Ghislaine Maxwell trial verdict – live: Jury concludes fifth day of deliberation as judge shares Covid concern

The jury in Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial concluded its fifth day of deliberations on Tuesday as the socialite continues a long wait to hear whether she will face up to 70 years in prison.

Jurors are considering six charges against Ms Maxwell, who is accused of recruiting and grooming teenage girls for convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein to abuse.

She has pleaded not guilty to all charges and said she is being made a scapegoat for Epstein’s acts after he died in 2019 while awaiting his own trial.

Judge Alison Nathan extended deliberations to 6pm on Tuesday, citing an “astronomical spike” in cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

“It’s time to have the jurors make plans to continue deliberating until a verdict is reached,” she said, noting that the Omicron surge could force jurors into quarantine and jeopardise the “ability to complete this trial”.

However as 5pm approached, the jury submitted a note seeking approval to end at the regular time and resume at 9am Wednesday. “Our deliberations are moving along, and we are making progress,” the note stated.

Judge Nathan approved the request and raised the possibility of deliberation continuing over the weekend, if necessary.

Key Points

• What’s happened in deliberations so far

• Judge warns of ‘astronomical’ Omicron risk

• When will we get a verict?

• Most explosive revelations from the trial

• Famous names ensnared in the Maxwell trial

• What charges is Maxwell facing?

Jurors say they are ‘making progress'

21:49 , Megan Sheets

With just over one hour until the end of today’s deliberations, the jury has just submitted its first note of the day.

In it they asked to finish at 5pm - instead of 6pm as previously outlined by Judge Nathan - and resume tomorrow morning at 9am.

"Our deliberations are moving along, and we are making progress,” the note read.

Neither the defence nor the prosecution objected to the request, which was granted.

Earlier today Judge Nathan indicated that deliberation hours would be extended again tomorrow due to the “astronomical” and “escalating” risk of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

What are the charges against Maxwell?

21:30 , Megan Sheets

A jury is currently deliberating on six charges against Ms Maxwell.

If convicted of the top charge for “sex trafficking of minors”, the socialite could face a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.

Count 1: Conspiracy to entice a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts - maximum sentence of five years

Count 2: Enticing a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts - maximum sentence of five years

Count 3: Conspiracy to transport a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity - maximum sentence of five years

Count 4: Transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity - maximum sentence of 10 years

Count 5: Conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors - maximum sentence of five years

Count 6: Sex trafficking of minors - maximum sentence of 40 years

The Independent’s Megan Sheets has the full story:

Ghislaine Maxwell trial: What are the charges and what sentence could she face?

EXPLAINED: Prince Andrew’s legal battle against Maxwell accuser

21:00 , Megan Sheets

Virginia Giuffre, one of the many women who claim to have been sex trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, is suing the Duke of York in US federal court for allegedly sexually assaulting her when she was 17.

Prince Andrew, a longtime friend of Epstein, has denied all the allegations and will seek a dismissal of Ms Giuffre’s suit in court on January .

The Independent’s Lamiat Sabin explains the case:

Prince Andrew’s lawyer argues for dismissal of sexual assault civil case

ICYMI: Famous names ensnared in the Maxwell trial

20:30 , Megan Sheets

Ms Maxwell and Epstein palled around with presidents, movie stars and royalty, hosting household names aboard private jets and at palatial properties all over the world.

Those decades-long connections formed a key role in Ms Maxwell’s trial for sex-trafficking at the federal courthouse in Manhattan.

Ms Maxwell would frequently boast of her close friendships with Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew and Donald Trump, her accusers have testified.

Prosecutors say the access to powerful people was both alluring and intimidating – and victims of Epstein’s abuse would feel afraid to break off contact out of fear of what he and his powerful allies might do.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley explains all the famous names to come up over three weeks of testimony:

From Trump to Prince Andrew: All the biggest names embroiled in the Maxwell trial

What happens if jurors can’t agree on a verdict?

20:00 , Megan Sheets

The jury is now nearly 30 hours into deliberation over the fate of Ms Maxwell.

Jurors must reach a unanimous verdict on each count to come to a conviction or acquittal.

Should they fail to agree, Judge Alison Nathan could move to declare a mistrial, which would force the prosecution to decide whether or not to retry Ms Maxwell.

Hearing set for Prince Andrew to seek dismissal of sex abuse lawsuit

19:30 , Megan Sheets

A US judge on Thursday scheduled a 4 January 2022 hearing where lawyers for Britain’s Prince Andrew are expected to argue for a dismissal of Virginia Giuffre’s lawsuit accusing the Duke of York of sexually abusing her when she was under 18.

US District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan issued the scheduling order one day after saying he expected Ms Giuffre’s civil case to go to trial between September and December 2022, provided it is not settled or dismissed.

Ms Giuffre, 38, sued Andrew for unspecified damages in August.

She accused Queen Elizabeth’s second son of forcing her to have sex more than two decades ago at the London home of British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, and abusing her at two homes belonging to financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew, 61, has denied Ms Giuffre’s claims, and accused her of trying to profit from accusations against Epstein, who Ms Giuffre says also abused her, and people who knew him. The prince has not been charged with crimes.

Reuters

Who is Judge Alison Nathan?

19:00 , Megan Sheets

Judge Nathan had been selected by President Joe Biden for promotion to the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

If confirmed, she would be one rung on the judicial ladder below the Supreme Court, and just the second openly LGBT+ woman to serve on a federal circuit court.

During the Maxwell trial, she has been called on to make many crucial rulings, such as when she declined to allow a schoolgirl’s outfit found in Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse during a 2019 FBI raid to be entered into evidence.

Read more about the 49-year-old judge below:

Who is Alison Nathan, the judge in the Ghislaine Maxwell trial?

How long verdict took in other high profile cases

18:30 , Megan Sheets

Here’s a look at the length of time juries took to return a verdict in other high profile cases:

Kim Potter - A Minnesota jury deliberated for about 27 hours before finding Ms Potter guilty of first- and second-degree manslaughter in the death of Daunte Wright in December 2021.

Kyle Rittenhouse - It took a Wisconsin jury about 24 hours to acquit Mr Rittenhouse of five charges including first-degree intentional homicide for shooting three people at during racial unrest in Kenosha in November 2021

Derek Chauvin - It took a Minnesota jury just over 10 hours to find Mr Chauvin guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd in May 2021

Harvey Weinstein - A New York jury deliberated for about 26 hours before finding Mr Weinstein on two of five criminal charges in February 2020

Casey Anthony - Florida jurors deliberated for less than 11 hours before acquitting Ms Anthony in the death of her two-year-old daughter Caylee in July 2011

OJ Simpson - A California jury deliberated for less than four hours before acquitting Mr Simpson of murder charges in the death of his estranged wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman in 1995

Ted Bundy - A jury in Utah deliberated for less than seven hours before finding him guilty on two counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder and two counts of burglary

Charles Manson - Jurors in California deliberated for nearly 43 hours before finding Mr Manson and his followers guilty on 27 counts - including murder and conspiracy - in 1971

RECAP: Most explosive revelations from the trial

18:03 , Megan Sheets

The federal government’s case against Ms Maxwell, 59, centres around her decades-long relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. It alleges she operated as his enabler in luring vulnerable teenage girls with promises of scholarships, attention and financial assistance for their families, and coerced them into becoming objects for his sexual gratification.

This later expanded to a “pyramid scheme of abuse”, according to prosecutors, in which young girls already in Epstein’s orbit would offer to recruit classmates and friends with the promise of easy money.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley recaps the most explosive revelations across three weeks of testimony in Manhattan’s federal court:

Most explosive revelations from the Ghislaine Maxwell trial

Jurors break for lunch after quiet morning

17:29 , Megan Sheets

The jury is now on a lunch break after going the whole morning without submitting a single question to the court.

There has been no indication of when Judge Nathan will hear arguments about keeping the jury sequestered until a verdict is reached. The judge has said she will look to jurors for input on possible hardship.

Ms Maxwell’s are expected to oppose any constraints on how long the jury can deliberate.

What’s happened in deliberations so far?

17:10 , Megan Sheets

The jury in Ms Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial began its fifth day of deliberations on Tuesday morning to decide the socialite’s guilt on six federal charges.

Ms Maxwell faces up to 70 years in prison if convicted on all six charges and ordered to serve their sentences consecutively. The top charge of “sex trafficking of minors” carries a maximum sentence of 40 years.

The case landed in the hands of the jury late on 20 December. Jurors deliberated for the next two days before taking a four-day break for the holiday weekend and resuming on Monday.

Over roughly 24 hours of deliberation, jurors have submitted eight notable questions to the court which together paint a portrait of where the discussions stand. The Independent’s Megan Sheets explains:

Ghislaine Maxwell trial jury: What’s happened in deliberations so far?

When will the jury reach a verdict?

16:40 , Megan Sheets

The jury in Ms Maxwell’s sex-trafficking entered its fifth day of deliberation on Tuesday, for a total of about 24 hours since receiving the case last week.

The socialite and alleged madam for Jeffrey Epstein has pleaded not guilty to six federal charges, including one for sex trafficking of a minor and one for sex trafficking conspiracy.

The four other charges related to the Mann Act, which bars transporting individuals across state lines for illegal sexual activity.

The Independent’s Megan Sheets explains when we could expect to get a verdict:

Ghislaine Maxwell trial: When will we have a verdict?

Maxwell’s sisters and brother join her in court

16:10 , Megan Sheets

Ms Maxwell’s twin sisters Isabel and Christine and her brother Kevin were spotted in the gallery in Courtroom 318 on Tuesday.

The defendant entered the court dressed in all black before Judge Nathan expressed her intent to continue deliberations until a verdict is reached due to the “high and escalating risk” of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

State objects to defence bid for more instructions

15:40 , Megan Sheets

Prosecutors have pushed back against the defence’s request for more instructions on counts two and four.

“There is no reason to be speculating about what the jury is thinking,” one of the assistant US attorneys told Judge Nathan.

“Sending back the [proposed] additional instruction would just compound the problem.”

The judge noted that jurors have not asked any questions about count two, adding: “I’m not going to give them an incorrect instruction.”

Judge addresses ‘high and escalating’ Omicron risk

15:09 , Megan Sheets

With everyone assembled, Judge Nathan said she will offer an update on deliberations going forward later today.

Citing the “high and escalating risk” of the Omicron Covid variant, she said: “It’s time to have the jurors make plans to continue deliberating until a verdict is reached.”

In regards to her decision to keep jurors until 6pm on Tuesday, she said: “I am doing this because of the expansion of Omicron.”

Defence asks to clarify instructions

14:49 , Megan Sheets

Ms Maxwell’s attorneys have submitted a letter asking Judge Nathan to clarify directions on counts two and four in the jury instructions.

Count two is for “enticing a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts”, and count four is four “transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity”. They carry maximum sentences of five and ten years, respectively.

The defence letter requests “additional instructions to correct apparent errors in the jury’s understanding” of the counts.

Jurors resume deliberations for fifth day

14:08 , Megan Sheets

Jurors began their fifth day of deliberation on Tuesday morning as Ghislaine Maxwell’s fate remains up in the air.

We’re nearing the 24-hour mark for total time spent in the deliberation room since the case landed in the jury’s hands on 20 December.

Jurors have been instructed to stay until 6pm tonight should they fail to reach a verdict before then.

How Ghislaine Maxwell met Jeffrey Epstein

13:30 , Tom Batchelor

Ms Maxwell, the daughter of the late media mogul Robert Maxwell, told a 2016 deposition that she met Jeffrey Epstein, then a wealthy financier, in 1991 through a mutual friend.

During the 1990s the couple socialised with Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, as well as Prince Andrew, with Ms Maxwell flying on Epstein’s private jets and staying at his homes, before settling in a $5m New York townhouse.

Here is more on how she came to know the convicted paedophile.

How Ghislaine Maxwell met Jeffrey Epstein

Are more defendants testifying at trial?

12:30 , Tom Batchelor

A run of testifying defendants raises the question of whether a shift in thinking is occurring among lawyers, many of whom have long regarded putting clients on the stand as a last-resort option.

However one defendant whose lawyers likely concluded the risks of testifying were too great was Ms Maxwell. The British socialite didn’t testify at her New York sex trafficking trial.

Here is the background on an apparent shift in courtroom behaviour in previous high profile trials.

EXPLAINER: Are more defendants testifying at trial?

Jurors face stricter Covid protocols after Christmas break

11:30 , Tom Batchelor

The jury’s deliberations are happening as a wave of Covid infections fuelled by the Omicron variant sweeps through New York state.

The anxiety over the spread was evident when US District Judge Alison J Nathan asked jurors to deliberate last Thursday, which they declined.

When she sent them away on Wednesday for the long holiday weekend, she told them there would be new courthouse protocols on Monday to fight the coronavirus, including a requirement that the most protective masks be worn.

And she offered to give them the masks to protect themselves and others through the weekend.

“Please stay safe over the long weekend. Obviously we’ve got the variant, and I need all of you here and healthy on Monday,” Judge Nathan said. “So please take good care and take cautions.”

Deliberations boost defence team?

10:28 , Tom Batchelor

Each day of deliberations without a verdict may well be seen as a boost for the defence team as fast verdicts almost always go in the government’s favour.

Deliberations that stretch out can sometimes indicate dissension or confusion among jurors.

Last Wednesday, before the Christmas break, two defence lawyers gave each other a high-five.

‘Take all the time you need’, judge tells jurors

09:25 , Tom Batchelor

US District Judge Alison Nathan encouraged jurors to “take all the time” that they need before reaching a verdict as the world watches and waits for an answer in the blockbuster trial.

Before dismissing the jury on Monday, Ms Nathan asked them to consider deliberating until pm – one hour later than usual - and picking up again on Tuesday if they do not reach a verdict.

“I don’t mean to pressure you in any way,” Ms Nathan said. “You should take all the time that you need.”

Jane’s testimony at heart of Maxwell charges

08:22 , Tom Batchelor

Jurors on Monday asked US District Judge Alison Nathan to review the account of David Rodgers, who testified on 8 December that on several occasions in the 1990s, he flew Epstein’s private jet with Epstein, Ms Maxwell and an individual known by the pseudonym Jane on board.

Jane testified that Epstein began abusing her in 1994 when she was 14, and that Ms Maxwell participated in some of their encounters.

Her case is at the heart of two of the six counts Ms Maxwell faces: enticing a minor to travel for illegal sexual activity and transporting a minor for illegal sex acts. Ms Maxwell denies the allegations.

Jane said the encounters often took place at Epstein’s Palm Beach, Florida, estate, but that she traveled to Epstein’s homes in New Mexico and New York, where abuse also took place.

Jury requests for definition of the word “enticement”

07:19 , Sravasti Dasgupta

As the jury weighed the nuances of the case on the fourth day of deliberations in the Ghislaine Maxwell sex-trafficking trial, it requested a definition of the word “enticement”, which is an element in two of the six charges that the tainted British socialite faces.

Judge Alison Nathan cited previous court cases and said that she would reply that “entice means to attract, induce or lure using hope or desire.”

The charge relates to witness “Jane” who is using a pseudonym in testifying in the case. During the trial’s first week Jane said that Maxwell was part of her sexual contact with Epstein whom she met in 1994 when she was 14.

The six counts that Maxwell faces include one charge of enticing an underage girl to travel for illegal sexual activity, and another count of conspiracy to do the same

Here are the charges that Maxwell faces:

Ghislaine Maxwell trial: What are the charges and what sentence could she face?

Jurors request stationary and witness notes

05:15 , Sravasti Dasgupta

Jurors in the Ghislaine Maxwell trial, who returned after a 4-day Christmas break, have asked for office stationary, signalling that they may be still some way from reaching a verdict.

The 12 members of the jury returned to the Manhattan Federal Court on Monday and asked for a white paper board, different colour post-it notes and highlight markers.

In addition, jurors also asked for the testimony transcripts from two other witnesses as well as a definition of the word “enticement”, which forms an element in two of the six charges Ms Maxwell faces.

Last week the jurors had asked for the testimonies of the four accusers.

The jurors requests suggest that the jurors were going through the witnesses of all four of the women who have testified against Maxwell and said that she set them up for abuse by Epstein.

The office supplies and testimonies could be used in creating a visual representation of the evidence at hand.

The US government rested its case against Maxwell on Friday. Here’s what the prosecution’s case says

Ghislaine Maxwell: What have we learned from the prosecution’s case?

Jurors ask for transcript testimony for Jane’s former boyfriend

04:33 , Sravasti Dasgupta

Jurors on Monday asked for the transcript testimony of “Matt,” pseudonym for a television actor who is a former boyfriend of Jane, one of the accusers in the Maxwell trial. Matt said that he lived with Jane, one of the four accusers who have testified against Maxwell, between 2007 and 2014. He said that Jane, who met Epstein at 14, described him as a godfather who helped her financially after her father’s illness and death. He was later told that Epstein’s help “wasn’t free” but did not divulge any further details. When he had asked questions about her encounters with Epstein, Matt described Jane’s demeanour as “ashamed, embarrassed, horrified”. Matt added that she had said she felt more comfortable with Epstein because there was a woman around. Later when he contacted Jane in 2020 after Maxwell’s arrest to ask if Maxwell was the woman she had referenced as making her feel more comfortable in her encounters, Jane confirmed that Maxwell was the same woman.

Four women have taken the stand to testify about the alleged abuse they suffered at the hands of Maxwell and Epstein. Here’s what they said, Rachel Sharp writes

The case against Ghislaine Maxwell

Maxwell’s charity was a ‘reputation cleanser’

04:00 , Megan Sheets

In the 2000s, Ms Maxwell wrote about how she grew up leisurely holidaying on her late father’s superyacht the Lady Ghislaine and being captivated by the deepsea explorer Jacque Cousteau.

Ms Maxwell wrote: “My love of the sea and adventure took me on an odyssey that eventually led me to ‘flying’ deep worker submersibles, remotely-operated underwater vehicles and helicopters, as well as becoming a certified emergency medical technician.”

And in 2012, she decided to launch a marine conservative non-profit The TerraMar Project which was touted by her to give the global ocean community a voice to the least protected — the high seas.

But it later turned out that the project was a mere vessel to revamp her reputation as Ms Maxwell did not pay a single dollar in grants for the next five years and it ran up high overhead costs for a charity of its weight, as per the tax findings.

It was also found that the TerraMar Project did not produce any tangible examples of successful ocean conservancy projects.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley explains Ms Maxwell’s reputation cleanser:

Ghislaine Maxwell’s former marine conservation charity was a ‘reputation cleanser’

EXPLAINED: What happened to Epstein?

03:00 , Megan Sheets

The spectre of late financier and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein has loomed large over Ms Maxwell’s trial.

Epstein was found dead at the same prison where Ms Maxwell is currently being held more than two years ago while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

The Independent’s Josh Marcus explains the details surrounding his death:

What happened to Jeffrey Epstein?

Were Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell really in a romantic relationship?

02:00 , Megan Sheets

The defence made every attempt to distance Ms Maxwell from Epstein and with revelations of the financier’s other relationships, many have questioned the nature of Maxwell and Epstein’s bond.

Two of the four women to testify have described how the pair would laugh and fool around with each other like doting teenagers, even though Ms Maxwell was well into her 30s at the time, and Epstein nearly a decade older.

Prosecutors have portrayed their intimate relationship as an essential part of Epstein’s and Ms Maxwell’s alleged predatory behaviour, as they supposedly partnered in luring young victims in to be sexually abused.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley has the full story below:

Were Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell really in a romantic relationship?

Famous names ensnared in the Maxwell trial

01:00 , Megan Sheets

Ms Maxwell and Epstein palled around with presidents, movie stars and royalty, hosting household names aboard private jets and at palatial properties all over the world.

Those decades-long connections formed a key role in Ms Maxwell’s trial for sex-trafficking at the federal courthouse in Manhattan.

Ms Maxwell would frequently boast of her close friendships with Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew and Donald Trump, her accusers have testified.

Prosecutors say the access to powerful people was both alluring and intimidating – and victims of Epstein’s abuse would feel afraid to break off contact out of fear of what he and his powerful allies might do.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley explains all the famous names to come up over three weeks of testimony:

From Trump to Prince Andrew: All the biggest names embroiled in the Maxwell trial

Planes, pools and palatial properties: Twelve striking images from the Ghislaine Maxwell trial

00:00 , Megan Sheets

Prosecutors in the Ghislaine Maxwell trial released more than 150 exhibits as part of its case, including many never-before-seen images of the socialite’s jet-setting lifestyle with Jeffrey Epstein.

They show the pair on private jets, his mansions, and kissing and embracing in exotic locations around the world.

Ms Maxwell faces six charges; one each of enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, transportation of a minor with intent to engage in illegal sex acts, sex trafficking of a minor, and three counts of conspiracy related to the other counts. She has denied all the charges.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley reports:

Twelve of the most striking images from the Ghislaine Maxwell trial

The verdict sheet

Monday 27 December 2021 23:00 , Megan Sheets

Below is a copy of the verdict sheet that jurors will fill out and return to the court once they reach a consensus:

Jury ends fourth day of deliberation

Monday 27 December 2021 22:12 , Megan Sheets

The jury has concluded its fourth day of deliberation without a verdict.

Before sending them home for the day, Judge Nathan informed jurors that she would like them to stay until at least 6pm on Tuesday if they haven’t come to a consensus before then.

The defence objected to that instruction, saying it sends the message that jurors need to “hurry up and finish”.

Prosecutors disagreed, saying it is up to the judge to decide the schedule.

Deliberation will continue on Tuesday morning at 9am.

New jury note involving testimony from accuser Jane

Monday 27 December 2021 21:44 , Megan Sheets

The jury has submitted yet another note, this time involving testimony from accuser “Jane”.

Judge Nathan allowed both the defence and prosecution to view the note directly because of its confusing phrasing. In effect, it asked if the jury can, if it makes certain findings, still render a guilty verdict.

The prosecution urged the judge to respond to the jury by telling them to review the instructions, while the defence asked for an answer of: “No.”

In the same note, jurors asked to be excused at 5pm today.

Judge mulls longer hours on Tuesday

Monday 27 December 2021 21:31 , Megan Sheets

Judge Alison Nathan has said she will consider keeping the jury late on Tuesday if they have not reached a decision by 5pm.

The judge made the suggestion on Monday afternoon after noting that jurors had not yet said when they planned to finish today.

RECAP: What the four accusers said at Maxwell’s trial

Monday 27 December 2021 21:10 , Megan Sheets

Almost 30 years after some of the alleged abuse took place, accusers of convicted paedophile Epstein and his alleged madam Ms Maxwell have finally had their day in court.

Four women – three of them testifying under pseudonyms – took the stand during Ms Maxwell’s sex-trafficking trial to testify that Epstein’s former girlfriend preyed on vulnerable underage girls and groomed them for abuse by the late financier.

The women testified that Ms Maxwell, 59, both enabled Epstein in his abuse and took part in some of the abuse herself.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has more:

The case against Ghislaine Maxwell

Maxwell accuser Virginia Giuffre’s lawyer suggests calling Meghan Markle to testify in Prince Andrew case

Monday 27 December 2021 20:40 , Megan Sheets

Meghan Markle may be called to depose over legal action against Prince Andrew, said the lawyer of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who has accused the prince of sexually assaulting her when she was 17.

Ms Markle could have some “important knowledge,” David Boies, the attorney representing Ms Giuffre, told The Daily Beast on Tuesday.

Mr Boies said he might seek to depose Ms Markle as part of the civil suit slapped against the prince by Ms Giuffre and said he believed Ms Markle could be expected to “tell the truth.”

The Independent’s Maroosha Muzaffar has the full story below:

Virginia Giuffre’s lawyer says Meghan Markle may testify in Prince Andrew case

Jurors request testimony from Epstein pilot

Monday 27 December 2021 20:11 , Megan Sheets

Another note from the jury came in just before 3pm, requesting transcripts of testimony from David Rodgers.

Mr Rodgers was a pilot for Epstein’s “Lolita Express”, and testified that he saw Jane on the plane.

The prosecution introduced Epstein’s flight logs into evidence last week. The Independent’s Bevan Hurley explains what was in them:

Trump flew on ‘Lolita Express’ with Eric, Tiffany and Clinton adviser

ICYMI: Maxwell’s brother suggests she’s a victim of abuse by the media

Monday 27 December 2021 19:40 , Megan Sheets

Ms Maxwell’s brother, Ian Maxwell, penned a column earlier this month in which he said his sister is a “survivor” and blasted the media for what he claims is unfair coverage of her trial.

Writing in the conservative UK magazine The Spectator, Mr Maxwell stated that all the Maxwell kids “inherited” the “survivor gene” of their father, British newspaper baron Robert Maxwell.

Mr Maxwell wrote that their father was “a man of profound inner sorrow” after “having lost his parents and most of his family in Auschwitz”.

The Independent’s Gustaf Kilander reports:

Maxwell’s brother calls her a ‘survivor’ and suggests she’s a victim of media abuse

How long verdict took in other high profile cases

Monday 27 December 2021 19:10 , Megan Sheets

Here’s a look at the length of time juries took to return a verdict in other high profile cases:

Kim Potter - A Minnesota jury deliberated for about 27 hours before finding Ms Potter guilty of first- and second-degree manslaughter in the death of Daunte Wright in December 2021.

Kyle Rittenhouse - It took a Wisconsin jury about 24 hours to acquit Mr Rittenhouse of five charges including first-degree intentional homicide for shooting three people at during racial unrest in Kenosha in November 2021

Derek Chauvin - It took a Minnesota jury just over 10 hours to find Mr Chauvin guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd in May 2021

Harvey Weinstein - A New York jury deliberated for about 26 hours before finding Mr Weinstein on two of five criminal charges in February 2020

Casey Anthony - Florida jurors deliberated for less than 11 hours before acquitting Ms Anthony in the death of her two-year-old daughter Caylee in July 2011

OJ Simpson - A California jury deliberated for less than four hours before acquitting Mr Simpson of murder charges in the death of his estranged wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman in 1995

Ted Bundy - A jury in Utah deliberated for less than seven hours before finding him guilty on two counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder and two counts of burglary

Charles Manson - Jurors in California deliberated for nearly 43 hours before finding Mr Manson and his followers guilty on 27 counts - including murder and conspiracy - in 1971

What happens if jurors can’t agree on a verdict?

Monday 27 December 2021 18:40 , Megan Sheets

The jury is now roughly 19 hours into deliberation over the fate of Ms Maxwell.

Jurors must reach a unanimous verdict on each count to come to a conviction or acquittal.

Should they fail to agree, Judge Alison Nathan could move to declare a mistrial, which would force the prosecution to decide whether or not to retry Ms Maxwell.

What do we know about the jurors?

Monday 27 December 2021 18:10 , Megan Sheets

The jury in Ms Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial is made up of six men and six women who range in age from their 20s to 70s.

The jury selection process took nearly a month, as the defence challenged 10 prospective members and the government challenged six.

The jurors’ names are currently sealed by the court to protect them from undue influence.

ICYMI: Most explosive revelations from the trial

Monday 27 December 2021 17:40 , Megan Sheets

The federal government’s case against Ms Maxwell, 59, centres around her decades-long relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. It alleges she operated as his enabler in luring vulnerable teenage girls with promises of scholarships, attention and financial assistance for their families, and coerced them into becoming objects for his sexual gratification.

This later expanded to a “pyramid scheme of abuse”, according to prosecutors, in which young girls already in Epstein’s orbit would offer to recruit classmates and friends with the promise of easy money.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley recaps the most explosive revelations across three weeks of testimony in Manhattan’s federal court:

Most explosive revelations from the Ghislaine Maxwell trial

Maxwell’s lawyer wishes her 'Happy Birthday’

Monday 27 December 2021 17:10 , Megan Sheets

Ms Maxwell made her first appearance in the courtroom as a 60-year-old on Monday morning to hear a note from the jury.

The socialite, dressed in a beige turtleneck and black pants, smiled at her attorneys and went in to give each a hug.

When she reached Jeffrey Pagliuca, he told her: “Happy Birthday.”

Ms Maxwell celebrated her 60th behind bars on Christmas.

When will the jury reach a verdict?

Monday 27 December 2021 16:50 , Megan Sheets

The jury in Ms Maxwell’s sex-trafficking entered its fourth day of deliberation on Monday, having spent about 16 hours mulling her fate last week.

The socialite and alleged madam for Jeffrey Epstein has pleaded not guilty to six federal charges, including one for sex trafficking of a minor and one for sex trafficking conspiracy.

The four other charges related to the Mann Act, which bars transporting individuals across state lines for illegal sexual activity.

The Independent’s Megan Sheets explains when we could expect to get a verdict:

Ghislaine Maxwell trial: When will we have a verdict?

Jury requests more testimony from police officer

Monday 27 December 2021 16:20 , Megan Sheets

The jury has requested yet another transcript - this time of testimony from Gregory Parkinson.

Mr Parkinson was the police officer who led a 2005 raid on Epstein’s compound in Palm Beach, Florida.

Video of the raid was entered into evidence by the prosecution. The Independent’s Gino Spocchia explains what the footage showed:

Video released of Epstein mansion raid

What did Maxwell accuser’s ex-boyfriend Matt say at trial?

Monday 27 December 2021 16:03 , Megan Sheets

On Monday morning jurors requested copies of testimony from the ex-boyfriend of one of Ms Maxwell’s accusers.

The witness, who testified for the prosecution under the pseudonym “Matt” on 1 December, sought to corroborate earlier testimony from accuser “Jane”, who said she was sexually abused by Ms Maxwell and Epstein when she was 14.

Matt said Jane told him that Epstein was her “godfather” and recalled a time that he asked her about financial support she received from the financier. “The money wasn’t f***ing free,” Jane told him.

Matt also recounted what Jane allegedly told him about the abuse she endured.