1st of 4 accusers takes stand at Ghislaine Maxwell trial

By LARRY NEUMEISTER and TOM HAYS

NEW YORK (AP) — A pistillate testified connected Tuesday that British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell was sometimes contiguous erstwhile the witness, past conscionable 14, had intersexual interactions with the financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The witness, utilizing the pseudonym “Jane,” was the archetypal of 4 alleged victims expected to attest against Maxwell astatine a New York City proceedings wherever she is charged with recruiting and grooming girls for Epstein to sexually maltreatment from 1994 to astatine slightest 2004.

A authoritative began by asking the pistillate however aged she was erstwhile she had “sexual contact” with Epstein.

“Fourteen years old,” she responded successful a quiescent voice.

She besides was asked if determination was ever anyone other successful the country erstwhile determination was intersexual contact.

“Ghislaine Maxwell,” she replied.

The grounds was expected to proceed passim the time and into Wednesday.

Maxwell has pleaded not guilty. One of her lawyers said successful an opening connection Monday that she’s being made a scapegoat for Epstein, who killed himself successful his Manhattan jailhouse compartment astatine property 66 successful 2019 arsenic helium awaited a enactment trafficking trial.

Earlier Tuesday, a erstwhile aviator for Epstein testified that helium ne'er saw grounds of intersexual enactment connected planes arsenic helium flew his brag and others — including a prince and ex-presidents — for astir 3 decades.

Lawrence Paul Visoski Jr., the trial’s archetypal witness, was responding to questions by a defence lawyer erstwhile helium acknowledged that helium ne'er encountered intersexual enactment aboard 2 jets helium piloted for astir 1,000 trips betwixt 1991 and 2019.

He said helium stayed successful the cockpit for the bulk of flights, but would sometimes look to spell to the bath oregon get coffee.

Although helium was called arsenic a witnesser by the government, Visoski’s grounds seemed to assistance the defence of Maxwell arsenic helium answered questions posed by Maxwell lawyer Christian Everdell astir what helium saw erstwhile helium straightened up the craft aft a flight.

Visoski didn’t hesitate erstwhile Everdell asked him if helium ever saw intersexual enactment erstwhile helium went for java oregon recovered enactment toys erstwhile helium cleaned up.

“Never,” the aviator answered to some questions. He said helium ne'er saw utilized condoms either.

And erstwhile helium was asked if helium ever saw enactment acts with underage females, helium answered: “Absolutely not.”

The aviator said Epstein ne'er warned him to enactment successful the cockpit during flights and besides encouraged him to usage a bath adjacent the rear of the level that would necessitate him to locomotion past the plane’s couches.

He said helium ne'er saw immoderate children connected his planes who were not accompanied by their parents.

When Everdell asked him astir a teen who prosecutors accidental was sexually abused by Epstein earlier she became an adult, Visoski said helium believed she was “mature” erstwhile helium was introduced to her.

He besides acknowledged that Clinton was a rider connected a fewer flights successful the 2000s and helium had piloted planes with Britain’s Prince Andrew, the precocious U.S. Sen. John Glenn of Ohio — the archetypal American to orbit Earth — and erstwhile presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, “more than once.”

Visoski said Epstein gave him 40 acres of onshore to physique a location connected the financier’s New Mexico spot and paid for his daughters’ assemblage education.

Epstein’s level was derisively nicknamed “The Lolita Express” by immoderate successful the media aft allegations emerged that helium had utilized it to alert teenage girls to his backstage island, his New Mexico ranch and his New York City townhouse.

Maxwell, 59, traveled for decades successful circles that enactment her successful interaction with accomplished and affluent radical earlier her July 2020 arrest.

Asked by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey wherever Maxwell stood successful the hierarchy of Epstein’s world, Visoski said Maxwell “was the Number 2.” He added that “Epstein was the large Number 1.”

The grounds supports what Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Pomerantz told jurors successful her opening connection Monday erstwhile she said Epstein and Maxwell were “partners successful crime.”

Pomerantz said Maxwell recruited and groomed girls for Epstein to sexually maltreatment from 1994 to astatine slightest 2004.

Maxwell has pleaded not blameworthy and 1 of her lawyers said successful an opening connection Monday that she’s being made a scapegoat for Epstein, who killed himself successful his Manhattan jailhouse compartment astatine property 66 successful August 2019 arsenic helium awaited a enactment trafficking trial.

Visoski testified concisely connected Monday earlier opening Tuesday connected the witnesser stand.