Ghislaine Maxwell was unsuccessful in her attempt to exclude a psychologist who is trained in the treatment of sexual abuse victims, from her testimony at her sex trafficking trial.
Prosecutors called Lisa Rocchio, a psychiatrist, as a witness in a pretrial hearing at Manhattan Federal Court.
Maxwell, who is 59 years old, has pleaded no guilty to grooming underage girls in her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
With jury selection underway, the trial will begin on Nov 29th.
Ghislaine Maxiwell (59) lost her attempt to exclude a psychologist in her forthcoming trial. This psychologist specializes treating victims of sexual abuse.
Prosecutors called Lisa Rocchio, Psychologist, as a witness in the November 29th trial.
Rocchio stated that adolescents are more likely to report sexual abuse later on in their lives during the hearing.
False allegations of abuse of sexual nature can happen, however they are a very small number.
British lawyers for the socialite had claimed that Rocchio’s opinions were inadmissible. She said they were based mainly upon her own experience as a doctor and lacked scientific backing.
Jeffrey Pagliuca is Maxwell’s lawyer. He stated that defense plans to challenge the credibility of witnesses, based on past histories of substance abuse and failures to reveal their charges against Maxwell as soon as possible.
In a victory for Maxwell’s defence, U.S. district judge Alison Nathan stated after being questioned that she would allow Rocchio’s testimony to be heard.
Lara Pomerantz, assistant US attorney questions Lisa Rocchio in a hearing about which experts witnesses are available to testify during Maxwell’s upcoming trial
Lisa Rocchio is seated in the witness box while Pomerantz questions her
Maxwell, during her hearing is led by US marshalls into the courtroom
Maxwell had allegedly proposed calling in psychologist Elizabeth Loftus, 77, for her trial as a witness to play the ‘false memory card.’
Loftus, who is also a psychologist and writer, represented celebrities such as Harvey Weinstein, Ted Bundy, and OJ Simpson in previous trials.
She has spent years researching the malleability of human memory and often claims in court that memories are wrong or distorted.
Loftus stated that the world is filled with people who are supportive of accusers in 2020 interviews with The Los Angeles Times.
“I feel that those who have been accused should be supported.”
Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Ghislaine maxwell is the alleged accomplice.
Nathan also refused bail to Maxwell on Tuesday. He said that Maxwell’s “ability to flee” made it difficult to give her bail to her for her trial in a home setting rather than at a detention facility.
The two-page order, which rejected Maxwell’s request, added that she would be transported from her cell at the Manhattan Detention Center to the trial ‘in a way that is humane (and) proper.’
Maxwell’s legal teams also repeated claims that Maxwell had been mistreated behind bars. Maxwell is shown earlier this year in a photo with “a black eye”
Last week, her family said that she had been subject to physical abuse by her guards.
Interviewers were told by Ian Maxwell, her brother that his sister had suffered ‘physical abuse from the guards’.
Sky News reported that he didn’t believe Ghislaine would give a black eye to himself. She said that she believes she had been subject to occasional physical abuse by her guards.
His sister was also denied pre-trial release requests despite losing 15 pounds during her imprisonment, which made it difficult for her prepare her defense.
Sky News: He said that it was designed to destroy her. It’s just wrong. This is a gross violation of human rights. That is quite alarming.
She also claimed recently that during a hearing this week, a guard waited until he was alone with her and became ‘verbally threatening’.
The guard allegedly said: ‘You think you are special? It is not so. Remember you are in custody and the judge doesn’t care about you.’
Jeffrey Epstein (66), Maxwell’s ex-boyfriend, committed suicide inside a Manhattan jail cell.
Her lawyer claimed that her ‘disturbing’ treatment meant she should be released immediately.
Maxwell was charged with conspiracy-related offenses, including enticing minors in order to participate in illegal sexual acts.
Her sentence could be up to 80 Years if she is found guilty of these charges. This has been a consistent denial.
In 2019, her boyfriend Epstein, former President Bill Clinton, and Prince Andrew of Britain were among the people he knew. He was awaiting trial for sex-crimes charges.