London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2025

Ghislaine Maxwell declines to testify as defence rests

Ghislaine Maxwell declines to testify as defence rests

‘The government has not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt,’ Maxwell tells US judge in sex trafficking trial.
British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell has declined to take the stand in her sex abuse trial in the United States, as her defence rested its case ahead of final arguments next week.

Asked whether she would like to testify in her own defence, the former associate of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein told Judge Alison Nathan in New York on Friday: “Your honor, the government has not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt so there is no reason for me to testify.”

Defendants are not required to testify in their own trials in US courts, but they do occasionally to make their case directly to the jury.

Maxwell is accused of grooming underage girls for sex abuse by Epstein, who died by suicide while in US custody in a New York jail in 2019 while he was facing sex trafficking charges.

The defence presented several witnesses over the past two days, including an ex-girlfriend of Epstein, to question the accounts of four women who say Maxwell helped the late financier abuse them when they were minors.

Maxwell, 59, has pleaded not guilty to eight counts of sex trafficking and other charges. Her lawyers say she is being scapegoated because the government cannot prosecute Epstein.

Proceedings are expected to conclude on Monday, with the prosecution and the defence making their final arguments before jury deliberations begin. Maxwell faces up to 80 years in prison if convicted.

Four women have testified that Maxwell, who dated Epstein before starting to work for him, set them up to have sex with the late financier.

Two of the witnesses said Epstein started abusing them when they were 14, while three witnesses accused Maxwell of encouraging them to give Epstein massages that would escalate into sexual encounters.

Maxwell’s defence lawyers cast doubt on the women’s ability to remember events, which date back more than two decades, and also cited past drug use by two of them.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
×