Searching for to problem the credibility of accusers within the sex-trafficking trial of Jeffrey Epstein’s affiliate Ghislaine Maxwell, her protection attorneys have referred to as as witness the “false recollections” skilled Elizabeth Loftus.
“I’m right here as a professor and a scientist who research human reminiscence to speak in regards to the nature of reminiscence, the workings of reminiscence, how individuals can develop recollections of issues that didn’t occur or bear in mind issues otherwise from the best way they really had been,” Loftus mentioned on the stand Thursday.
“One factor we find out about reminiscence is that it doesn’t work like a recording machine,” she instructed the jury.
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Ghislaine Maxwell protection invokes Adam & Eve story as her trial opens
A psychology professor on the College of California, Irvine, Loftus has testified or consulted in over 300 trials, together with high-profile circumstances similar to that of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, real-estate mogul Robert Durst, and athlete O. J. Simpson.
Calling her up is a part of the Maxwell protection technique to problem the credibility of the ladies who testified that Maxwell set them up for sexual abuse by Epstein whereas they had been minors.
Of their opening assertion on the finish of November, the protection argued the accusers had been motivated by cash and pushed by false recollections influenced by the media protection of Epstein and Maxwell. Additionally they mentioned Maxwell was on trial for the crimes of Epstein, who was discovered useless in his Manhattan jail cell in August 2019.
Maxwell’s trial started on the finish of November, and prosecutors wrapped up their case final week.
US District Decide Alison Nathan, presiding over the trial, has rejected the protection movement to permit pseudonymous witnesses. It stays unclear how lots of the proposed 35 protection witnesses will take the stand, or if Maxwell can be amongst them.
