Both the prosecution and the defense gave their closing arguments to the jury in Ghislaine Maxwell ’s sex-trafficking trial in federal court on Dec. …
Both the prosecution and the defense gave their closing arguments to the jury in Ghislaine Maxwell ’s 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’s time to hold her accountable,” she said. The 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’s 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. The first was Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein were “partners in crime,” and the pair worked in tandem the entire time. The 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’s five stages of grooming. The 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. The sixth was the directories Maxwell and Epstein kept with names and numbers of young girls. One such book was admitted into evidence.
