By Matthew Russell Lee Patreon Periscope Song
BBC - Decrypt - LightRead - Honduras - Source
SDNY COURTHOUSE, May 21 – Ghislaine Maxwell, charged with sex trafficking and false statements in a second superseding indictment, has requested an in-person arraignment citing previous press coverage and debacles(s).
Inner City Press on April 2 requested audio and video access for the arraignment on April 23. Inner City Press live tweeted it here and below.
Now on May 21, Maxwell's lawyers in a joint letter to Judge Nathan have written, "The government has never argued that Ms. Maxwell presents a safety risk to these witnesses. Any privacy concerns are already diminished in light of the fact that some accusers have spoken publicly about this case." No safety risk?
On May 10, the US Attorney's Office wrote to Judge Nathan to proposed starting the trial on November 29, noting the Thanksgiving week before and the importance of having AUSA Maurene Comey involved.
And on May 11, Judge Nathan issued an order confirming she will request that date, with jury selection to begin November 15: "ORDER as to Ghislaine Maxwell: The Court has considered the parties' proposals regarding the commencement of trial. Dkt. Nos. 275, 276. For the reasons stated in the Government's letter, the Court will request November 29, 2021 from the Clerk's Office as the trial start datethat is the date (pending approval from the Clerk's Office consistent with the SDNY COVID protocols) that opening statements will be made to the jury. However, the Court will also request from the Clerk's Office that jury selection occur during the week of November 15."
On May 6, the US Attorney's Office wrote in that "The Government has now determined that, for a subset of the photographs requested by the defendant, the Government previously provided the defense with scanned images of this subset of photographs from the FBI Florida file. The original photographs are currently in the FBI’s possession. Accordingly, because some of the original photographs are currently in the Prosecution Team’s possession, the Government will make them available to the defendant for inspection upon request." Full submission on Patreon here.
After Maxwell's complaint about flashlight checks and eye coverings, the US Attorney's Office on May 5 wrote in, full letter on Patreon here: "The Government respectfully submits this letter in response to the Court’s Order dated April 29, 2021, which directed the Government to confer with legal counsel at the Metropolitan Detention Center (“MDC”) regarding the use of flashlights in security checks at MDC. (Dkt. No. 257)."
On May 3, Judge Nathan ordered "ORDER as to Ghislaine Maxwell: The Court concludes that the interests of justice justify granting a short continuance. The Court deems an adjournment until fall 2021 to be reasonable. Such an adjournment would plainly give the defense team sufficient time to prepare for trial in light of the additional charges contained in the S2 indictment while also ensuring that the trial proceeds without undue delay. No additional delay is necessary or in the interests of justice. The parties are hereby ORDERED to meet and confer and by May 10, 2021, they shall jointly propose a trial start date for the Court to request of the Clerk's Office (as is required by COVID protocols). The Court urges counsel to agree to the earliest possible date this fall and to seek adjustments to other schedules in order to facilitate an early fall trial start date. The parties shall also discuss and propose any adjustments necessary to the pre-trial schedule in place. Dkt. No. 250. The Government may move in the letter for any requested exclusion of time under the Speedy Trial Act. (Signed by Judge Alison J. Nathan on 5/3/2021)."
On April 30, two more letters went into the docket: the MDC's, and Maxwell's counsel's. The MDC wrote, on delay: "At no point during or after Ms. Maxwell’s April 24, 2021, legal visit were any materials seized and retained by MDC Brooklyn staff. Those materials that defense counsel gave to Ms. Maxwell contrary to MDC Brooklyn’s legal visit procedures were confiscated by staff and return to defense counsel on April 25, 2021. In addition, none of Ms. Maxwell’s legal materials, including those items given to her during the April 24, 2021, legal visit, were photocopied. Supervisory staff discussed the incident with the staff involved and reviewed video surveillance footage. Ms. Maxwell may bring any legal materials she wishes to carry from her housing area to her in-person legal meetings with defense counsel. Pursuant to Institutional Supplement BRO5267.09A, Inmate Visiting Correctional Services, an inmate’s legal material are visually inspected for contraband by the Visiting Room Officer. To ensure inmates do not bring unauthorized materials into the institution, inmates are only allowed to remove those legal materials they brought to the legal visit. All legal visits are subject to visual monitoring only. In addition to in-person legal visits, Ms. Maxwell may request unmonitored legal calls through Unit Team and she meets with defense counsel via video-teleconferences Monday through Friday for five (5) hours per day in a private room subject to visual supervision. MDC Brooklyn will continue to abide by said procedures to ensure attorney-client communications remain confidential." Letter on Patreon here.
Then Maxwell's lawyer asked that two more hard drives be given to her, "in a more user-friendly format." And other inmates? Watch this site.
On the afternoon of April 29, Maxwell complained that "Contrary to the report that Ms. Maxwell “wears an eye mask when she sleeps” (Dkt. 196 at 4), an item neither available for purchase through MDC commissary nor provided to her, she resorts to using a sock or towel to cover her eyes in an awkward attempt to shield them from disrupting illumination every 15 minutes. Last night, she was confronted by MDC staff due a visible bruise over her left eye. The “black eye” is depicted in Exhibit B. Despite 24/7 camera surveillance (except when guards elect to exert authority in an intimidating way off-camera, as they did in Saturday’s bathroom incident), no guard addressed the bruise until Ms. Maxwell, who has no mirror, caught a reflection of her aching eye in the glean of a nail clipper. At that point, MDC staff confronted Ms. Maxwell regarding the source of the bruise, threatening to place her in the SHU if she did not reveal how she got it." Full letter on Patreon here.
Now, this order: "MEMO ENDORSEMENT as to Ghislaine Maxwell on re: [256] During oral argument of Ghislaine Maxwells bail appeal before the Circuit, Ms. Maxwell's appellate counsel expressed concern that she was improperly deprived of sleep while detained in the MDC, an issue that has been raised in filings before this Court. we ask the Court to address Ms. Maxwell's sleeping conditions by directing the MDC to cease 15-minute light surveillance of Ms. Maxwell or justify the need for the disruptive flashlight surveillance..ENDORSEMENT...By May 5, 2021, the Government is ORDERED to confer with MDC legal counsel and provide the Court responses to the following questions: Is Ms. Maxwell being subjected to flashlight surveillance every 15 minutes at night? Or any other atypical flashlight surveillance? If so, what is the basis for doing so? 3. And if so, can she be provided with appropriate eye covering? The Government is further ORDERED to share its response with defense counsel before filing it on ECF so that defense counsel can indicate whether they believe any private medical information needs to be redacted before public filing (Signed by Judge Alison J. Nathan on 4/29/21)."
On April 27, the 2d Circuit panel which heard Maxwell's appeal of detention on April 26 has ruled against her: "Defendant-Appellant Ghislaine Maxwell appeals from orders of the District Court entered December 28, 2020 and March 22, 2021, which denied her renewed requests for bail pending trial. See Dkts. 1, 20. Upon due consideration, it is hereby ORDERED that the District Court’s orders are AFFIRMED and that Appellant’s motion for bail, or in the alternative, temporary pretrial release pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3142(i), Dkt. 39, is DENIED. During oral argument, counsel for Appellant expressed concern that Appellant was improperly being deprived of sleep while incarcerated. To the extent Appellant seeks relief specific to her sleeping conditions, such request should be addressed to the District Court."
Earlier on April 26, Maxwell had her appeal of detention heard by a three judge panel of the Second Circuit Court of Appeal, which reserved decision (they will announce their decision later). Inner City Press covered it, on this site.
Back on April 23, Maxwell asked to delay her sex trafficking trial to November 8, or late January 2022: "Defense counsel Bobbi Sternheim and AUSA Lara Pomerantz are scheduled to begin the trial of on October 4, 2021. The trial involves three defendants, two of whom are currently serving federal sentence, six charged and two dozen uncharged murders. The government has estimated 6-8 weeks of trial, but because the trial is subject to special protocols for jury selection during COVID, and the defendants and most of the witnesses are Spanish speakers and require the assistance of interpreters, counsel believes that the trial may extend beyond eight (8) weeks and, if not moved, could extend until January 2022. All defense counsel but one in are amenable to a postponement; the remaining cocounsel cannot commit due to a late January trial date also before Judge Furman, which may resolve pre-trial. If Judge Furman is amenable to pushing the October 4 trial to follow this trial, Ms. Maxwell’s trial could begin November 8, 2021." Full letter on Patreon here.
This while Maxwell's appeal of detention is set to be heard by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals on April 26. Watch this site.
While it's 13 minutes until arraignment, Maxwell's lawyers have gone into the cell block to the side of the courtroom, to meet with her. U.S. Marshals prepare two chairs to set behind her when she'd brought in
Drum roll: Three US Attorney's Office prosecutors in the front tables, two defense lawyers at the second table with a seat between them for Maxwell.
And here she is: Ghislaine Maxwell in a light blue prison shirt and black face mask, sipping water
Ghislaine Maxwell picks up a handset to speak with her lawyer as if by phone - sitting six (maybe four) feet away. COVID restrictions.
For those asking, Ghislaine Maxwell's hair is longer than when last she was seen. The courtroom deputy is preparing the bench for Judge Nathan. Two minutes later so far, but who's counting
Maxwell and her lawyer are having another side by side phone call. Arraignments are usually tightly choreographed rituals. Hard to imagine what's still undecided at this point.
All rise! Judge Alison J. Nathan: "You may call the case." US v. Ghislaine Maxwell, 20-cr-330. Speaking for the government... Maurene Comey.Judge Nathan reads the script of new Rule 5f, Due Process Protection Act. Preliminaries almost over.
Judge Nathan: Ms Maxwell, have you received a copy of the indictment? Maxwell: I have, your Honor. Defense lawyer: Not guilty.
Judge Nathan: There are requests to postpone the trial to later in the year. I am looking into it and will decide soon. But for now, assume July 12. I see the government agreed to make expert disclosures today. I'm fine with that.
AUSA Comey: Nothing more from the government. Maxwell's lawyer: May I have a moment? Now 2d lawyer: On the motion in limine schedule, it is dependent on the various disclosure dates that the defense has requested. Judge Nathan: You're seeking 4 weeks? A: Yes.
AUSA Comey: Assuming the trial goes forward July 12, we propose to disclose 45 days before that. Judge Nathan: How about 7 weeks?
AUSA Comey: We want to be thorough. Judge Nathan: I'm thinking of splitting the difference. Assuming July 12, this is the schedule.
AUSA Comey: We would make a first production 7 weeks out. But there may be some after, and supplemental motions. Judge Nathan: OK, we're adjourned. That's it.
Update 1: at 2:50 pm, Ghislaine Maxwell has already been taken out of the courtroom by the Marshals.
Update 2: David Boies just spoke to us reported by the elevators on 24th floor. After some comments on severing perjury from sex trafficking, he said Ghislaine Maxwell looked better than she had on the Zoom call (that the press and public didn't see). Now outside
On April 20, Judge Nathan issued an order asking for submission on whether the trial will go forward on July 12, or later: "ORDER as to Ghislaine Maxwell: the Court hereby ORDERS counsel for the Defendant to file written answers to the following specific questions by 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 22, 2021: 1. Does defense counsel continue to seek an adjournment of the July 12th start date for trial on the non-perjury counts? 2. If the answer to question 1 is yes, what is the specific request being made as to length of adjournment? In particular, is the request for a 90-day adjournment? An adjournment until January 2022? Or something else? The Court requires a specific request be made and justified or it will not be considered. If Maxwell continues to seek an adjournment, the Government may submit any response by 5:00 pm on April 22, 2021. The Court will consider the submissions and resolve expeditiously. As noted, however, unless and until an adjournment is specifically requested and granted, the parties shall assume that the Court will request a jury selection date as close to July 12th as possible and shall plan accordingly. SO ORDERED. (Signed by Judge Alison J. Nathan on 4/20/2021)."
Meanwhile, in the run-up to April 23's arraignment, there are questions about Maxwell's 5:15 am entries into the courthouse to review discovery, and Press arraignments for April 23.
On April 19, this: "ORDER as to Ghislaine Maxwell: An arraignment on the S2 Superseding Indictment is scheduled to take place on April 23, 2021 at 2:30 p.m. The proceeding will take place in Courtroom 24B of the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Courthouse, 500 Pearl Street, New York, NY. Given significant public interest, a video feed of the proceeding will be available for viewing in the Jury Assembly Room and Courtroom 9C at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Courthouse. The use of any electronic devices during the proceeding in either the Courtroom or the overflow rooms is strictly prohibited. SO ORDERED. (Arraignment set for 4/23/2021 at 02:30 PM in Courtroom 24B, 500 Pearl Street, New York, NY 10007 before Judge Alison J. Nathan) (Signed by Judge Alison J. Nathan on 4/19/2021)."
In the Order: "In order to ensure additional public access, the Court will also open a public teleconference line so that members of the public may listen to the audio of the proceeding. Members of the public may call into the public teleconference line by dialing 844-291-6362 and entering access code 2921822. This phone line can accommodate approximately 4,000 callers on a first come, first serve basis. Any photographing, recording, or rebroadcasting of federal court proceedings is prohibited by law. Violation of these prohibitions may result in fines or sanctions, including being held in contempt of court, removal of court issued media credentials, restricted entry to future hearings, denial of entry to future hearings, or any other sanctions deemed necessary by the Court."
Back April 16, perjury was severed: "OPINION & ORDER as to Ghislaine Maxwell. In June 2020, a grand jury returned a six-count indictment charging Ghislaine Maxwell with facilitating the late financier Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse of minor victims from around 1994 to 1997. The Government filed a first (S1) superseding indictment shortly thereafter, which contained only small, ministerial corrections. The S1 superseding indictment included two counts of enticement or transportation of minors to engage in illegal sex acts in violation of the Mann Act and two counts of conspiracy to commit those offenses. It also included two counts of perjury in connection with Maxwell's testimony in a civil deposition. Trial is set to begin on July 12, 2021. Maxwell filed twelve pretrial motions seeking to dismiss portions of the S1 superseding indictment, suppress evidence, and compel discovery. After the parties fully briefed those motions, a grand jury returned a second (S2) superseding indictment adding a sex trafficking count and another related conspiracy count. This Opinion resolves all of Maxwell's currently pending pretrial motions other than those seeking to suppress evidence, which the Court will resolve in due course. The motions, and this Opinion, deal exclusively with the S1 superseding indictment and do not resolve any issues related to the newly added sex trafficking charges. For the reasons that follow, the Court denies Maxwell's motions to dismiss the S1 superseding indictment in whole or in part. It grants her motion to sever the perjury charges for a separate trial. It denies her motion to further expedite discovery.... The Court DENIES Maxwell's motions to dismiss the indictment as barred by Epstein's non-prosecution agreement (Dkt. No. 141), to dismiss the Mann Act counts as barred by the statute of limitations (Dkt. No. 143), to dismiss the indictment for pre-indictment delay (Dkt. No. 137), to dismiss the Mann Act counts for lack of specificity (Dkt. No. 123), to dismiss the perjury counts as legally untenable (Dkt. No. 135), to strike surplusage (Dkt. No. 145), to dismiss count one or count three as multiplicitous (Dkt. No. 121), and to expedite pretrial disclosures (Dkt. No. 147). The Court GRANTS Maxwell's motion to sever the perjury counts for a separate trial (Dkt. No. 119). The Court ORDERS the Government to confirm within one week whether it considers any evidence related to negotiation of the non-prosecution agreement to constitute Brady or Rule 16 material and, if so, to confirm that it has or will disclose such evidence. The Court further ORDERS the parties to negotiate a final schedule for all pretrial disclosures that remain outstanding, including: Brady, Giglio, and Jenks Act materials, including co-conspirator statements; non-testifying witness statements; testifying witness statements; the identity of victims alleged in the indictment; 404(b) material; and the Government's witness list. The Court also requires the parties to negotiate a schedule for any additional or supplemental motions briefing in light of the S2 indictment. The Court ORDERS a joint proposal to be submitted by April 21, 2021. If agreement is not reached, the parties shall submit their respective proposals. The Court further ORDERS Maxwell to show cause by April 21, 2021 why her motion to dismiss the S1 superseding indictment under the Sixth Amendment (Dkt. No. 125) should not be denied as moot. SO ORDERED. (Signed by Judge Alison J. Nathan on 4/16/2021)."
On March 22, Maxwell's third application to be freed on bail was denied: "the Court concludes that none of the Defendant’s new arguments and proposals disturb its conclusion that the Defendant poses a risk of flight and that there are no combination of conditions that can reasonably assure her appearance. Thus, for substantially the same reasons that the Court denied the Defendant’s first and second motions for release, the Court DENIES the Defendant’s third motion for release on bail." Full order on Inner City Press' DocumentCloud, here.
From the March 1, 2018 UN transcript, four months before Guterres has Inner City Press physically ousted from the UN: Inner City Press: I also wanted to ask you about UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme). Whistleblowers there have alleged a number of irregularities, but the one that caught my eye and I've published has to do with the allegation is that UNEP, which claims under Mr. [Erik] Solheim to have a number of corporate partnerships is, in fact, in some cases paying the corporation for the partnership. I.e., it's not a partnership like, you know, Barcelona Football Club with UNICEF, where they pay. In this case, they're alleged that, under Mr. Solheim, the UN Environment, as it's now called, is paying $500,000 to Volvo Ocean Races. And I wanted to know is it… one, I don't know if it's true, but they work there and they have a lot of names and a lot of information. Spokesman: I think you can ask those questions directly of UNEP. I have no doubt that Mr. Solheim is operating and running the agency in accordance to all relevant rules and regulations." Right.
Here's from the letter: "Dear Mr. Solheim... a D1, Lisa Svensson can work from Europe, because for personal reasons she does not wish to work in Nairobi. Her big office in Nairobi remains vacant with her name and organisational equipment while the same has to be provided again by another office in Europe. She leads the marine team remotely as the rest of the staff under her responsibility are in Nairobi.
As Inner City Press first reported, long time UN operative Amir Dossal, UNSG Antonio Guterres' chief Partnerships official who was also his link to UN bribers like Ng Lap Seng and Patrick Ho of CEFC China Energy, was on the board of directors of Maxwell's shadowy Terramar. Inner City Press first made this link & published the 990. And here is Dossal introducing Maxwell as one of her nine visits to the UN, here.
After the death of Jeffrey Epstein in the MCC prison, on July 2 Acting US Attorney for the SDNY Audrey Strauss announced and unsealed in indictment of Maxwell on charges including sex trafficking and perjury.
Inner City Press went to her press conference at the US Attorney's Office and asked, Doesn't charging Maxwell with perjury undercut any ability to use testimony from her against other, bigger wrong-doers? Periscope here at 23:07.
Strauss replied that it is not impossible to use a perjurer's testimony. But how often does it work?
At 3:30 pm on July 2 Maxwell appeared in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampsire, before Magistriate Judge Andrea K. Johnstone. Inner City Press live tweeted it here.
(Also live tweeted bail denial of July 14, here.)
In the July 3 media coverage of Maxwell, media all of the world used a video and stills from it of Maxwell speaking in front of a blue curtain, like here.
What they did not mention is something Inner City Press has been asking the UN about, as under UNSG Antonio Guterres with his own sexual exploitation issues (exclusive video and audio) it got roughed up and banned from the UN: Ghislaine Maxwell had a ghoulish United Nations press conference, under the banner of the "Terramar Project," here.
On July 5, after some crowd-sourcing, Inner City Press reported on another Ghislaine Maxwell use of the United Nations, facilitated by Italy's Permanent Representative to the UN, UN official Nikhil Seth and Amir Dossal, who also let into the UN and in one case took money from convicted UN briber Ng Lap Seng, and Patrick Ho of CEFC China Energy, also linked to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
At the Ghislaine Maxwell UN event, the UN Deputy Secretary General was directly involved.
List of (some of) the participants on Patreon here.
Inner City Press has published a phone of Maxwell in the UN with Dossal, here. But the connection runs deeper: Dossal with "25 years of UN involvement" was on Terrarmar's board of directors, one of only five directors, only three not related to Maxwell by blood and name.
The directors: Ghislaine Maxwell, Christine Malina-Maxwell, Steven Haft, Christine Dennison and... Amir Dossal. Inner City Press is publishing this full 990 on Patreon here.
Dossal has operated through the UN Office of Partnership, with Antonio Guterres and his deputy Amina J. Mohammed, here.
And the links to the world of UN bribery, including Antonio Guterres through the Gulbenkian Foundation, runs deeper. More to follow.
Antonio Guterres claims he has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, but covers it up and even participate in it. He should be forced to resign - and/or have immunity waived.
Terramar has been dissolved, even though Maxwell's former fundraiser / director of development Brian Yurasits still lists the URL on his (protected) Twitter profile, also here.
But now Inner City Press has begun to inquire into Ghislaine Maxwell's other United Nations connections, starting with this photograph of another day's (or at least another outfit's) presentation in the UN, here. While co-conspirator Antonio Guterres has had Inner City Press banned from any entry into the UN for two years and a day, this appears to be in the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) chamber. We'll have more on this, and on Epstein and the UN. Watch this site.
The case is US v. Maxwell, 20-cr-330 (Nathan).
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