Defense begins questioning in Maxwell trial, unclear if Maxwell will testify

After a brief break in the trial of Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, her defense team began questioning Thursday. The video above shows Maxwell’s defense team and some supporters arriving at court. The prosecution in the case rested last Friday.

The Maxwell defense kicked off its witness questioning with Cimberly Espinosa, a former office worker for Epstein. When asked if she ever saw Maxwell or Epstein “engaged in any misbehavior” in her six years of working closely with Maxwell, Espinosa responded “never”.

“I looked up to her very much,” Espinosa said.

Espinosa also testified about seeing a key accuser in the case visiting Epstein’s New York City office “a few times”. According to Espinosa, workers at the office were told the accuser, going by “Jane” in the trial, was Epstein’s goddaughter. Because of that, “she was treated with utmost respect.”

“It was a loving relationship,” Espinosa said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Pomerantz’s cross-examination was just one question long. She asked Espinosa if she has ever worked at one of Epstein’s homes, to which she said she hadn’t. The question and answer was intended to paint Espinosa as an irrelevant witness, since the alleged assaults happened at Epstein’s properties.

Elizabeth Loftus, a psychology professor at the University of California, Irvine, testified for the defense, as well. Her testimony focused on the concept of false memories. In her testimony, which served to undermine the credibility of Maxwell’s accusers, Loftern said people can sound confident when they recall false memories.

“When you have post-event suggestion or intervention, people get very confident about their wrong answers,” Loftus said. “False memories…can be very vivid, detailed. People can be confident about them, people can be emotional about them, even though they’re false.”

Loftus has been a witness or consultant for hundreds of trials, including those of Harvey Weinstein and O.J. Simpson.

The start of the defense case has already sparked the usual speculation about whether Maxwell will take the witness stand in her own defense. U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan will have to receive direct confirmation from Maxwell about her decision before the defense can rest.