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Ghislaine Maxwell- Case Archive
Federal Criminal Trialtrial-daytrial-dayMaurene ComeyAlison MoeAndrew RohrbachChristian R. EverdellJeffrey S. PagliucaBobbi C. SternheimNicole HesseDavid RodgersShawnJanine Gill VelezdirectcrosssidebarredirectDay 8 - December 8, 2021Shawn described Carolyn's Palm Beach visits and appointment calls; the court admitted employment and message-book records, and a pilot identified flight-log entries involving Epstein, Maxwell, Jane, and Virginia Roberts.
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Day 8 - December 8, 2021

Shawn Testimony, Message Books, And Flight Logs

Judge Alison J. Nathan
16Proceedings
7Pages
4Witnesses
3,689Lines
3Sidebars
Day 8 of 19
Appearing:
Maurene Comey Alison Moe Andrew Rohrbach Christian R. Everdell Jeffrey S. Pagliuca Bobbi C. Sternheim Nicole Hesse David Rodgers Shawn Janine Gill Velez

Shawn described Carolyn's Palm Beach visits and appointment calls; the court admitted employment and message-book records, and a pilot identified flight-log entries involving Epstein, Maxwell, Jane, and Virginia Roberts.

Full day summary

The court addressed evidentiary and instructional issues before and during testimony. It excluded employee-supplied dependent information from one proposed Mar-a-Lago record for lack of verification, admitted a different personnel record for Sky Roberts, and later admitted message-book excerpts and the underlying books under seal after overruling a hearsay objection. The court also sustained an objection to proposed testimony concerning Amanda and adopted revised limiting-instruction language for anticipated testimony about alleged physical contact in New Mexico. Shawn testified that Virginia told Carolyn she could make money giving massages to Jeffrey Epstein, that he accompanied Carolyn to Epstein's Palm Beach house and saw her return with hundred-dollar bills, and that he relayed calls requesting Carolyn for work. He also testified about Melissa's visits to the house. On cross-examination, Shawn said he could not identify the origin of an unidentified caller's accent, had not met Ms. Maxwell, and had taken money from Carolyn for gas and used drugs with her. Nicole Hesse authenticated message pads from the Palm Beach house and identified entries bearing Carolyn's name, while stating on cross-examination that she did not personally see women visiting the residence. Pilot David Rodgers authenticated his flight logbook and testified about listed flights involving Epstein, Maxwell, Jane, and Virginia Roberts. On cross-examination, he said his account of some earlier flights depended on reviewing the logbook and described limits on the identifying information in the entries.

1. Witness Recall, Limiting Instruction, Subpoena, and Employment-Records Matters

Before Janine Gill testified, the court considered witness matters, a proposed limiting instruction, and objections to Mar-a-Lago employment records.

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Procedural
Witness Recall and Subpoena Matters
30 lines

The court addressed unresolved plans to recall Jane or call Brian and the proposed scope of any recall examination.

Procedural
Limiting-Instruction Discussion
6 lines

The court proposed an instruction distinguishing anticipated New Mexico conduct from illegal sexual activity charged in the indictment and barring character or propensity use.

Procedural
Employment Records Admissibility Hearing
128 lines

The court allowed the government to proceed with Exhibit 823 over a relevance objection but found Exhibit 824's dependent information unsupported without verification.

Highlights

Employment Records Admissibility HearingrulingAfter hearing additional argument, the court concluded that the dependent information in Exhibit 824 would be hearsay without evidence that Mar-a-Lago verified the information supplied on the form.

2. Janine Gill Velez — Direct/Cross

Janine Gill Velez authenticated a personnel record for Sky Roberts reflecting an April 11, 2000 hire date. Cross-examination established that she had no firsthand role in creating or maintaining the 2000 document.

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Direct
Janine Gill Velez — Direct Janine Gill Velez Andrew Rohrbach
76 lines

Janine Gill Velez authenticated Sky Roberts's personnel action notice; the court admitted it over objection, and Gill read the listed 2000 hire date.

Cross
Janine Gill Velez — Cross Janine Gill Velez Bobbi C. Sternheim
30 lines

Gill Velez said she lacked firsthand knowledge of the 2000 document and pre-2007 recordkeeping; the government declined redirect.

Highlights

Janine Gill Velez — Directtestimony highlightGill identified the notice as Sky Roberts's and read the stated April 11, 2000 hire date.

3. Shawn — Direct/Cross

Shawn testified about Carolyn's visits to Jeffrey Epstein's Palm Beach house, calls arranging work, and Melissa's later visits, before defense counsel cross-examined him about those accounts and his relationship with Carolyn.

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Direct
Shawn — Direct Shawn Maurene Comey
418 lines

Shawn described accompanying Carolyn to Epstein's Palm Beach house, observing her return with money, and helping arrange visits; the court limited testimony about Amanda and admitted a photograph under seal.

1 sidebar inside this proceeding
  1. Amanda Testimony Disclosure DisputeCounsel disputed whether testimony concerning Amanda Lazlo's age was disclosed and whether it could serve as direct or corroborative evidence.
Cross
Shawn — Cross Shawn Jeffrey S. Pagliuca
76 lines

Shawn was questioned about the limits of his caller-identification testimony and acknowledged receiving money from Carolyn and using drugs with her.

Highlights

Shawn — Directtestimony highlightShawn testified that Virginia told Carolyn she could make money giving massages to Jeffrey Epstein, after which Shawn accompanied Carolyn, Virginia, and Tony to Epstein's Palm Beach house.Shawn — Directtestimony highlightShawn described accompanying Carolyn to Epstein's house about every two weeks, waiting outside while she went in, and seeing her return with hundred-dollar bills.Shawn — Direct“I would tell Carolyn and set the appointment for her.”— ShawnShawn described how he responded to calls seeking to schedule Carolyn's work.Shawn — DirectrulingThe judge sustained an objection and directed the jury to disregard Shawn's statement connecting Amanda to later visits; Shawn then testified about Melissa going inside alone and returning with money.

4. Nicole Hesse — Direct/Cross

Nicole Hesse authenticated Palm Beach household message pads, and the court admitted the disputed books and excerpts under seal before the defense cross-examined her about the entries.

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Direct
Nicole Hesse — Direct Nicole Hesse Alison Moe
267 lines

Nicole Hesse authenticated Palm Beach message pads; the court overruled a hearsay objection and admitted the records under seal.

Cross
Nicole Hesse — Cross Nicole Hesse Jeffrey S. Pagliuca
135 lines

Nicole Hesse described limited firsthand knowledge of events at the Palm Beach house as the defense distinguished her message-pad entries from those written by others.

Highlights

Nicole Hesse — DirectrulingThe court overruled the defense hearsay objection, admitted the offered message-book exhibits and then admitted Government Exhibits 1, 2, and 3 under seal.

5. David Rodgers — Direct

Pilot David Rodgers described working for Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell's role in notifying pilots of some flights, and his flight logbook. The court admitted sealed and public redacted versions of the logbook exhibit.

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Direct
David Rodgers — Direct David Rodgers Maurene Comey
317 lines

Pilot David Rodgers described Maxwell's work for Epstein and authenticated his contemporaneous flight logbook, which the court admitted in sealed and redacted forms.

1 sidebar inside this proceeding
  1. Financial-Motive Evidence DisputeThe parties disputed whether testimony about Ms. Maxwell's father's death, apartment moves, and finances could support a motive theory.

Highlights

David Rodgers — Directevidence eventRodgers authenticated his logbook as a contemporaneous record of flights he crewed; the court admitted Exhibit 662 under seal and admitted redacted Exhibit 662-R.David Rodgers — Direct“Yes, it would have been made at the time that flight was over, probably within 30 minutes of the passengers leaving.”— David RodgersRodgers described when he made entries in the logbook later admitted into evidence.

6. Lunch Redaction, Limiting-Instruction, and Sealed Rule 412 Matters

The court resolved redaction, exhibit, and limiting-instruction matters before the jury returned and direct examination of Mr. Rodgers resumed.

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Procedural
Lunch Redaction and Exhibit Conference
35 lines

The court ordered narrower redactions and deferred further argument on Government Exhibit 52.

Procedural
Limiting-Instruction Language Ruling
19 lines

The court accepted agreed limiting-instruction language for anticipated New Mexico testimony.

sidebar
Rule 412 Scope Discussion
13 lines

The court addressed a Rule 412 issue concerning whether there was a dispute over the scope of matters to be explored.

7. David Rodgers — Direct/Cross/Redirect (Continued)

Pilot David Rodgers continued explaining flight-log entries before the defense questioned the limits of his records and recollection, followed by brief redirect testimony and scheduling discussions.

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Direct
David Rodgers — Direct Resumed David Rodgers Maurene Comey
572 lines

David Rodgers used flight-log entries to identify travel involving Epstein, Maxwell, Jane, and Virginia Roberts; the jury also viewed Government Exhibit 14.

Cross
David Rodgers — Cross David Rodgers Christian R. Everdell
1454 lines

David Rodgers acknowledged that key flight-date testimony rested on his logbook, whose earlier entries listed only Jane's true first name, while describing his observations and Maxwell's work role.

Redirect
David Rodgers — Redirect David Rodgers Maurene Comey
113 lines

David Rodgers tied his recollection of meeting Jane to his logbook; the court then addressed defense-case timing, a charge conference, and briefing on 52.

Highlights

David Rodgers — Direct Resumedtestimony highlightRodgers testified that a May 9, 1997 flight from Teterboro to Santa Fe carried Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Jane, with no other passengers.David Rodgers — Crosstestimony highlightRodgers said his confident account of the Interlochen flights came from reviewing his flight logbook rather than an independent memory of each flight.
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