Concerns coronavirus could have impact on trial

With the omicron variant of Covid-19 now prevalent in New York, Judge Alison Nathan urged the 12 jurors to be cautious over the holidays as “I need you all here and healthy on Monday”.

The court mandated that from Monday all attendants must wear N-95 or K-95 face masks. 

Should one get sick, one of the alternate jurors would have to be called to take their place. However, it would likely cause a delay in deliberations.

Earlier, her lawyers, Bobbi Sternheim and Laura Menninger, were seen high-fiving each other in court, though it was not clear what it was about. Ms Maxwell, in a green sweater and black trousers, appeared relaxed.

Jurors send request to judge

It came just before the jury, which began their considerations late on Monday afternoon, asked the judge to see a copy of the testimony given by “Kate”, a British alleged victim of Ms Maxwell’s, and the testimony of Epstein’s former Palm Beach House manager Juan Alessi.

Mr Alessi, 72, said that from about 1991 to 2002 he was responsible for overseeing Epstein’s house and its staff, and that in that role he communicated with Ms Maxwell on “a daily basis” as she passed along orders for him from Epstein.

He testified that, on multiple occasions, his orders included picking up a third accuser, “Jane”, when she was a teenager and driving her to and from the Florida house at the behest of both Epstein and Maxwell.

Kate, using a pseudonym, accuses Ms Maxwell of grooming her for Epstein to sexually abuse at the heiress’s London townhouse when she was 17 years old. Kate’s allegations do not form one of the six charges Ms Maxwell is facing as she was over the age of consent at the time of the allegations.