Both the prosecution and the defense gave their closing arguments to the jury in Ghislaine Maxwell鈥檚 sex-trafficking trial in federal court on Dec. 20.
Speaking for the prosecution, attorney Alison Moe addressed the jury for more than two hours.
Moe described Maxwell as “dangerous” and “a sophisticated predator who knew exactly what she was doing.”
“It鈥檚 time to hold her accountable,” she said.
courtroom podium was turned 90 degrees so Moe faced the jury.
Seated a few feet behind her, at the defense table and in view of the jury, Maxwell spent the first half hour of Moe鈥檚 monologue looking through a stack of photographs, affixing Post-It notes on some and writing notes on them. Sometimes she removed a Post-It from one photo and attached it to another.
Moe spelled out her eight reasons why Maxwell is guilty.
first was Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein were “partners in crime,” and the pair worked in tandem the entire time.
second was, “She ran the same playbook over, and over, and over again, as she exploited young girls.”
Moe was referring to expert witness Dr. Lisa Rocchio鈥檚 five stages of grooming.
third, fourth and fifth were the testimonies of three of the alleged victims.
Moe detailed which testimonies corresponded with which of the six charges against Maxwell.
sixth was the directories Maxwell and Epstein kept with names and numbers of young girls. One such book was admitted into evidence.
seventh was how Maxwell鈥檚 opulent lifestyle was dependent on Epstein鈥檚 money.
“Maxwell got millions of dollars from Epstein,” she said, specifying the number at $30 million.
“You know exactly what that money is for,” she said. “It was payment for committing terrible crimes with Jeffrey Epstein.”
And lastly was the timeline.
“It鈥檚 obvious Maxwell spent a lifetime aiding and abetting Epstein鈥檚 crimes,” said Moe.
She went over each count, and how witness testimony connects to each.
Near the end, defense attorney Jeffrey Pagliuca, who was seated next to Maxwell, shuffled through the photographs.
Moe poked holes in the entire defense, often calling testimony and evidence “disastrous.”
She ended with asking the jury to us its common sense.
“Maxwell is guilty,” she said.
n it was Laura Menninger鈥檚 turn for the defense.
Menninger began with, “Ghislaine Maxwell is an innocent woman, wrongfully accused of crimes she did not commit.”
She went on to blame Epstein for the crimes. “Ghislaine Maxwell is not Jeffrey Epstein.”
Menninger accused the alleged victims of being gold diggers who “lawyered up” before talking to the FBI.
Her biggest argument was the inconsistencies of the alleged victim鈥檚 stories and how “the truth was manipulated and changed over time.”
She also questioned the memories of other witnesses.
In a moment of colorful prose, she claimed the prosecution is making Maxwell out to be “Cruella de Vil and Devil Wears Prada wrapped up into one.”
For about 45 minutes of Menninger鈥檚 two-hour summation, she spoke of Jane and her poor memory. “She got her dates wrong by three years,” she said.
Menninger also reminded the jury that in many instances, witnesses could not place Maxwell at the scene of the alleged abuse and could not confirm she actually trafficked anyone.
She also reminded the jury that each of the six counts has multiple elements (up to four) and if her client is not guilty of one element, then she鈥檚 not guilty of the entire charge.
Menninger ended with, “I demand that you acquit Ms. Maxwell of every, single count of which she鈥檚 charged.”
Prosecuting attorney Maurene Comey had a 37-minute rebuttal, calling the defense鈥檚 argument a “sideshow” and using the word “distraction” several times as well as “desperate.”
Her biggest assertion was that the memories of the alleged victims are accurate because one remembers “core events” (being molested) and not “peripheral” ones (exact dates).
Comey ended with, “ defendant is guilty.”
Judge Alison Nathan charged the jury, giving detailed instructions on each indictment and how they鈥檙e to go about deliberation.
prosecution called several witnesses over 10 days while the defense called far fewer over two days.
Just prior to the defense鈥檚 announcement to rest on Dec. 17, Nathan instructed Maxwell regarding her right to testify in her own defense鈥攐r not testify鈥攁nd how the jury cannot use that against her.
Maxwell spoke in court for the first time during the trial that day, saying, “ government has not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, and so there鈥檚 no need for me to testify.”
jury will have its first, full day of deliberations on Dec. 21.
Pezou : Attorneys Give Closing Arguments in Ghislaine Maxwell Trial