On Tuesday, the first full day of witness testimony in Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial, defense lawyers highlighted Epstein’s circle of high-powered acquantances, naming former Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, as well as Prince Andrew and others as passengers aboard Epstein’s private planes for the first time in court. They also sought to depict Epstein’s jet travels as casual jaunts rather than debauched sex-trafficking missions while the prosecution zeroed in on Maxwell’s closeness to the late sex offender.
In the continued questioning of Epstein’s longtime pilot Larry Visoski, Christian Everdell, a lawyer for Maxwell, cited Clinton as an example of a passenger on Epstein’s private planes that Visoski would definitely be notified of in advance, so he could make the plane “look nice”Arrange “special catering.”
He mentioned Prince Andrew, Trump, astronaut John Glenn and violinist ItzhakPerlman as being among those who had flown with Epstein. “Plenty of important people”Everdell said that the planes had been used by people who were not from the United States. He noted that these people might have a legitimate interest in protecting their privacy before asking Visoski about the non-disclosure agreement he’d signed as Epstein’s pilot. Visoski claimed that this was a common practice. “not at all”Unusual and unusual “fairly normal request” for private jet pilots.
These big-name contacts were revealed to be in contrast with the many nameless passengers, many women, who may have traveled from one place or another on what yesterday’s defense called “a” train. “Hampton Jitney in the air.” Ghislaine’s lawyers seem intent on depicting travel aboard Epstein’s jets — which photo exhibits entered into court Tuesday showed had increased in size over the years from a Hawker Siddeley with a half dozen rows of windows to a full Boeing 727 jet, the one reportedly Nicknamed the “Lolita Express” — as a casual occurrence. Everdell confirmed with Visoski that members of Epstein’s family often traveled with him as “tagalongs.” Epstein would offer someone a lift like you’d offer a ride in a car, “only in the air,”Everdell stated. Visoski claimed that he did not witness any sex acts or evidence of them on the plane. Epstein also invited Visoski to use Epstein’s lavatory at the rear, which he had reached by walking through the passenger compartment.
At the same time, Visoski described Maxwell as Epstein’s “Number Two,”She claimed that she was responsible for managing his finances during his employment, which included his expense reports. Maxwell sat with her counsel in a light sweater. He was able to lean over to discuss during breaks and watch proceedings behind a mask.
Visoski stated that he recalls meeting Jane, a 14-year-old girl whom Ghislaine (Epstein) claimed was targeted by Ghislaine at Interlochen in Michigan. He claimed he never knew her age but told the prosecutor she was “a mature woman,”With “piercing powder-blue eyes.” Everdell later asked if she’d had large breasts, appearing to attempt to draw a connection between physical development and maturity. Visoski did not answer the question but repeated that she’d appeared to him to be “a mature woman.”Jane’s actual travel on the plane was also question by defense after she met Visoski. He admitted he could picture her standing by the cockpit but couldn’t picture Jane in the passenger cabin the way he could picture a more memorable passenger — like Clinton, he noted.
After Visoski’s testimony, one of Epstein’s accusers, who is not being identified, took the stand. The trial is expected last for approximately six weeks.