Judge Alison Nathan also reminded jurors that deliberations through the New Year’s holiday are mandatory given the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.
“Yes, you will continue deliberations as needed every day going forward including 12/31 1/1 and 1/2 until you reach a verdict,” the judge wrote in a note in response to a question about scheduling.
The jury asked for the testimony of accuser Carolyn’s former boyfriend, Shawn; Cimberly Espinosa, who was Maxwell’s former assistant at Jeffrey Epstein’s New York office in the late 1990s; and FBI Agents Amanda Young and Jason Richards. The panel also requested the testimony of defense witness Dr. Elizabeth Loftus, a psychologist who testified about human memory.
It’s the first time the jury requested transcripts from defense witnesses.
The defense earlier Wednesday asked Nathan to make the holidays optional, but the judge overruled that — citing “the high likelihood that a necessary member of the trial participants or one or more members of the jury would need to quarantine for 10 days should they test positive.”
Nathan told the attorneys and the jury on Tuesday that the 12-member panel will now work every day until they reach a verdict.
“Put simply, I conclude that proceeding this way is the best chance to both give the jury as much time as they need and to avoid a mistrial as a result of the Omicron variant,” the judge told attorneys outside the jury’s presence.
Jurors resumed deliberations about 9 a.m. and Nathan has requested they work through 6 p.m., an hour later than the first five days ended.
Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend and longtime associate, has pleaded not guilty to six federal counts: sex trafficking of a…
Source : cnn
