A judge rejected the request of Ghislaine Maxwell, former associate of Jeffrey Epstein, to exclude the public from the jury selection process for her trial.
U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan ruled that the press and public will be given access to view the jury selection process through video transmitted to an overflow courtroom and press room, ABC reported, while also giving two press reporters at a time physical access to the selection courtroom.
“We’re all aware that there’s been intense media and public interest in this case … These procedures will ensure the First Amendment rights to public access as is necessary and required by law,” Nathan said, adding that in making her decision, COVID-19 safety measures were taken into account.
Nathan denied a second request from Maxwell to prohibit the press and public from seeing a survey given to roughly 600 prospective jurors, according to the outlet.
Maxwell was arrested July 2, 2020, on charges relating to the conspiracy to entice and transport minors. She was subsequently hit with additional charges in March for allegedly sex trafficking a 14-year-old girl to provide sexual acts to Epstein.
Jury selection for the 12 main jurors, as well as the six backups, is slated to start on Nov. 4. The selection process was previously postponed from early July, with Nathan citing the COVID-19 pandemic and the defense needing time to look over new evidence in the trial.
Maxwell has continued to deny charges that she aided Epstein in the trafficking of minors and has pleaded not guilty. She has been denied bail on several occasions.
Epstein, who was arrested in 2019 on charges relating to sex trafficking and conspiring to abuse girls as young as 14, pleaded not guilty. He was found dead in his jail cell before he was able to stand trial. The New York City medical examiner would later assert that his death was a suicide.
Yes, Easter was found dead, and we all know full well it was an inside hit job, and not suicide. The highest likelihood is that the hit was ordered by somebody high up in the Clinton mafia ring, but there are so many high ranking political, and entertainment moguls involved in this pedophilia for profit enterprise that I could have been anybody that ordered it. Cuomo, DeBlasio, Shumer, Bush, Cheney, McConnell, the list goes far to extensive to even imagine. I’m willing to place 10 to 1 that she won’t make it to trial. Anybody know a good bookie? Just kidding FBI. I’m not looking for a bookie, so don’t try to set me up. It wouldn’t work.
I think the public should be able to watch how the criminals did the crimes to remember the ways these people tricked and manipulated the young individuals (boys and girls) to trust and befriend them only to hurt them grievously! many should learn how to prevent crimes of the type they committed and instruct our children sincerely to help them stay safe. These trials are important tools also for law enforcement and courts!