Ghislaine Maxwell Anticipated Trial Date Set

A provisional date for Ghislaine Maxwell's trial has been set, and the wait is going to be long. If nothing changes, Maxwell's trial will begin on July 12, 2021, according to reporters on the scene. The wealthy socialite is still appealing to the court for bail, hoping to live in her New York residence in the meantime.

Maxwell is accused of aiding and abetting Jeffrey Epstein in his alleged child sex trafficking operation for at least three years. The 58-year-old is currently being held in a federal detention facility in New York City, and she could be there for a while. On Tuesday, several reporters on Twitter offered live updates on her court appearance via video chat — including Chris Ship of ITV News and Adam Klasfeld of Courthouse News. Both said that Maxwell's provisional trial date is July 12, 2021, and will last at least two weeks.

A provisional trial date for #GhislaineMaxwell has been set for next year. It has been scheduled for July 12, 2021 - and should last at least 2 weeks.

— Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) July 14, 2020

Maxwell waived her right to appear in court physically for her arraignment on Tuesday, according to a report by CBS News. Instead, she chimed in via video chat from prison, wearing a plain brown shirt with her usually short hair tied up in a bun. She concurred with her lawyers as they offered terms for her to leave the prison on bail until her trial begins.

Maxwell offered $5 million in bail money, backed up by a $3.75 million property in the U.K. as collateral. The offer was co-signed by six individuals, including two of Maxwell's sisters, although prosecutors argued that she inadequately identified some of the others co-signing the document.

This display was just one way the prosecutors argued that Maxwell is not trustworthy enough to be granted bail. They emphasized that Maxwell is an international citizen with multiple passports, lots of global connections and plenty of money and other resources. They went so far as to say that she is "skilled at living in hiding." Prosecutors believe that Maxwell will take the first chance she gets to flee the U.S. and go into hiding in a place that will not extradite her.

Maxwell and her attorneys argued that she faces a high risk of contracting a serious case of COVID-19 inside the prison. Their offer of bail was highly conditional as well, with Maxwell asking only to be allowed to travel within the Eastern and Southern districts of New York, with constant GPS monitoring.

Maxwell and her attorneys also tried to argue that she has been cooperative with authorities ever since Epstein's arrest. This detail contradicts reports that she attempted to flee when federal officials came to her remote home in New Hampshire and that she was evading them before that as well.