Prosecutors and defense lawyers began their indictments and pleadings at the New York sex crimes trial of British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, former partner of Jeffrey Epstein, on Monday before a jury withdraws to deliberate.
Ghislaine Maxwell, 59, faces a very long prison sentence if convicted of providing young underage girls to Jeffrey Epstein for sexual exploitation.
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The jury must reach a unanimous decision to find Ghislaine Maxwell guilty. If not, then Judge Alison Nathan could cancel the trial which should start from scratch.
Since the hearings began on November 29, prosecutors have sought to portray this Briton – who also has American and French nationality – as the accomplice between 1994 and 2004 of Jeffrey Epstein who committed suicide in prison two years earlier in the awaiting his own trial.
Verdict on December 25?
The trial was expected to go until January, but Ghislaine Maxwell could now know her fate before December 25, her 60th birthday.
If the jury does not reach a verdict by Wednesday night, they will go their separate ways for the Christmas weekend before meeting again on Monday, December 27.
Ghislaine Maxwell, who refused to testify at her trial, pleads not guilty to all charges for which she faces up to 80 years in prison, including a maximum of 40 years for trafficking in minors.
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