The associate of serial sex abuser Jeffrey Epstein appeared in a New York City court today and pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against her. The judge denied her request for bail after prosecutors disputed her defense team’s claim that she was not a flight risk. Prosecutors said that her French citizenship (a country that does not extradite its citizens) and her extensive financial resources would make it highly likely that she would flee. The mystery is why she had not already done so before her arrest because she must have known she was under investigation, especially since Epstein’s death elevated her to the main living perpetrator of the abuse.
Long out of the public eye, Maxwell, 58, appeared unsettled, a far cry from the glamorous, jet-setting image she once cultivated. She removed her glasses and mostly looked at the screen. At times, she shook her head.
Maxwell was arrested on 2 July at her Bradford, New Hampshire, estate. She is charged in a 17-page indictment with conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and perjury.
If convicted, Maxwell faces up to 35 years in federal prison.
Her trial is scheduled for July 12, 2021. Given that she will be in jail for a long time even before her trial and is looking at a possible life sentence of convicted, the authorities are concerned about the possibility of suicide. Epstein reportedly died by suicide in prison just about a year ago, before his trial despite being supposedly closely watched. It appears that Maxwell has been issued clothing made of paper, will be housed with another inmate, and also be closely monitored.
With the knowledge she has about who did what and when and where, it would be a miracle if she makes it to her trial date without “committing suicide”.
catman: I hope that “another inmate” is very well vetted. Heck, if I were her I would see it as an opportunity to earn some cash for her family. Just conveniently take a deep nap!
A year from now? That’s a lot of time to think about a plea deal. Or a suicide. Or a “suicide.” I wonder how many men who’ve flown on the Lolita Express are getting a little nervous right now.
Entertainingly prosecutors are claiming she is married, but she is declining to say to whom.
Married?! How was that kept secret for so long? Or did she just get married? Inquiring minds want to know.
Good questions. All the stories reporting this have really just two facts:
1. Prosecutors claim she’s married.
2.she has not identified to whom.
The latter implies she has at least admitted she is.
I speculate that she has recently done so as a business arrangement to keep the states hands off her money, which is now presumably legally somebody else’s money.
The whole thing is going to be a fascinating display of the limits, if any, of the power of wealth and connections.