Share this @internewscast.com

Jurors weighing sex-trafficking charges against Ghislaine Maxwell asked for transcripts of testimony from additional witnesses on Wednesday morning, ABC News reports.

The jury has been deliberating for more than 33 hours in the trial, which is on its 18th day. In a note to Judge Alison Nathan, the jury requested the transcripts of five people. One transcript is for Shawn, the boyfriend of an alleged victim named Carolyn.

Another transcript is for Cimberly Espinoza, the defense’s first witness who was Maxwell’s assistant in the 1990s. This is the first transcript from a defense witness requested by the jury.

Two other transcripts contain testimony from FBI agents Amanda Young and Jason Richards, whom the defense asked about alleged inconsistent statements made by accusers. Finally, jurors asked for the transcript of Elizabeth Loftus, a defense expert witness who talked about flaws with human memory.

Upon reading the jury note, Maxwell and defense lawyer Bobbi Sternheim stood close together and had a conversation; Maxwell had her sleeves rolled up and was clasping her hands behind her back, according to ABC News. She later was seen speaking with other counsel at the defense table.

The jury on Wednesday also asked Nathan, the judge, whether deliberations would be scheduled over the New Year holiday.

In this courtroom sketch, Ghislaine Maxwell, center, sits in the courtroom during a discussion about a note from the jury, during her sex trafficking trial, Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Elizabeth Williams)

“May we have clarification regarding our schedule going forward. Are we required to continue our deliberations every day including 12/31 and 1/1? We ask in order to plan our schedules accordingly,” the note read, according to ABC News.

Nathan said she would tell jurors that deliberations would not stop until a verdict is reached, according to the news outlet. That means jurors will be expected to work through December 31 and January 1, if necessary.

However, Nathan asked jurors to inform the court about whether they are experiencing a “substantial hardship because of unmovable commitments,” according to ABC News.

“By this I don’t mean to pressure you. You should take all the time that you need,” Nathan reportedly said in her reply, the television network reports.

The defense had asked to make deliberating over New Year’s optional, but Nathan denied that request, raising concerns about “the high likelihood that a necessary member of the trial participants or one or more members of the jury would need to quarantine for 10 days should they test positive” with COVID-19, which Nathan said would result in a “substantial delay,” CNN reports.

“Put simply, I conclude that proceeding this way is the best chance to both give the jury as much time as they need and to avoid a mistrial as a result of the Omicron variant,” Nathan told lawyers on Wednesday, according to CNN.

Nathan had previously given the jury a break for Christmas.

Maxwell is accused of helping longtime friend Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse underage girls. Federal authorities have charged her with sex trafficking of a minor, enticing a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and multiple counts of conspiracy.

If convicted, she faces up to 70 years in prison.

For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast. Listen to the latest episode. 

Join Nancy Grace for her new online video series designed to help you protect what you love most — your children.

[Feature Photo: FILE – In this Nov. 7, 1991, file photo, Ghislaine Maxwell, daughter of late British publisher Robert Maxwell, reads a statement expressing her family’s gratitude to Spanish authorities after recovery of his body. Jeffrey Epstein’s former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell has been held in U.S. jail since July 2020, and her brother Ian Maxwell said Wednesday March 10, 2021, she should be released on bail, claiming that she was being held in “degrading” conditions that amount to torture. (AP Photo/Dominique Mollard, File)]

Source: This post first appeared on

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Shocking Incident: Child Hospitalized After Alleged Abuse During Diaper Change—Police Investigate

Share A troubling incident in Kentucky has led to the arrest of…

Virginia Football Coach on the Run: Facing Child Sex Abuse Charges and Armed

A Virginia high school football coach, who is facing charges related to…

Family Dispute Turns Tragic: Brother Fatally Shoots Sibling After Altercation

Left inset: Jerome Curry (St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office). Right inset: Terrence…

Tragic Lunchtime Accident: Woman Fatally Struck While Crossing Street

Share In a tragic incident on Thanksgiving Day, a Pennsylvania woman was…

Teen and Mother Charged in Fatal Assault on 71-Year-Old Department of Transportation Worker: Police Report

Background: The street where Gregory Turnipseed was attacked (WBAL). Inset: Gregory Turnipseed…

Remains Identified as Missing Pregnant Woman Rebecca Park; Search Continues for Unborn Child

The remains of a missing pregnant woman, Rebecca Park, have been discovered…

Mother Allegedly Strikes Teenage Daughter Due to ‘Poor Attitude,’ Authorities Report

Background: The 26000 block of SW 135th Ave., Miami, Fla. (Google Maps).…

Authorities Report: Man Allegedly Killed Girlfriend After Claiming She Was Detained by ICE

Background: The canal in Miami, Forida, where the body of Nerida Martel…

Tragic Loss: Pregnant Woman’s Life Taken in Brutal Attack by Unknown Assailants

Top inset: Erica Bader (Quinn Funeral Home). Bottom insets, left to right:…

Shocking Arrest in Gainesville: Man Threatens Dogs and Attempts Break-In

Staff Report Note: This article was updated on November 30 to correct…

Silver Alert Issued for Missing Wisconsin Man with Cognitive Impairment

The Sheboygan Police Department has announced a Silver Alert for a man…

Netanyahu Seeks Contentious Corruption Pardon, Declaring It ‘Impossible

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked the country’s president to grant…