EFTA00090721.pdf
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
x
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
v.
GHISLAINE MAXWELL,
Defendant.
x
S2 20 Cr. 330 (AJN)
GHISLAINE MAXWELL'S REPLY IN SUPPORT OF
HER MOTIONS IN LIMINE
Jeffrey S. Pagliuca
Laura A. Menninger
HADDON MORGAN & FOREMAN P.C.
Denver
Phone:
Christian R. Everdell
COHEN & GRESSER LLP
New York NY
Phone:
Bobbi C. Stemheim
Law Offices of Bobbi C. Stemheim
Attorneys for Chislaine Maxwell
EFTA00090721
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I.
A.
B.
C.
D.
THIS COURT SHOULD PRECLUDE INTRODUCTION OF ALLEGED CO-
CONSPIRATOR STATEMENTS AS A SANCTION FOR GOVERNMENTS
FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS COURT'S SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 ORDER
1
The Court's Order was Neither Ambiguous Nor Misread by the Defense
1
The Court Has the Authority to Require Disclosure
2
There Should Be a Sanction
4
There are Substantial Issues with the Government's Anticipated Position
5
II.
GOVERNMENT CONCEDEDLY FAILED TO GIVE NOTICE OF THE BASIS OR
REASONING TO ADMIT ANY 404(B) EVIDENCE
6
A.
The Emails Bear No Relationship to the Charged Conspiracy, Reflect Pure Propensity
Evidence, and Otherwise are Unduly Prejudicial to Uninvolved Third-Party Adults .7
B.
11
1.
12
2. The government has apparently abandoned efforts to introduce her testimony as Rule
404(b) evidence
13
3.
constitutes an impermissible constructive
amendment and variance to the Indictment.
13
C.
briefing and ruling on the admissibility
for two weeks.
15
Ms. Maxwell reiterates her re, uest to defer
III.
THIS COURT SHOULD EXCLUDE i
TESTIMONY UNDER
FEDERAL RULE OF EVIDENCE 702 AND DAUBERT V. MERRELL DOW
PHARMACEUTICALS, INC., 509 U.S. 579 (1993) AND GRANT A DAUBERT
HEARING
15
A. This Court should reject the government's arguments to the extent that they are based on
newly disclosed material, which this Court ordered the government to produce six months
ago
15
B.
proposed testimony is inadmissible
17
C.
At a minimum, this Court should hold a Dauber: hearing.
23
IV.
THE COURT SHOULD EXCLUDE EVIDENCE RELATED
24
V.
THE GOVERNMENT CONCEDES THAT IT WILL NOT OFFER EVIDENCE OF MS.
MAXWELL'S ALLEGED "FLIGHT"
32
EFTA00090722
VI.
THE GOVERNMENT CONCEDES THAT IT WILL NOT OFFER EVIDENCE OF MS.
MAXWELL'S ALLEGED FALSE STATEMENTS AND AGREES TO MS.
MAXWELL'S PROPOSED REDACTIONS32
VII.
THE COURT SHOULD HOLD A PRE-TRIAL EVIDENTIARY HEARING ON MS.
MAXWELL'S MOTION TO SUPPRESS IDENTIFICATION.
32
VIII. GOVERNMENT AGREES NOT TO ELICIT LAW ENFORCEMENT OPINION
TESTIMONY 35
IX.
THE COURT SHOULD PRECLUDE TESTIMONY ABOUT ANY ALLEGED "RAPE"
BY JEFFREY EPSTEIN
36
XII.
REFERENCE TO ACCUSERS AS "VICTIMS" IS IMPROPER VOUCHING
38
XIII. THE COURT SHOULD PRECLUDE INTRODUCTION OF GOVERNMENT
EXHIBITS 52, 251, 288, 294, 313, 606 AND THE SEARCH OF EL BRILLO WAY
41
A.
The Court Should Exclude the Challenged Government Exhibits
41
B.
Government Exhibit 52
42
C.
The Palm Beach Search of El Brillo Way
42
D.
43
E.
The Twin Torpedoes
43
F.
Government Exhibit 313
44
G.
Government Exhibit 606
44
ii
EFTA00090723
TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
Cases
Bosco v. United States, No. 14 CIV. 3525 (JFK), 2016 WL 5376205 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 26, 2016)19
Cf. State v. Wigg, 889 A.2d 233 (Vt. 2005)
40
Daubert v. Merrell Dow Phanns., Inc., 509 U.S. 579 (1993)
passim
Dougherty v. County of Sttffolk,No. CV 13-6493 (AKT), 2018 WL 1902336 (E.D.N.Y. Apr. 20,
2018)
41
Esquivel-Quintana v. Sessions, 137 S. Ct. 1562 (2017)
30
Highland Capital Mgmt., L.P. v. Schneider, 379 F. Supp. 2d 461 (S.D.N.Y. 2005)
41
Lou v. United States, 218 F.2d 675 (5th Cir. 1955)
5
Old Chief v. United States, 519 U.S. 172 (1997)
38
People v. Davis, 423 N.Y.S.2d 229 (N.Y. App. Div. 1979)
39
Raheem v. Kelly, 257 F.3d 122 (2d Cir. 2001)
34
Ricketts v. City of Hartford, 74 F.3d 1397 (2d Cir.1996)
41
Solomon v. Smith, 645 F.2d 1179 (2d Cir. 1981)
34
State v. Cortes, 851 A.2d 1230 (Conn. App. Ct. 2004)
39
State v. Sperou, 365 Or. 121, 131, 442 P.3d 581 (2019)
40
Talkington v. State, 682 S.W.2d 674 (Tex. App. 1984)
39
United States v. Angelilli, 660 F.2d 23 (2d Cir. 1981)
8
United States v. Arroyo, 600 F. App'x 11 (2d Cir. 2015)
7
United States v. Bagaric, 706 F.2d 42 (2d Cir. 1983)
26
United States v. Bocio, 103 F. Supp. 2d 531 (N.D.N.Y. 2000)
2
United States v. Bozeman, No. 3:11-CR-129, 2012 WL 1071207 (E.D. Tenn. Mar. 29, 2012)
3
United States v. Brewington, No. 15-CR-00073-PAB, 2018 WL 1411274 (D. Colo. Mar. 21,
2018)
3
United States v. Bums, No. 07 CR 556, 2009 WL 3617448 (N.D. III. Oct. 27, 2009)
20, 21
United States v. Cummings, 60 F. Supp. 3d 434 (S.D.N.Y. 2014)
26
United States v. Curley, 639 F.3d 50 (2d Cir. 2011)
26
United States v. Curley, No. SI 08 Cr. 404 (SCR), 2009 WL 10688209 (S.D.N.Y. Jul. 15, 2009)
26
United States v. D 'Amelio, 683 F.3d 412 (2d Cir. 2012)
14
United States v. Dupre, 462 F.3d 131 (2d Cir. 2006)
14
United States v. Ehrens, No. CR-15-200-C, 2015 WL 7758544 (W.D. Okla. Dec. 1, 2015)
39
iii
EFTA00090724
United States v. English, No. 18 Cr. 492 (PGG) (S.D.N.Y. 2020)
37
United States v. Golyansky, 291 F.3d 1245 (10th Cir. 2002)
4
United States v. Gonyer, No. 1:12-CR-00021-JAW, 2012 WL 3043020 (D. Me. July 24, 2012)20
United States v. Graham, No. 14 Cr. 500 (NSR), 2015 WL 6161292 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 20, 2015) 38
United States v.
United States v.
United States v.
United States v.
United States v.
United States v.
United States v.
United States v.
United States v.
United States v.
United States v
2019)
United States v.
United States v.
United States v.
United States v.
41
United States v.
United States v.
United States v.
United States v.
United States v.
United States v.
United States v.
United States v.
United States v.
United States v.
United States v.
Gross, 15-cr-769 (MN), 2017 WL 4685111 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 18, 2017)
14
Jacobs, 650 F. Supp. 2d 160 (D. Conn. 2009)
2
LaFlan:, 369 F.3d 153 (2d Cir. 2004)
7
Lee, 834 F.3d 145 (2d Cir. 2016)
4
Lewis, 818 F. App'x 74 (2d Cir. 2020)
15
Lincoln, No. 19-CR-6047 (CJS), 2019 WL 719822 (W.D.N.Y. Dec. 23, 2019)28
Moccia, 681 F.2d 61 (1st Cir. 1982)
38
Mollica, 849 F.2d 723 (2d Cir. 1988)
14
Nektalov, 325 F. Supp. 2d 367 (S.D.N.Y. 2004)
29, 37
Pineros, 532 F.2d 868 (2d Cir. 1976)
4
Raniere, No. 18-CR-2041-NGG-VMS, 2019 WL 2212639 (E.D.N.Y. May 22,
20, 23
Raymond, 700 F. Supp. 2d 142 (D. Me. 2010)
20, 21, 22
Rigas, 490 F.3d 208 (2d. Cir. 2007)
14
Salmonese, 352 F.3d 608 (2d Cir. 2003)
14
Schneider, No. CRIM.A. 10-29, 2010 WL 3734055 (E.D. Pa. Sept. 22, 2010) 20,
Sena, No. 19-CR-01432, 2021 WL 4129247 (D.N.M. Sept. 9, 2021)
39, 40
Sliker, 751 F.2d 477 (2d Cir.1984)
41
Smalls, No. CR 06-2403 RB, 2008 WL 11361098 (D.N.M. Jan. 24, 2008)
3
Stein, 521 F. Supp. 2d 266 (S.D.N.Y. 2007)
38
Townsend, No. Si 06 CR. 34 (JFK), 2007 WL 1288597 (S.D.N.Y. May I, 2007)
29, 36
Tracy, 12 F.3d 1186 (2d Cir.1993)
5
Velez, No. 3:10CR147 JBA, 2010 WL 4929266 (D. Conn. Nov. 30, 2010)
3
Vickers, 708 F. App'x 732 (2d Cir. 2017)
28, 31
Von Foelkel, 136 F.3d 339 (2d Cir. 1998)
26
Walia, No. 14-CR-213 (MKB), 2014 WL 3734522 (S.D.N.Y. Jul. 25, 2014) 25
Williams, 506 F.3d 151 (2d Cir. 2007)
22
iv
EFTA00090725
Statutes
18 U.S.C. § 1591
37
18 U.S.C. § 2422
28
18 U.S.C. § 2423(a)
28
N.Y. Penal Law § 130.55
28
Other Authorities
6 Handbook of Fed. Evid. § 801:25 (9th ed.)
5
Rules
Fed. R. Crim. 16
17
Fed. R. Evid. 104
41
Fed. R. Evid. 401
22, 43
Fed. R. Evid. 402
10, 16, 43, 44
Fed. R. Evid. 403
passim
Fed. R. Evid. 404(b)
passim
Fed. R. Evid. 412
14, 18, 22
Fed. R. Evid. 702
17, 21, 22
Fed. R. Evid. 801
2, 3, 5
EFTA00090726
Ghislaine Maxwell hereby submits her Reply In Support of Her Motions in Limine.
I. THIS COURT SHOULD PRECLUDE INTRODUCTION OF ALLEGED CO-
CONSPIRATOR STATEMENTS AS A SANCTION FOR GOVERNMENT'S
FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS COURT'S SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 ORDER
The government offers several excuses for its failure to comply with this Court's
September 3, 2021 Order. These excuses are insufficient and should be rejected.
A. The Court's Order was Neither Ambiguous Nor Misread by the Defense
First, the government suggests that Ms. Maxwell has misread the Order. We disagree.
The Court unambiguously rejected the government's position and ruled that the government's
expressed concern about disclosure "does not outweigh the risk of surprise to the Defendant in
this case or the need for the parties to litigate co-conspirator issues in advance of trial to ensure
the absence of delay." Dkt. 335 at 3. To both "avoid the risk of surprise" and "litigate co-
conspirator issues in advance of trial to ensure the absence of delay, " the Court identified two
things that were necessary from the government: First, no later than October 11, 2021, the
government was required to "disclose to the defense the identities of any unnamed co-
conspirators who allegedly participated in the conspiracies charged in the S2 indictment to whom
the government will refer at trial." Id. Second, the Court, unambiguously and emphatically,
directed: "The Government is FURTHER ORDERED to disclose all co-conspirator hearsay
statements it intends to offer at trial no later than October 11, as consistent with this Court's
scheduling order. Dkt. No. 297 at I." (emphasis in original.)
The Court used the word "disclose" both as to the identity of the co-conspirators "to
whom the government will refer to at trial" and "all co-conspirator hearsay statements it intends
to offer at trial...." The government, in an attempt to blunt the Order, decided to interpret the
same word, "disclose" in materially distinct fashions. As to the identity of the co-conspirators,
the government disclosed (i.e., identified) three names. When it was parsing the second part of
1
EFTA00090727
the Order, however, the government defined the word "disclose" differently. Disclose, as to the
actual statements, according to the government, means "produced" at some time in the past or to
be produced in the future, perhaps as an oral statement during trial.
Of course, the Court will tell the parties whether it meant two completely different things
when it used the same word, as argued by the government, or whether it intended for the
government to disclose the statements it intends to offer as co-conspirator statements. To avoid
delay over this issue during trial, Ms. Maxwell suggests that she cannot litigate this issue in
advance of trial without knowing what statements are being offered under Federal Rule of
Evidence 801(d)(2)(e).
What is clear from the government's response is not that it misunderstood the Order, but
rather, it continues to disagree with the Order.
B. The Court Has the Authority to Require Disclosure
Second, doubling down on its disagreement with the Court, the government claims "it is
aware of no such case" in which a court ordered the identification of anticipated co-conspirator
statements prior to trial. While the government may not be "aware" of such cases, they certainly,
and abundantly, exist.
In United States v. Bocio, 103 F. Supp. 2d 531, 534 (N.D.N.Y. 2000), the court ordered
pretrial disclosure of statements of co-conspirators (Government "must disclose to the defendant
and make available for inspection, copying, or photographing: any relevant written or recorded
statements ..., or copies thereof, within the possession, custody, or control of the government.").
In United States v. Jacobs, 650 F. Supp. 2d 160, 171 (D. Conn. 2009), the court ordered
co-conspirator statements be produced in advance of trial ("In the case of a co-conspirator who
the government plans to call as a witness at trial, that time is now, and the government is directed
to produce any relevant statement to defense counsel forthwith.")
2
EFTA00090728
In United States v. Velez, No. 3: 10CRI47 JBA, 2010 WL 4929266, at *7 (D. Conn. Nov.
30, 2010), the defendant moved for disclosure of any co-conspirator statements in advance of
trial. In response, the government agreed to disclose "well in advance of trial, exactly which of
the intercepted telephone calls will be offered as full exhibits at trial and transcripts of those calls
will be provided in advance of trial." Based on that representation the court denied the motion to
produce as moot, "without prejudice to renew if the Government fails to comply with its ongoing
disclosure obligations." Id.
In United States v. Smalls, No. CR 06-2403 RB, 2008 WL 11361098, at *8-9 (D.N.M.
Jan. 24, 2008), the court's order was very detailed:
The United States is hereby instructed to:
file a supplemental brief identifying the summary witness; specifically identifying
each and every coconspirator statement it intends to offer at trial as evidence against
Defendants pursuant to Fed. R. Evid. 801(d)(2)(E); and stating how each proffered
statement satisfies the requirements of Rule 801(d)(2)(E). Specifically, with respect
to each alleged coconspirator statement, the United States must indicate: a) the
identity of the coconspirator who made the alleged statement; b) the identity of the
person or persons to whom the coconspirator statement was made; c) the identity
of the witness who will testify at trial about the coconspirator statement; d) the
content of the coconspirator statement; e) when the statement was made; 0 how the
statement is in the course of the alleged conspiracy; and g) how the statement is in
furtherance of the alleged conspiracy. Additionally, the United States must identify
the independent evidence it intends to offer in support of admission of the alleged
coconspirator statements.
See also United States v. Brewington, No. 15-CR-00073-PAB, 2018 WL 1411274, at *3 (D.
Cob. Mar. 21, 2018) (court required the government to identify and produce all its purported
801(d)(2)(e) statements, in the hundreds; held an evidentiary pre-trial hearing about the
admissibility of those statements; and made detailed, statement by statement rulings about
admissibility, excluding some and conditionally admitting others); United States v. Bozeman,
No. 3: II-CR-129, 2012 WL 1071207, at *14 (E.D. Tenn. Mar. 29, 2012), affd, No. 3:11-CR-
3
EFTA00090729
129-1, 2012 WL 1565099 (E.D. Tenn. May I, 2012) (government must disclose any statements
of co-conspirators that it intends to use at trial three weeks prior to the trial).
There is ample legal authority for the Court to enter the Order to avoid delays and
arguments during trial about what statements are or are not within the 10-year conspiracy alleged
here and to prevent surprise and prejudice to the Defendant.
C. There Should Be a Sanction
Hedging its bets, the government acknowledges that it "may have misread the court's
order" but offers no solution other than the defense is "free to litigate the admissibility of any
such statement during trial." This was the government's losing argument before the Order.
District courts have broad discretion to sanction a party who violates discovery orders.
United States v. Golyansky, 291 F.3d 1245, 1249 (10th Cir. 2002). In considering a particular
remedy for a violation, the factors considered are "the reasons why disclosure was not made, the
extent of the prejudice, if any, to the opposing party, the feasibility of rectifying that prejudice by
a continuance, and any other relevant circumstances." United States v. Lee, 834 F.3d 145, 159
(2d Cir. 2016) (quoting United States v. Pineros, 532 F.2d 868, 871 (2d Cir. 1976)). The
appropriate remedy is exclusion. Ms. Maxwell has been in jail for approximately 18 months. She
is trying not to request a continuance of the trial and her lawyers are making every effort to
review massive amounts of discovery, interview potential witness, prepare for trial, and juggle a
myriad of other responsibilities. The government offers no legitimate excuse for non-
compliance. It clearly knows what statements it will try to introduce, it just does not want to tell
anyone to avoid challenges to the statements. This is willful, not negligent or inadvertent conduct
which should not be sanctioned by the Court.
4
EFTA00090730
D. There are Substantial Issues with the Government's Anticipated Position
For a statement to fall within the definition of Fed. R. Evid. 801(d)(2)(E), "a court must
find (1) that there was a conspiracy, (2) that its members included the declarant and the party
against whom the statement is offered, and (3) that the statement was made both (a) during the
course of and (b) in furtherance of the conspiracy." United States v. Tracy, 12 F.3d 1186, 1196
(2d Cir. 1993). A cursory review of the discovery produced related to one purported co-
conspirator demonstrates the folly of proceeding as the government persists.
The government failed to follow the Court's Order and fails to explain why it did not
disclose the statements as ordered. Accordingly, the Court should prohibit introduction of any
alleged co-conspirator statements at trial.
5
EFTA00090731
II. GOVERNMENT CONCEDEDLY FAILED TO GIVE NOTICE OF THE
BASIS OR REASONING TO ADMIT ANY 404(B) EVIDENCE
The government concedes that (i) it was aware of the December 2020 Amendments to
Rule 404(b) (Resp. at 34), (ii) those Amendments required it to give notice of the "permitted
purpose for which the prosecutor intends to offer the [404(b)] evidence and the reasoning that
supports the purpose" (id.) ("Notice"), and (iii) the October 11'h "Maxwell Rule 404 Letter"
("Letter") did not identify the "permitted purpose" under Rule 404(b) for which the government
seeks (alternative) admission of the two categories of evidence, nor the "reasoning that supports
that evidence."' The government wholly fails to explain why it could not comply with these
"relatively modest" new Notice requirements on the timeline ordered by this Court. Nowhere in
response does the government seek leave for an extension to provide the appropriate Notice out
of time nor justify its "good cause" for failure to timely comply with both the Court's Order and
the Rule. Instead, they assert that "any alleged gap in the Government's notice is remediated by
this brief." Resp. at 39-40. To quote the government's response to Ms. Maxwell's motion in
limine, "to the extent the [government] takes issue with the rule" requiring specific pre-trial
Notice under Rule 404(b), "that complaint is properly directed to the drafters of the Federal
Rules of Evidence." Resp. at 61 n.15.
Having failed to comply with the Notice requirements of the Rule by the (extended)
Court ordered deadline of October 11, the government belatedly argues that the tendered
evidence is either direct evidence or admissible under Rule 404(b). They are wrong on both
fronts.
I Under the misleading and disingenuous sub-heading (2) ("The Government has Met and
Exceeded its Notice Obligations"), the government points only to its (i) October 11 disclosure of certain
of the evidence (which gives neither a a proper "purpose" or "reasoning"), and (ii) its Response (the
required "notice is remediated by this brief').
6
EFTA00090732
"In assessing whether a district court properly admitted other act evidence, we consider
whether (I) it was offered for a proper purpose; (2) it was relevant to a material issue in dispute;
(3) its probative value is substantially outweighed by its prejudicial effect; and (4) the trial court
gave an appropriate limiting instruction to the jury if so requested by the defendant." United
States v. Arroyo, 600 F. App'x II, 13 (2d Cir. 2015) (summary order) (quoting United States v.
Lanam, 369 F.3d 153, 156 (2d Cir. 2004).
are offered for improper purposes, i.e.,
propensity, are not relevant to any material issue in dispute and their probative value is
substantially outweighed by their prejudicial effect.
A. near
No Relationship to the Charged Conspirac Reflect Pure
Propensity Evidence, and Otherwise are Unduly Prejudici
The government's argument for admissibility of
is breathtaking in its claims
and unsupported by admissible evidence. Without expert testimony or even bothering to
interview
the government contends
represent "direct evidence"
of a conspiracy (to recruit, groom, and sexually abuse minor females or to entice, transport or
traffic them for Jeffrey Epstein's sexual pleasure) that
Resp. at 36.
2 The proffered evidence is found at GX 401-404, 409-410 and 413
7
EFTA00090733
The government contends that
reveal "defendant's intent and motive," but
their argument is defies logic.
This is exactly the
type of evidence forbidden by Rule 404(b). See United States v. AngellIli, 660 F.2d 23, 40-41
(2d Cir. 1981) ("While we conclude that the custom and practice evidence was admissible for the
purposes we have discussed, we agree with the defendants that Rule 404(b) barred its use to
prove that the individual defendants acted in conformity with the custom and practice. ...").
Even if the Court overlooks the government's failure to provide notice,
absence of relevance to the charged conspiracy, and the government's failure to set forth a non-
propensity ground for admissibility,
should also be excluded under Rules 401 and
403, as they do not tend to make any fact of consequence more or less probable, and their
probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice and confusing the
issues.
8
EFTA00090734
EFTA00090735
Ms.
Maxwell strongly disputes that suggestion. Notably, as the Court can tell, the government did
not offer any evidence (or any offer of proof in their Response) that this document was in fact
I0
EFTA00090736
drafted by Ms. Maxwell. Compare GX 417-B, 418-B, 420-B, 420-B (all purporting to represent
metadata of other emails with the author identified).
Such arguments are based on outdated
stereotypes and reveal a reliance on character evidence that the Rules of Evidence specifically
disallow.
This Court should reject the belated, insufficient, improper argument that
are
direct evidence of the charged conspiracy, should find they are propensity evidence barred by
Rule 404(b) and should also exclude them under Rule 403 as more prejudicial than probative.
B.
11
EFTA00090737
1.
Mot. at 7. Defense counsel had insufficient time to
review, investigate or rebut the admissibility of the materials as direct evidence less than one
week later on October le. For that reason, the Motion did not move to exclude the evidence as
direct evidence but rather sought additional time in which to do so. Given the drafting of
hundreds of pages of pleadings in the last week, counsel is still unprepared to make the required
showing on the direct evidence point and seeks additional time in which to do so.
5 Bear in mind that the government also moved to exclude evidence that these same "abused"
individuals reported to the police that they had no interactions or dealings with Ms. Maxwell. Gov't
Motion in Limine at 42 ("The defendant is not charged with committing crimes against [the] victims [who
reported that they had no interactions or dealings with Ms. Maxwell].") The fact that the government
clearly intends to rely on how open the alleged abuse was, the relevance of evidence that even the people
who claim they were abused by Epstein during the same time frame but without any knowledge or
participation by Ms. Maxwell becomes highly relevant to rebut such testimony.
12
EFTA00090738
2. The government has apparently abandoned efforts to introduce her
testimony as Rule 404(b) evidence.
In their response, the government still fails to comply with the new Rule 404(b) notice
requirements. First, they do not actually identify the evidence with any specificity, especially
with respect to the "exhibits" that they hope to introduce through her. Second, while they use the
words "plan and preparation" or "knowledge," they fail to explain how those uses of the
testimony are independent of the character / propensity inference banned by Rule 404(b). How
are the process and frequency of massages or the sexual nature of massages after the period of
the conspiracy proof of a plan or preparation, apart from the propensity inference? A plan or
preparation usually comes before an event. Planning or preparing for something after it has
occurred can only be based on an assumption that because you are the kind of person who
solicits underage massages later, you must have been the kind of person to do so earlier.
Similarly, knowledge after the end of the conspiracy is not the same as knowledge at the time of
or before the purported charged acts occurred, except by way of propensity. Finally, unspecified
exhibits, many of which appear to have been written after the conspiracy (e.g., GX 505 — dated
Feb. 14, 2005) cannot likewise be proof of the charged crimes which were allegedly completed
before
uses of
showed up.
Because the government makes no effort to argue the non-propensity purpose for these
via Rule 404(b), and failed to give notice of the purposes or reason in
advance in any event, this Court should exclude the evidence on this ground.
3.
constitutes an impermissible
constructive amendment and variance to the Indictment.
Finally, what is clear from the government's proffer in their Response, the anticipated
testimony o
will serve as an improper constructive
13
EFTA00090739
amendment to, and an impermissible variance of, the Indictment. As this Court previously has
ruled:
"To prevail on a constructive amendment claim, a defendant must demonstrate that
'the terms of [an] indictment are in effect altered by the presentation of evidence
and jury instructions which so modify essential elements of the offense charged that
there is a substantial likelihood that the defendant may have been convicted of an
offense other than that charged in the indictment." United States v. D'Amelio. 683
F.3d 412. 416 (2d Cir. 2012) (quoting United States v. Mollica. 849 F.2d 723. 729
(2d Cir. 1988)). Because the doctrine of constructive amendment protects a
defendant's Grand Jury Clause rights, a constructive amendment constitutes a "per
se violation" of the defendant's constitutional rights—i.e. there is no requirement
that a defendant make a specific showing of prejudice. Id. at 417. In contrast to a
constructive amendment, "[a] variance occurs when the charging terms of the
indictment are left unaltered, but the evidence at trial proves facts materially
different from those alleged in the indictment." Id. (quoting United States v.
Salmonese, 352 F.3d 608. 621 (2d Cir. 2003)).
United States v. Gross, 15-cr-769 (MN), 2017 WL 4685111, at *20 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 18, 2017).
As this Court then recognized, the Second Circuit has consistently relied on the same
start and end dates of a conspiracy to find that differing trial proof did not affect a constructive
amendment or variance. See id. ("The indictment and the evidence at trial contained the same
starting and ending dates of the conspiracy...") (quoting United States v. Rigas, 490 F.3d 208,
229 (2d. Cir. 2007)); see also United States v. Dupre, 462 F.3d 131, 141 (2d Cir. 2006) ("The
starting and ending dates of the conspiracy noted in the indictment correspond to the conspiracy
proven at trial..."). Conversely, the substantial quantity of testimony — for the post-conspiracy
time period of
, who never met any of the four accusers as far as can be gleaned, and the documents she
intends to authenticate, run a substantial risk that the government's proof at trial will not be the
same core evidence charged in the Indictment because it will be based on evidence that post-
dates the events charged in the Indictment.
14
EFTA00090740
C. Ms. Maxwell reiterates her re uest to defer briefin and rulin on the
admissibility
for two
weeks.
For the reasons already detailed, the complexity of the issues and the fact that ■
recently disclosed testimony appears to be of utmost centrality to the government's
case, Ms. Maxwell repeats and reiterates her request that she be afforded additional time to
submit a comprehensive motion in limine concerning the introduction of this testimony and
exhibits as supposed direct evidence of the charged conspiracy. In that there remains a full
month before opening statements, Ms. Maxwell's fundamental rights to present a defense, to
have the effective assistance of counsel, and to a right to confront witnesses and subpoena
witnesses to testify in her defense all will be preserved by a small delay on this issue.
III. THIS COURT SHOULD EXCLUDE
TESTIMONY UNDER
FEDERAL RULE OF EVIDENCE 702 AND DAUBERT V. MERRELL DOW
PHARMACEUTICALS, INC., 509 U.S. 579 (1993) AND GRANT A DAUBERT
HEARING
A. This Court should reject the government's arguments to the extent that they are
based on newly disclosed material, which this Court ordered the government to
produce six months ago.
Recognizing that
proposed testimony is on shaky ground (to say the least), the
government belatedly tries to shore up its case and hoist up its expert witness. Two days ago, and
six months after the court-imposed deadline for expert disclosures, the government first
disclosed to defense counsel about 300 pages of material on which
apparently relied in
reaching her conclusions. This Court should reject the government's untimely effort to save
testimony from exclusion. See United States v. Lewis, 818 F. App'x 74, 79 (2d Cir.
2020) (unpublished) (affirming exclusion of defendant's proffered expert evidence "that did not
adhere to the discovery schedule").
15
EFTA00090741
In any case, the newly discovered material doesn't help the government's cause. Exhibit
A (literally) to the government's response is a journal article describing "grooming" as a
"construct." Resp, Ex. A, Natalie Bennett & William O'Donohue, The Construct of Grooming in
Child Sexual Abuse, 23 J. Child Sexual Abuse 957, 974 (2014). (In fact, Ms. Maxwell cited this
article in her motion.) Far from supporting
conclusions, the article proves their
unreliability:
There have been claims that some child molesters engage in a "seduction stage"
prior to committing abuse. These behaviors, commonly known as "grooming," are
understood as methods child molesters use to gain access to and prepare future
victims to be compliant with abuse. However, there is a lack of consensus regarding
exactly what this process entails and how it is clearly distinguished from normal
adult-child interactions. . . . Furthermore, there are no methods of known
psychometrics to validly assess grooming.
Gov't Resp., Ex. A, p 2 (emphasis added). The article concludes:
Currently there is no consensus regarding how to define grooming. In addition,
there is no valid method to assess whether grooming has occurred or is occurring.
The field possesses an insufficient amount of knowledge about key issues such as
the interrater reliability of these judgments or the error rates of these judgments
including the frequency of false negatives or false positives. Thus currently it
appears that grooming is not a construct that ought to be used in forensic settings
as it does not meet some of the criteria in the Daubert standard. . . . Right now it
does not appear to be the case that there are "reliable principles and methods" to
define and detect grooming.
Id. at 19 (emphasis added).
Because the government cannot justify admission of
testimony based on its
prejudicially late disclosures, and because those disclosures don't support
views, and
underscore that "grooming" is not a scientific principle based on psychometric testing, this Court
should preclude
from testifying. And as explained below, the government's other
defenses of
fall far short of what is required by Rules 401, 402, 403, 404, 702, and 704.
16
EFTA00090742
B.
proposed testimony is inadmissible.
According to the government, Ms. Maxwell "does not contest that Dr.
is a
qualified expert." Resp. at 9. To the degree that Dr.
has the credentials of a potential
expert, the government is right.
But saying that
is a "qualified expert" is not enough. The government must
identify what
is an expert in. Fed. R. Evid. 702; Fed. R. Crim. 16. As Ms. Maxwell
pointed out in her motion, the government hasn't done that. Mot. at 2.
What's more, even if
is a "qualified expert" in something, she is not a "qualified
expert" in everything. (For example, the government agrees that she is not an expert in the
human brain or memory generally. Resp. at 30 n.7.) And as even the government admits,
has no experience or expertise in diagnosing, evaluating, or treating alleged perpetrators
of sexual abuse. Resp. at 19, 23, 26. She cannot therefore speak to the psychology of alleged
perpetrators and their so-called "grooming techniques."
The government attempts a two-step to get around this problem. "By virtue of experience
treating victims," says the government, "Dr.
is necessarily informed about perpetrators'
actions." Resp. at 19.
But how does
know her patients were victims of sexual abuse? Because her
patients told her so, and
assumes they are telling the truth. Again,
opinions
are based on her treatment of a self-selected, unrepresentative group of individuals she assumes
are telling the truth and are therapeutic consumers in a financial relationship with her.
The government has no response to this, other than to say that
and other
"[c]linical psychologists are not so credulous." Resp. at 16. If this were right, though, one would
expect the government to explain how clinical psychologists ensure their patients are telling the
truth — in other words, how clinical psychologists like
test and verify their opinions.
17
EFTA00090743
But that's not what the government does. Instead, right after claiming that "[c]linical
psychologists are not so credulous," the government essentially says to Ms. Maxwell, "How dare
you?" In the government's words, "The Court should reject the defendant's speculative claim
that Dr.
has been misled by hundreds of patients who sought professional treatment for
traumatic events that did not occur." Resp. at 16.
In this way, and in one breath, the government attests that
is "not so credulous."
But in the next breath, the government asks this Court to assume that
"has [not] been
misled by hundreds of patients who sought professional treatment for traumatic events that did
not occur." In other words, the government asks this Court to assume
patients are
telling the truth, just as
does. Apparently
is "so credulous." But there is no
reason this Court should be.
The government next notes that the term "grooming-by-proxy" "appears nowhere in the
Government's expert notice." Resp. at 26. That's hardly surprising, though, because there is no
reliable way to assess or analyze if one individual "grooming" a minor to facilitate abuse by
someone else, even though that is exactly what the government says Ms. Maxwell did.
As detailed today is Ms. Maxwell's Rule 412 motion, the Indictment alleges "grooming"
or "normalization" of sexual behavior by Ms. Maxwell over a dozen times. The government does
not, however, contend that Ms. Maxwell "groomed" anyone for her own benefit; instead, the
government contends that she "groomed" them for Epstein's benefit. But as the government does
not dispute, there is nothing—not a journal article, and not a study, nothing—to validate
opinions on grooming-by-proxy (even if she doesn't use that phrase).6
6 The articles and cases the government cites involve alleged grooming behavior by the preparator
of the abuse, not alleged grooming behavior by a third patty.
18
EFTA00090744
Recognizing that
opinions are thus unreliable, the government says: "If the
victim experienced attachment and grooming, it makes no analytical difference whether the
perpetrator intends to engage in sexual contact with the victim or, instead, is preparing the victim
for abuse by a third party." Resp. at 26.
Hardly. It makes all the difference in the world because Ms. Maxwell is on trial, not Mr.
Epstein. The logic (such as it is) of grooming evidence is that the perpetrator normalizes sexual
behavior to facilitate his later abuse of the victim. But because Ms. Maxwell did not abuse
anyone, there is no basis to conclude that anything she did was "grooming." The government
thus intends to have
characterize innocent conduct by Ms. Maxwell as something more
nefarious, thereby further blurring the line that experts are already unable to draw reliably. Resp.
Ex. A, p 2 ("There is a lack of consensus regarding exactly what [the grooming] process entails
and how it is clearly distinguished from normal adult—child interactions.").
The government's additional arguments fail.
•
A psychologist who treats alleged victims of abuse but does not treat alleged
perpetrators is nothing like a urologist who treats urology patients. Resp. at 11
(citing Bosco v. United States, No. 14 CIV. 3525 (JFK), 2016 WL 5376205
(S.D.N.Y. Sept. 26, 2016)).
assumes her patients are telling the truth, and
she never hears or credits the other side of the story. The urologist, by contrast,
has scientific means to verify what her patients tell her, and there isn't another
person whose side of the story she needs to hear.
•
The government repeatedly says that "courts have frequently admitted testimony
about the psychological relationship between victims of sexual abuse and their
perpetrators." Resp. at 13. See also id. at 7-8. But those cases do not address the
19
EFTA00090745
situation here, in which the alleged "groomer" was not the person who perpetrated
the alleged abuse.
•
Even where the "groomer" and "perpetrator" are the same person, courts have
recognized the unreliability of grooming testimony. United States v. Gonyer, No.
1:12-CR-00021-JAW, 2012 WL 3043020, at *2-3 (D. Me. July 24, 2012); United
States v. Raymond, 700 F. Supp. 2d 142, 146-47 (D. Me. 2010); United States v.
Schneider, No. CRIM.A. 10-29, 2010 WL 3734055, at *4 (E.D. Pa. Sept. 22,
2010); see also United States v. Raniere, No. 18-CR-204I-NGG-VMS, 2019 WL
2212639, at *7 (E.D.N.Y. May 22, 2019); United States v. Burns, No. 07 CR 556,
2009 WL 3617448, at *5 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 27, 2009) (criticizing the "grooming
theory" in the context of a sentencing guidelines calculation).
•
The government tries to distinguish United States v. Raymond by saying that the
expert's own book in that case "disavow[ed] [its] reliability . . . for legal use."
Resp. at 14. But that is exactly the situation here, because the primary article on
which the government relies—Exhibit A to its response-flatly says "that
grooming is not a construct that ought to be used in forensic settings as it does not
meet some of the criteria in the Daubert standard." Resp., Ex. A, p 19.
•
The government says
opinions are not "anecdotal." But that's not right
either, as her endorsement makes clear:
opinions are based "on her
education and training on psychological trauma, traumatic stress, interpersonal
violence, and sexual abuse (and her] extensive clinical experience treating
individuals who suffered sexual abuse and trauma in childhood and adolescence,
20
EFTA00090746
as well as (herJ experience conducting forensic psychological evaluations of
people who have experienced sexual abuse and trauma." Mot. Ex. 1, p 2.
•
The government tries to disclaim the importance of error rates. Resp. at 15-17.
But it's not just that
cannot identify an error rate, it's that her implicit
conclusion is that she doesn't have an error rate. That is, all her patients are
telling the truth when they say they were groomed, so any evidence that matches
what her patients have told her is therefore evidence of grooming.
•
But even if the error-rate discussion were misplaced, that doesn't mean
opinions are reliable. As a "qualitative" matter, and as the government's own
Exhibit A concedes, there are no "'reliable principles and methods' to define and
detect grooming." Govt. Resp., Ex. A, p 19 (quoting Fed. R. Evid. 702).
•
The government apparently expects that, "somehow, a lay jury without guidance
[will] apply I
I analyses reliably to the facts of a case in determining
guilt." See Raymond, 700 F. Supp. 2d at 150 (rejecting argument that a jury could
do just that). This Court should not, as the government request, simply punt the
matter to the jury. Resp. at 17-18. The Court is the gatekeeper. It must ensure the
evidence is reliable and relevant. If it's not both, it has no place in a criminal jury
trial, because it will "radically simplify" an otherwise complex case, Burns, 2009
WL 3617448, at *5, and it will, as the United States Supreme Court has
cautioned, prejudicially mislead the jury, Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharnts., Inc.,
509 U.S. 579, 595 (1993) ("Expert evidence can be both powerful and quite
misleading because of the difficulty in evaluating it.").
21
EFTA00090747
•
The government denies Ms. Maxwell's argument that "a lay jury will be unable to
apply Dr.
analyses to the facts of this case" because "[t]hat is not how
Rule 702 works." Resp. at 20. Responds the government: "That is precisely how
Rule 702 works in cases where experts testify about general principles, which the
Rule contemplates." Id. at 21. Surely that is not right when, as here, the "general
principles" are unreliable. Fed. it Evid. 702, Advisory Committee Note (if expert
testifies to general principles but not apply them, "the testimony [must] be
reliable"). See also Mot. at 10; Raymond, 700 F. Supp. 2d at 150 n.12 (expert
testimony about general principles is helpful only when it "describe[es] widely
recognized and highly predictable and verifiable phenomena").
•
The government attempts to fault Ms. Maxwell for making "no argument that the
minor victims in this case are distinctive in some way such that general principles
of psychology may diverge as to them." Resp. at 18. This argument flips the
proper analysis on its head. It's the government's burden to prove reliability. E.g.,
United States v. Williams, 506 F.3d 151, 160 (2d Cir. 2007). It's not Ms.
Maxwell's burden to prove unreliability (though if it were her burden, she would
have met it).
•
The government says that "the causal connection between ... psychological
problems and child sexual abuse is outside the experience of the average juror"
and is relevant to the alleged victims' credibility. Resp. at 24. It's not, and any
minor probative value the evidence has is substantially outweighed by the danger
of unfair prejudice. Fed. R. Evid. 401, 403. And as explained in the Rule 412
motion today, if
offers testimony and the government presents argument
22
EFTA00090748
along these lines, that will open the door to other sexual behavior evidence. That
door can remain at least partially closed if
is not permitted to offer her
irrelevant and unfairly prejudicial testimony.
•
The government still hasn't explained how it helps the jury to be told that a victim
of sexual abuse might make an immediate disclosure, or she might make an
incremental disclosure, or she might make a delayed disclosure. Resp. at 27-30.
And when the government says, "[s]exual abuse also impacts the way memory is
encoded," that opinion is far outside
expertise because the parties agree
that she is not an expert in "the human brain or memory generally." Resp. at 30
n.7.
C. At a minimum, this Court should hold a Dauber! hearing.
There is ample reason for this Court to exclude
testimony outright. At the very
least, Ms. Maxwell is entitled to a Daubert hearing. The government implicitly concedes as
much. In a footnote, the government acknowledges the decision in United States v. Raniere, in
which Judge Garaufis ordered a Daubert hearing on the government's proposed expert testimony
on grooming. 2019 WL 2212639, at *7-8. In that case, however, the government withdrew its
endorsement rather than submit to an Dauber! hearing. Resp. at 19 n.3.
Judge Garaufis reasoned that even if other courts in other cases had admitted testimony
about grooming, "that [did] not make Dr. Hughes's opinion about grooming techniques reliable
under the Daubert standard," if only because "her extensive academic and clinical experience
appears focused on victims of sexual abuse, not perpetrators." See id. at *7. The same is true
here, particularly because
has no experience in, and there is no authority supporting her
opinions on, grooming-by-proxy. Quite the contrary. The government's late-breaking disclosure
states:
23
EFTA00090749
Thus currently it appears that grooming is not a construct that ought to be used in
forensic settings as it does not meet some of the criteria in the Daubert standard. .
. . Right now it does not appear to be the case that there are "reliable principles
and methods" to define and detect grooming.
Id. at 19 (emphasis added).
At a minimum, therefore, this Court should hold a Daubert hearing.
IV. THE
RT SHOULD EXCLUDE EVIDENCE RELATED
The government's arguments in favor of admitting evidence related
as direct evidence of the charged conspiracies all but concede that the
evidence is more appropriately considered under Rule 404(b). In an effort to bolster their
position, the government makes the sweeping assertion that as long as
was
under the age of 18, her evidence is admissible as direct evidence of the conspiracy. That is a
fundamentally incorrect statement of the law and should be rejected. The government's
arguments for admitting
evidence under Rule 404(b) and for denying the
defense's requested limiting instruction are similarly baseless. The Court should therefore
exclude evidence related to
or, if it is admitted, give the jury the requested
limiting instruction.'
The government advances four principal arguments for why evidence related to
should be admitted as direct evidence of the charged conspiracies: (1) her testimony
allegedly shows a "pattern" of how Epstein and Ms. Maxwell sexually abused young women and
establishes Ms. Maxwell's "intent" to participate in the charged conspiracies (Resp. at 45-46),
(2) her allegations are included in the S2 Indictment and are therefore not covered by Rule
7 As it pertains to
and the other accusers, the defense will be submitting
proposed jury instructions and special verdict findings.
24
EFTA00090750
4O4(b) (id. at 46-47), (3) her evidence is "intrinsic" proof of the charged conspiracies and
necessary to "complete the story" of the charged offenses (id. at 47-49), and (4)
was under the age of 18, the age of consent under federal law, when the alleged sexual
abuse took place, and that is "all that is required for evidence relating to the defendant's
exploitation of Minor Victim-3 to be direct evidence of the charged offenses" (id. at 50). The
first is an argument for admission of this evidence under Rule 404(b), not as direct evidence of
the conspiracy. The second simply begs the question and assumes that the government can
circumvent Rule 404(b) by alleging "other act" evidence in the indictment. The third overlooks
the numerous precedents in this Circuit finding that evidence of criminal offenses that are
separate and distinct from the charged offenses are not admissible as direct evidence of a
conspiracy. And the fourth completely misstates the law. These arguments should be rejected.
First, the government argues that
evidence is admissible as direct
evidence of the charged conspiracies because it is relevant to show the "pattern" of abuse—
including "grooming" the accusers, encouraging them to give massages to Epstein, and asking
them to recruit others—and her "intent" to participate in the charged conspiracies. (Id. at 45-46).
But "pattern" is just another word for "modus operandi," which along with "intent" are bases for
admission under Rule 404(b), not as direct evidence of the conspiracies. See Fed. R. Evid.
404(b) ("other act" evidence may be admissible to prove "motive, opportunity, intent,
preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, absence of mistake, or lack of accident) (emphasis
added); United States v. Walia, No. 14—CR-213 (MKB), 2014 WL 3734522, at *13 (S.D.N.Y.
Jul. 25, 2014) (Rule 404(6) permits "other act" evidence to be admitted to prove "modus
operandi").
25
EFTA00090751
The very case the government cites in support of their position, United States v. Curley,
639 F.3d 50 (2d Cir. 2011), affirmed the district court's decision to admit "other act" evidence of
prior spousal abuse to prove "intent" and "pattern" under Rule 404(b) "with an appropriate
instruction on this evidence's limited purpose," not as direct evidence of the conspiracy. See
Curley, 639 F.3d at 59 (citing United States v. Von Foelkel, 136 F.3d 339, 340-41 (2d Cir. 1998)
(per curiam) (affirming district court's decision to admit evidence of prior domestic violence to
prove defendant's intent under Rule 404(b)). Indeed, the evidence could not have been admitted
as direct evidence of a conspiracy because Curley was not charged with a conspiracy. See
United States v. Curley, No. SI 08 Cr. 404 (SCR), 2009 WL 10688209, at *1 (S.D.N.Y. Jul. 15,
2009) (defendant was convicted of two counts of stalking and one count of interstate violation of
a protection order). Curley therefore supports the defense's position that the admissibility of.
evidence must be evaluated under Rule 404(6).
Second, the government does not confront the defense's point that simply including
"other act" evidence in the indictment does not necessarily mean it is direct evidence of the
conspiracy. See Mot. at 9-10. Instead, the government engages in circular reasoning by
effectively arguing that (i) allegations in an indictment are not 404(b) evidence, (ii)
allegations are in the indictment, (iii) therefore they are not 404(b) evidence. See
Resp. at 46-47. But as the defense pointed out in its Motion, "other acts" are only admissible as
evidence of a conspiracy "as long as they are within the scope of the conspiracy. " United States
v. Cummings, 60 F. Supp. 3d 434, 437 (S.D.N.Y. 2014), vacated on other grounds 858 F.3d 763
(2d Cir. 2017) (quoting United States v. Bagaric, 706 F.2d 42, 64 (2d Cir. 1983)). The
government has not explained why
evidence provides any proof that Ms.
Maxwell "furthered" an alleged conspiracy to cause minors (she did not) to travel (she did not)
26
EFTA00090752
for the purpose of engaging in unlawful sexual activity (it was not). Moreover, allowing the
government to circumvent Rule 404(b) by charging "other act" evidence in the Indictment would
swallow the rule and allow the jury to broadly consider evidence that should only be considered
for a limited purpose and with an appropriate limiting instruction regarding propensity. The
Court should not allow this.
Third the government claims that
evidence can be admitted as
intrinsic proof of the charged conspiracies to show Ms. Maxwell's (1) "relationship with Epstein,
including her willingness to procure teenagers to give Epstein massages," (2) "knowledge of
both the sexual nature of those massages and the need to procure additional victims," and
(3) "willingness to transport minors to further their abuse." Resp. at 47. The government further
argues that
evidence is necessary to "complete the story" of the charged
offenses. Id. at 48-49. In its Motion, the defense cited numerous cases in this Circuit holding
that evidence of other conduct involving alleged co-conspirators—even conduct that was similar
to the charged offenses—was not admissible as intrinsic proof of the conspiracies if the other
conduct was separate and distinct from the charged offenses. See Mot. at 9 (citing cases). The
government concedes that these cases so hold and points out that these cases admitted some of
the proffered evidence under Rule 404(b). Resp. at 48 n.11. This just proves the point; the
admissibility of
evidence should be evaluated under Rule 404(b).
Fourth, the government asserts that the defense "misunderstands" the law and that the
government simply needs to prove that Ms. Maxwell "took steps to provide Jeffrey Epstein with
access to girls under the age of 18, knowing that Epstein intended to have sexual contact with
those girls." Id. at 50 (emphasis added). In the government's view, it is totally irrelevant that
27
EFTA00090753
See id. at 49-50. According to
the government, "all that is required" for
evidence to be admissible as direct
evidence of the charged conspiracies is that she was under the age of 18, the age of consent
under U.S. federal law, and that Ms. Maxwell knew that Epstein intended to engage in sexual
contact with her. See id.
It is the government. not the defense, that apparently does not understand the law. The
Mann Act conspiracies charged in the S2 Indictment each require proof that Ms. Maxwell acted
with the intent that the alleged victim would "engage in sexual activity for which a person can be
charged with a criminal offense." S2 Ind. ¶¶ 12 (citing 18 U.S.C. § 2422), 18 (citing 18 U.S.C. §
2423(a)). That element incorporates offenses under state law. See United States v. Lincoln, No.
19-CR-6047 (CJS), 2019 WL 719822, at *4 (W.D.N.Y. Dec. 23, 2019) (collecting § 2422 cases);
United States v. Vickers, 708 F. App'x 732, 735 (2d Cir. 2017) (summary order) (criminal sexual
activity under § 2423 includes crimes "under federal, state, or foreign law"). Indeed, the Mann
Act conspiracies in the S2 Indictment charge a violation of a New York State misdemeanor as
the "sexual activity for which a person can be charged with a criminal offense." S2 Ind. ¶¶ 13b,
19b (citing N.Y. Penal Law § 130.55). Section 130.55 prohibits "subject[ing] another person to
sexual contact without the latter's consent." N.Y. Penal Law § 130.55. To be guilty of Section
130.55 based on the victim's incapacity to consent due to age, the victim must be under the age
of 17. Id. § 130.05(3)(a). The government itself acknowledged this in its draft proposed jury
instructions, as well as the fact that Ms. Maxwell cannot be convicted of the Mann Act
conspiracies unless she knew that the alleged victim was under 17. See Gov't Proposed Jury
Instructions ("[I]n order to find that the intended acts were nonconsensual solely because of the
28
EFTA00090754
victim's age, you must find that the defendant knew that the victim was less than seventeen years
old.") (emphasis added).
It is unclear whether the government is now claiming that to admit
evidence as proof of the Mann Act conspiracies, it only needs to prove that
was under the age of 18 at the time of the alleged abuse and that Ms. Maxwell did not need to
know anything about
age, or that Ms. Maxwell only needed to know that ■
was under the age of 18. Either one is a misstatement of the law. For "sexual
activity" to be "criminal," it must be illegal under the laws of the jurisdiction where the sex acts
allegedly took place. If those crimes are based on lack of consent due to age, it is only illegal if
the alleged victim is under the age of consent in that jurisdiction. And according to the
government's own proposed jury instructions, Ms. Maxwell can only be found guilty of the
Mann Act conspiracies if she knew
(and the other alleged victims) were under
the age of consent in the particular jurisdictions where the sex acts allegedly took place. Because
was, at all times, over the age of consent in the relevant jurisdictions, her
evidence is not within the scope of the charged conspiracies and is therefore not admissible as
direct evidence. At the very least, because it is not "manifestly clear" that
evidence is proof of the charged conspiracies, "the proper course is to proceed under Rule
4O4(b)." United States v. Townsend, No. SI 06 CR. 34 (JFK), 2007 WL 1288597, at *1
(S.D.N.Y. May 1, 2007) (citing United States v. Nektalov, 325 F. Supp. 2d 367, 372 (S.D.N.Y.
2004)).
evidence should also be excluded under Rule 404(b) and Rule 403.
As argued in our initial Motion, evidence that Ms. Maxwell allegedly encouraged an adult to
engage in legal sexual activity is not, in any way, evidence of her intent to facilitate Epstein's
29
EFTA00090755
alleged scheme to cause minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, or her knowledge of the
same. See Mot. at 11. Nor is the evidence of alleged "grooming" sufficiently unique to qualify
as proof of "modus operandi." See id. at 12. Furthermore, there is a strong likelihood that the
jury will assume that Epstein's alleged sex acts with
were illegal and will
misapply that evidence in evaluating Ms. Maxwell's guilt or innocence to the charged Mann Act
conspiracies. Her evidence should therefore be excluded under Rule 403. See id. at 12-13.
If the Court decides to admit
evidence, it should preclude the
government and
from referring to her as a "minor" or asserting that she was a
"minor" at the time of the alleged sex acts, (2) preclude the government and
from representing that she was "sexually abused" by Jeffrey Epstein, and (3) give the July the
appropriate limiting instruction the defense has requested. See Mot. at 14-15.
The government argues that the term "minor" is appropriate because
was, for a brief time, below the age of 18, which is the age of consent under federal law. Resp.
at 52-53. Although the government would like to believe that U.S. federal law is the only law
that matters, even as to acts that allegedly took place in a foreign country, that is not the case.
The Court should not permit
to be referred to as a "minor" because she was not
a "minor" under the laws of the relevant jurisdiction when any of the alleged sex acts took place.
It would not only be inaccurate to call her a "minor," but it would also mislead the jury to believe
that the acts that allegedly took place in the U.K. were "criminal sexual activity" when they were
not. The same is true for the phrase "sexual abuse," which connotes criminal activity. See Mot.
at 14-15 (citing Esquivel-Quintana v. Sessions, 137 S. Ct. 1562, 1569 (2017)).
Finally, the government opposes the defense's requested jury instruction regarding the
age of consent under U.K. law on the grounds that it is "irrelevant" and would "confuse the
30
EFTA00090756
jury." Resp. at 53-54. Apparently, the government believes the jury would be "confused" if the
Court told the jurors what the law actually is so that they do not improperly assume that
testimony is being offered as proof of "criminal sexual activity" and apply it
incorrectly to convict Ms. Maxwell of the Mann Act conspiracies. The jurors would not be
"confused"; they would be educated on how to properly evaluate
evidence.
The government's objection is non-sensical. But not as non-sensical as the government's final
proclamation:
The sexual activity involving Minor Victim-3 can be considered criminal for
purposes of the crimes charged in the Indictment, because it is probative proof of
the defendant's guilt of those crimes. The instruction the defense proposes, in
contrast, creates serious risk that the jury will think the Court is telling them that
the conduct is lawful and therefore irrelevant to the case.
Id. at 54. A better example of circular reasoning you could not find —
sex
acts with Epstein are "criminal" because they are "proof of the defendant's guilt of those
crimes"? No. And the "risk that the jury will think that ... the conduct is lawful? It was lawful.
Whatever misgivings
may now have about those alleged sex acts, and whether
she now views those incidents as "sexual abuse," there was nothing illegal about them.
And that is precisely the point. If she is permitted,
will testify about
feeling sexually abused by Epstein and the jury will assume that the sex acts were illegal. Unless
the Court instructs the jury that the sex acts were not illegal under U.K. law, and they cannot be
considered as "criminal sexual conduct" in evaluating the elements of the Mann Act
conspiracies, there is a substantial risk that the jury will misapply her evidence and improperly
convict Ms. Maxwell of those counts. The government has agreed to do this in similar cases and
it is appropriate to do so here. See Vickers, 708 F. App'x at 735-36 (government sought and
received jury instructions explaining the applicable criminal laws of the relevant jurisdictions
and jury returned a special verdict form finding "that the defendant intended to engage in sexual
31
EFTA00090757
activity for which the defendant could be charged with specific New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New
York, and Canadian criminal offenses" (emphasis added)). Accordingly, the Court should give
the jury the defense's requested limiting instruction.'
V. THE GOVERNMENT CONCEDES THAT IT WILL NOT OFFER EVIDENCE
OF MS. MAXWELL'S ALLEGED "FLIGHT"
The government has conceded that it will not elicit any evidence or argue to the jury that
Ms. Maxwell "was hiding from, evading, or fleeing from law enforcement between Epstein's
arrest and her own." Resp. at 81-82.
VI. THE GOVERNMENT CONCEDES THAT IT WILL NOT OFFER
EVIDENCE OF MS. MAXWELL'S ALLEGED FALSE STATEMENTS
AND AGREES TO MS. MAXWELL'S PROPOSED REDACTIONS
The government has also conceded that it will not elicit any evidence concerning Ms.
Maxwell's alleged false statements in her 2016 depositions and agrees to the defense's request to
redact the perjury counts and related allegations from the S2 Indictment. Resp. at 82.
VII. THE COURT SHOULD HOLD A PRE-TRIAL EVIDENTIARY HEARING
ON MS. MAXWELL'S MOTION TO SUPPRESS IDENTIFICATION.
From approximate
8 The defense also agrees with the govemment that the Court should instruct the 'u that it
cannot convict Ms. Maxwell of the charged conspiracies based solely on
evidence.
See Resp. at 50 n.12.
32
EFTA00090758
It was not until 2020, after making a multi-million dollar claim to the Epstein Victim
Compensation Lund. that the SDNY interviewed
and then in 2021 showed her
photos -- the majority of which were men or women much younger than Ms. Maxwell. Only two
of the photos look anything like Ms. Maxwell and
thought one was Ms. Maxwell
and the other might be Ms. Maxwell. Of course, no one thought to ask
if her
lawyers had shown her photos of Ms. Maxwell as part of her multi-million-dollar request or if
she had seen any of the many photographs displayed on the internet of Ms. Maxwell, including
those published in relation to the first indictment by Acting U.S. Attorney Strauss's Rule 23.1-
violative press conference, or any of the millions of photographs published in the wake of the
Indictment. The photo array process was not recorded, and we do not know why certain photos
in the array were selected or by whom. No one documented how long the photo array was
viewed or any other relevant indicia of reliability.
The claim that the show-up was merely a "confirmatory identification" of someone that
had "known and identified by name over the years" is completely unsupported by
the evidence. Tellingly, the government appends no supporting exhibit or declaration in support
of this conclusory statement because it cannot. The truth of the matter is that
had
never identified Ms. Maxwell as someone who abused her and never claimed to have seen Ms.
Maxwell prior to 2020 when it became economically prudent for her to do so.
33
EFTA00090759
The facts about
interaction with Ms. Maxwell are hotly disputed. Ms.
Maxwell rejects the government's unsupported conclusory statements about when and if she
interacted with Ms. Maxwell and her ability to do so absent suggestion.
When the prosecution offers testimony from an eyewitness to identify the defendant as a
perpetrator of the offense, fundamental fairness requires that that identification testimony be
reliable. Raheem v. Kelly, 257 F.3d 122, 133 (2d Cir. 2001). The court must first determine
whether the pretrial identification procedures unduly and unnecessarily suggested that the
defendant was the perpetrator. If the court finds, however, that the procedures were suggestive, it
must then determine whether the identification was nonetheless independently reliable. Id.
The critical question here, ignored by the government, is not whether
knew
that she was accusing Ms. Maxwell in 2020 (she undoubtably was) but whether she could
identify Ms. Maxwell as the person she was now claiming abused her. Of the pictures selected
here,
had a high probability of picking Ms. Maxwell -- even then, she was
tentative about one person who was not Ms. Maxwell. The show up was neither confirmatory nor
fair.
The protection against unduly suggestive procedures encompass not only the right to
avoid improper police methods that suggest the initial identification, but as well the right to
avoid having suggestive methods transform a selection that was only tentative into one that is
positively certain. Solomon v. Smith, 645 F.2d 1179, 1185 (2d Cir. 1981).
Ms. Maxwell has met her burden of demonstrating the show up was unduly suggestive.
Under these circumstances the Court should next consider the well know "five factors": (1) the
witness's opportunity to observe the criminal at the time of the crime, (2) the degree of the
witness's attention at that time, (3) the accuracy of the witness's initial description of the
34
EFTA00090760
criminal, (4) the certainty with which the witness first identified the suspect, and (5) the time
lapse between the crime and the identification. Id. at 1186. Each of these factors weighs heavily
in Ms. Maxwell's favor: as to 1-3, until 2020,
had never claimed Ms. Maxwell
participated in any abuse and never identified Ms. Maxwell -- indeed, she had never before been
asked to identify Ms. Maxwell. Concerning number 4,
was less than certain, as
demonstrated by her selection of someone else who may have been "Ms. Maxwell." Factor 5
also weighs in Ms. Maxwell's favor, as the delay was 17 years.
Accordingly, Ms. Maxwell requests that the Court hold an evidentiary hearing on this
motion and find that the show up was unduly suggestive and suppress any identification of Ms.
Maxwell, before or during trial.
VIII. GOVERNMENT AGREES NOT TO ELICIT LAW ENFORCEMENT
OPINION TESTIMONY
The government agrees that it has not noticed any law enforcement officers as experts
and, as to their fact police officers, "will not elicit expert testimony from them." Resp. at 82-83.
Overlooking the long list of potential law enforcement opinion testimony that has been
disallowed by Courts in the past (see Mot. at 2-5), the government then goes on to make the
confusing claim that the defense should have to "provide expert" testimony from the
government's own case agents if it wants to call them as witnesses. Resp. at 83 n.24.
The defense has no intention of eliciting opinion testimony from the agents when they
testify. As the motion makes clear, the defense fully understands the contours of lay versus
opinion testimony from law enforcement officers. The case agents are first hand percipient
witnesses to a number of facts in the investigation and prosecution of this case, including as the
impeachment witness for the many changed stories of the accusers.
35
EFTA00090761
As evidenced by their recently disclosed interviews, the government lawyers, despite its
protests about the defense's ability to call percipient fact witnesses, have been preparing the case
agents for months to testify in the defense's case. The risk highlighted by the defense it its
footnote is that, even though they are not asked a question that calls for opinion testimony, the
agents are likely to try to offer their opinions either during the defense's questioning or when the
government attempts to rehabilitate them. Because neither side has noticed any opinion
testimony from the case agents, they should be prohibited from offering any, especially because
it will be non-responsive to any questions that should be asked of them.
IX. THE COURT SHOULD PRECLUDE TESTIMONY ABOUT ANY ALLEGED
"RAPE" BY JEFFREY EPSTEIN
The government argues that the expected testimony of
that she was raped
by Jeffrey Epstein is admissible to show the "ongoing relationships between the defendant,
Epstein, and the victims" and is necessary "to complete the story of the crime on trial." Resp. at
79-80. The government offers no explanation, however, for why testimony of an alleged rape
would prove the relationship "between the defendant, Epstein, and the victims" when
has never claimed in her prior statements to the FBI or anywhere else that Ms. Maxwell knew of,
facilitated, or participated in the alleged rape in any way. Nor does the government explain why
this testimony is somehow necessary "to complete the story of the crime on trial" when the rape
allegation is an outlier and does not fit the "story" of alleged sexual abuse that the government
has described in the S2 Indictment—namely, "grooming" the alleged victims to gradually break
down their inhibitions so that forcible rape is not required to engage in sexual activity with them.
Because the rape allegation is the only one of its kind and has no connection to the other
incidents of alleged sexual abuse, it should not be admitted as intrinsic proof of the charged
crimes. See United States v. Townsend, No. SI 06 CR. 34 (JFK), 2007 WL 1288597, at *2
36
EFTA00090762
(S.D.N.Y. May 1, 2007) (defendant's prior narcotics and firearm transactions with the same
confidential informant not "inextricably intertwined" with the charged narcotics conspiracy, even
though the conduct was "generally similar to the conduct underlying the offenses charged in the
indictment"); United States v. Nektalov, 325 F. Supp. 2d 367, 369-70 (S.D.N.Y. 2004) (prior
similar money laundering transactions between defendant and cooperating witness not
"inextricably intertwined" with the charged money laundering offense or "necessary to complete
the story" of the charged conspiracy (emphasis in original)).
Testimony concerning the alleged rape should also be excluded because the S2
Indictment contains no allegations of rape and such testimony is therefore irrelevant to the
charged crimes. The government dismisses this point arguing that indictments do not need to
include all of the government's evidence, and the terms "sexual activity" and "commercial sex
act" are broad enough to cover rape. See Resp. at 80. But this misses the point. The rape
allegations are irrelevant to the charges because the charges are based on sexual activity that was
illegal because the alleged victims were under the age of consent. The indictment does not
charge any crimes that are premised on sex acts that involve the use of force, like rape. For
example, Counts Five and Six charge sex trafficking offenses. See S2 Ind.
22-27. But they
do not charge the section of the statute that criminalizes sex trafficking that "was effected by
means of force, threats of force, fraud, or coercion." 18 U.S.C. § 1591(b)(1). The government is
therefore off base when its states that "evidence of rape, where it occurs ... is the core conduct in
the case." Resp. at 81. It is only the "core conduct" of the case when the indictment alleges
forcible sex acts. Indeed, the cases cited by the government prove this point. See Ex. E,
Indictment, United States v. English, No. 18 Cr. 492 (PGG) (S.D.N.Y. 2020) (defendant charged
with sex trafficking conspiracy "effected by means of force" under 18 U.S.C. § 1591(b)(1));
37
EFTA00090763
United States v. Graham, No. 14 Cr. 500 (NSR), 2015 WL 6161292, at *1 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 20,
2015) (same).
Finally, whatever minimal probative value the rape allegation might have would be
substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusing the issues, and misleading
the jury. Fed. R. Evid. 403. As we previously argued in our initial Motion, rape is highly
emotional and inflammatory, much more so than the "sexualized massages" alleged in the S2
Indictment. See Mot. at 2-3. Admitting testimony of an alleged rape would pose a serious risk
that the "jury will convict for crimes other than those charged—or that, uncertain of guilt, it will
convict anyway because a bad person deserves punishment." OM Chief v. United States, 519
U.S. 172, 181 (1997) (quoting United States v. Moccia, 681 F.2d 61, 63 (1st Cir. 1982) (Breyer,
J.)) (discussing propensity evidence). Such evidence would also confuse the issues at trial and
mislead the jury. It will cause the jurors to focus on conduct that is not relevant to the charged
offense and suggests that they convict Ms. Maxwell on an improper and highly emotional basis.
See United States v. Stein, 521 F. Supp. 2d 266, 273 (S.D.N.Y. 2007) (excluding other-act
evidence in a conspiracy case under Rule 403 because of the "risk that this evidence would
confuse the issues, cause undue delay, and be used for an improper purpose"). The Court should
therefore preclude any testimony or evidence about an alleged rape.
XII. REFERENCE TO ACCUSERS AS "VICTIMS" IS IMPROPER VOUCHING
Without explaining its logic, and by way of cases concerning jury instructions, the
government disagrees that use of the term "victim" by witnesses and the prosecution during trial
amounts to improper vouching. Yet, the government offers that the only times it expects the
word will be used at trial are (a) by the prosecutors during their jury addresses, and (b) in Dr.
testimony concerning her patients. Resp. at 77. The government's legal analysis and
38
EFTA00090764
argument are flawed, and the Court should enter the order proposed by Ms. Maxwell that all
parties, witnesses, and the Court should refer to the individuals by their proper names.
First, overlooking the frequency with which state courts must grapple with fair trials
inherent in sex crimes, the government complains that the defendant cited no federal authority
for the proposition that the Court, witnesses, and parties should use the individuals' names rather
than the word "victim." To remedy that perceived problem, counsel refers the Court to United
States v. Sena, No. 19-CR-01432, 2021 WL 4129247, at *1-2 (D.N.M. Sept. 9, 2021), and the
other cases cited therein:
"(Defendant] is correct that the term (victim] is prejudicial when the core issue at
trial is whether a crime has been committed—and, therefore, whether there is a
victim. See State v. Cones, 851 A.2d 1230, 1239-40 (Conn. App. Ct. 2004), aff'd,
885 A.2d 153 (Conn. 2005) (holding that jury charges using the term "victim"
instead of "alleged victim" violated a defendant's due process right to a fair trial);
Talkington v. State, 682 S.W.2d 674, 674 (Tex. App. 1984) (use of the term
"victim" in court's rape charge was reversible error when the issue at trial was
whether complainant consented to sexual intercourse); People v. Davis, 423
N.Y.S.2d 229, 230 (N.Y. App. Div. 1979) ("By referring in its charge to the
complainant as the `victim' and to the defendant as the 'perpetrator', the court
impermissibly insinuated to the jury that the complainant was the victim of injuries
resulting from acts committed by the defendant.").
At [the] upcoming trial, the jury has the responsibility of deciding whether a crime
occurred and whether that crime resulted in harm to [the accuser]. Thus, to label
[the accuser] as a victim at the outset of trial carries the risk of improperly
influencing the jury's decision. Moreover, there is virtually no probative value in
allowing the government to use the term "victim" to describe [the accuser]. See
United States v. Ehrens, No. CR-15-200-C, 2015 WL 7758544, at *2 (W.D. Okla.
Dec. 1, 2015) (considering a similar motion and finding that there was "no need by
any party to refer to [the alleged victim] by any particular descriptor other than her
name"). Restricting the use of the term "victim" does not prevent the government
from describing (the accuser's] injuries, or from presenting any of its other
evidence. The government and its witnesses remain free to refer to (the accuser] by
name or by other descriptive terms (e.g., "the mail carrier").
Id. (emphasis added).
As argued in the motion, when the government, the Court, or another witness uses the
term "victim" at the outset of the trial, it risks the jury pre-judging the merits, improperly
39
EFTA00090765
speculating that the accusers have already been found credible by someone, or that their decision
is a foregone conclusion. On the other side of the probative-prejudicial scale, the government
simultaneously fails to articulate any probative value in use of the term "victim," either in its jury
address or otherwise. Cf. State v. Wigg, 889 A.2d 233, 236 (Vt. 2005) ("the use of the term
'victim' had no inherent probative value").
Second, the government improperly suggests in response that the stricture on vouching
should not apply to the witnesses themselves. Resp. at 79. As explained by numerous cases,
having any witness refer to themselves or another witness as a "victim" is the very height of
improper vouching. Semi, supra; State v. Sperou, 365 Or. 121, 131, 442 P.3d 581, 590 (2019)
("another witness's description of the complaining witness as a 'victim' conveys an opinion that
the complaining witness is telling the truth. That is what the vouching rule is intended to
prevent."); Wigg, supra.
Finally, the government contends that Dr.
can use the word "victim" in reference
to "victims of sexual abuse generally," but her use of the term is even more problematic. For the
reasons articulated in our Daubert motion and reply, Dr.
bases her expertise on her
therapeutic number of individuals who have self-identified as sexual abuse victims, without any
research or investigation as to whether the individuals' self-reports are true. She then intends to
draw from her anecdotal and experiential treatment to generalize about all "victims" without their
ever having been a finding that any of the persons she has provided treatment to were, in fact,
"victims." If she is permitted to testify, there is no reason for her to vouch for the credibility of
her patients, unless she clarifies each time that she is taking the individual at their word that they
were in fact a victim. The danger of confusion to a jury is that anyone treated by Dr.
must have been a victim. As the Wigg court recognized, there will be a "danger of unfair
40
EFTA00090766
prejudice because the [witness's] choice of language implied that he and the prosecution believed
the complainant's testimony." Id.
For these and the previously stated reasons, Ms. Maxwell asks the Court to order that the
parties, the witnesses, and the Court use individuals' names in the presence of the jury.
XIII. THE COURT SHOULD PRECLUDE INTRODUCTION OF GOVERNMENT
EXHIBITS 52, 251, 288, 294, 313, 606 AND THE SEARCH OF EL BRILLO WAY
A. The Court Should Exclude the Challenged Government Exhibits
Rule 901(a) of the Federal Rules of Evidence provides that "[t]he requirement
of authentication or identification as a condition precedent to admissibility is satisfied by
evidence sufficient to support a finding that the matter in question is what its proponent
claims." See also Ricketts v. City of Hanford, 74 F.3d 1397, 1409 (2d Cir.1996); United States v.
Sliker, 751 F.2d 477, 496-500 (2d Cir.1984) (discussing the interaction between
Fed.R.Evid. 104 and 901). "In order for a piece of evidence to be of probative value, there must
be proof that it is what its proponent says it is. The requirement of authentication is thus a
condition precedent to admitting evidence." United States v. Sliker, 751 F.2d 477, 497 (2d Cir.
1984). A motion in limine to preclude evidence calls on the "[C]ourt to make a preliminary
determination on the admissibility of evidence under Rule 104 of the Federal Rules of
Evidence." Highland Capital Mgrnt., L.P. v. Schneider, 379 F. Supp. 2d 461 (S.D.N.Y. 2005)
(internal quotation marks omitted). "The purpose of a motion in limine is to allow the trial court
to rule in advance of trial on the admissibility and relevance of certain forecasted
evidence." Dougherty v. County of Suffolk, No. CV 13-6493 (AKT), 2018 WL 1902336, at *1
(E.D.N.Y. Apr. 20, 2018) (internal quotation marks omitted).
Ms. Maxwell has filed in limine motions challenging the admissibility of discrete items of
evidence that the government intends to offer at trial. As discussed below, the Court should hold
41
EFTA00090767
a pre-trial hearing at which the government must demonstrate that the proposed evidence is both
authentic, admissible, relevant and not unduly prejudicial.
B. Government Exhibit 52
Government Exhibit (GX) 52 was acquired by the government as part of a sting operation
from
worked for Jeffrey Epstein for approximately six
months, from late 2004 to early 2005. In 2009, he was deposed and then ultimately arrested in an
undercover sting operation in which the government claims exhibit 52 was seized from ■
apparently on or about November 3, 2009, by one
who is not listed
as a testifying witness. No one knows where or when the exhibit was acquired by ■
what he did with it for as long as he had it, who may have created the exhibit, and
where it came from. In its Response, the government does not identify what it claims this exhibit
to be, who might authenticate the exhibit, only that a "witness with personal knowledge of the
physical book is expected to testify to its authenticity." Resp. at 73. Given that
is
dead, and
be.
is not a witness, we are left to wonder who this foundational witness may
The government further claims that even if the exhibit is hearsay, it is admissible, not for
the truth of the matter asserted, but to show "the defendant kept contact information for relevant
individuals at trial, including victims." Id. These are bold, unexplained claims that Ms. Maxwell
disputes. The proffers here are inadequate to meet any burden of admissibility. The government
should not be allowed to refer to the exhibit prior to the establishment of an adequate foundation;
and Ms. Maxwell requests a pretrial evidentiary hearing on this issue.
C. The Palm Beach Search of El Brillo Way
Again, the government claims that it will have live witnesses "to establish the
authenticity of the evidence at trial." It does not identify the witness or the basis of that person's
42
EFTA00090768
knowledge. The government does not provide any clues about who may have touched the
evidence after it was seized in October 2005, ten months after the end of the conspiracy alleged
and it does not address how these items seized are relevant to acts allegedly seized 10 years after
the start of the alleged conspiracy or even 10 months after it ended.
GX 295 is not a "past recollection recorded" by some other witness. It is a testimonial
hearsay statement by a dead witness and admission of any part of GX 295 would violate Ms.
Maxwell's rights to confront the declarant and the rules of evidence. The government offers no
explanation about how the affidavit of
could possibly be the recorded
recollection of someone else; and a pretrial evidentiary hearing is warranted.
D.
The supposed relevance for
again seized almost one year after the
alleged conspiracy ended, is that they "help to establish that it was apparent from ■
d. at 74-75. ■
The
then, establish no material fact in this case and their
admission should be prohibited under Federal Rules of Evidence 401, 402, 403, and 404(b).
E. The Twin Torpedoes
Seized in 2005, and still in the box, unopened, no witness will testify that Ms. Maxwell
used these devices. The items were not and could not have been used in connection with any
alleged act in this case, assuming a foundation can be established. Accordingly, the exhibit,
whether it be the photograph or the actual boxed items, should not be admitted under FRE 401,
402, 403, and 404(b).
43
EFTA00090769
F. Government Exhibit 313
GX 313 was seized in 2019. It was not seized from Ms. Maxwell. No one will testify
about where it was taken, who took it, or where it was kept. Because the government cannot
establish the location of the photograph, it is not corroborative, as the government claims, of
"topless swimming" at the Palm Beach pool, which is also not relevant to the allegations here.
Ms. Maxwell has not challenged other photographs showing a close relationship between Ms.
Marcell and Epstein, and we expect there to be evidence of their relationship at trial. Accordingly,
any probative value of the evidence is substantially outweighed by the prejudicial impact of the
picture. Again, this exhibit should be excluded under FRE 401, 402, 403, and 404(b).
G. Government Exhibit 606
GX 606 comes from an unknown author, created at an unknown time, and for an
unknown purpose. The government's proffer is speculative and does not supply any evidentiary
foundation, authenticity, or relevance. The exhibit should be excluded under FRE 901, 802, 401,
402, 403, and 404(b). As with the other exhibits discussed herein, Ms. Maxwell requests a
pretrial evidentiary hearing.
Dated: October 27, 2021
44
EFTA00090770
Respectfully submitted,
s/ Jeffrey S. Pagliuca
Jeffrey S. Pagliuca
Laura A. Menninger
HADDON MORGAN & FOREMAN P.C.
Denver
Phone:
Christian R. Everdell
COHEN & GRESSER LLP
New York NY
Phone:
Bobbi C. Stemheim
Law Offices of Bobbi C. Sternheim
Attorneys for Ghislaine Maxwell
45
EFTA00090771
Certificate of Service
I hereby certify that on October 27, 2021, I electronically filed the foregoing Ghislaine
Maxwell's Reply In Support of Her Motions In Limine with the Clerk of Court using the
CM/ECF system which will send notification of such filing to the following:
U.S. Attorney's Office, SDNY
One Saint Andrew's Plaza
New York NY 10007
s/ Nicole Simmons
46
EFTA00090772
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