Sex-abuse trial of Maxwell moves to defense
NEW YORK — Prosecutors completed presenting their case against Ghislaine Maxwell on Friday, after a key accuser at the British socialite’s sex-abuse trial testified that Maxwell and her companion, Jeffrey Epstein, forced themselves on her when she was 16.
Annie Farmer told jurors she accepted an invitation to the financier’s sprawling New Mexico ranch in 1996 hoping that Maxwell and Epstein would help her with academic endeavors. Instead, she said, Maxwell ended up massaging her breasts and Epstein climbed into bed without her permission.
Three others have asserted at the trial that began two weeks ago that Maxwell recruited them to give Epstein massages meant as a ruse for sexual abuse.
Maxwell, 59, has denied charges she groomed underage girls for Epstein, who killed himself in jail in 2019. Her lawyers say the government is making her a scapegoat for alleged sex crimes committed by her onetime boyfriend and moved immediately for a judgment of acquittal after prosecutors rested Friday afternoon.
U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan heard brief arguments and rejected the request that she acquit Maxwell without the jury getting the case.
The judge told the jury they will return Thursday to hear the defense case, which an attorney estimated would likely last two to three days. The judge has suggested that closing arguments — at a trial originally projected to last six weeks — might occur as early as Dec. 20 if the defense presentation next week only lasts a day or two.
In her testimony, Farmer recalled the unwanted physical contact making her feel like she “just wanted the weekend to be over. … I wanted to be done with it.”
Farmer, now 42, took the stand using her true identity — a departure from the decision by three other accusers with similar stories who testified under pseudonyms or first names only to protect their privacy.
On cross examination, a defense lawyer repeatedly emphasized through her questions that Maxwell was not involved in the most egregious behavior described by Farmer and elicited that Farmer was not sure she was naked during her massage, although she was certain that her breasts were exposed.
Maxwell has been jailed since she was arrested in New Hampshire in July 2020.