
on Epstein and the UN. Watch
this site.
The case
is US v. Maxwell, 20-cr-330
(Nathan).
***
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