Who is that psychology professor in the case against Ghislaine Maxwell?

This week the trial against Ghislaine Maxwell began, seemingly the right hand of Jeffrey Epstein. The accusations? Recruiting underage girls to have sex with Epstein and associates. Experts will also speak in the trial, such as the psychology professor Elizabeth Loftus called by Maxwell. Who is she and what is her role actually?

The British psychology professor Loftus is prominent in the field of memory. The New York Times even states that she changed the meaning of memory. Quite a big deal then. Apparently, the defense has thought that if they twist the memory of the victims, this will plead in favor of Ghislaine Maxwell. Loftus has to explain how people can be manipulated into false memories. Memories that feel very real to the victims. Free translation: they are trying to smooth things over for Maxwell with all sorts of theories.

By the way, Elizabeth Loftus is no stranger in the courtroom, as the expert has been called in hundreds of cases. Not only in those where the guilty defendants benefited, but especially in cases where people were wrongly accused of something. Besides the major trials, that is. The psychology professor from the University of California in Irvine also sat in the bench for O.J. Simpson, Bill Cosby, and was an expert in the trial of Harvey Weinstein.

Weinstein himself approached Loftus to testify in his case. The first question he asked Elizabeth Loftus over the phone was: how can something that seems to be consensual turn out to be something so wrong? Initially, Loftus refused to cooperate because she found him (her words) a bully. Eventually, Weinstein and his associates managed to get her to appear in court.

Psychology professor Loftus is one of the most prominent psychologists of our time. She has written 24 books, 600 papers, and knows everything about memory. What is particularly interesting for Maxwell? That memory is a reconstruction and does not replay itself when you think back to it. This may indicate that a memory is represented differently. It apparently doesn't matter how long you keep Ghislaine Maxwell behind bars, she remains sneakier than sneaky.

The Public Prosecution Service is bringing in another heavyweight in psychology against Loftus. They plan to call Lisa Rocchio, who is skilled in explaining the behavior of victims. From Rocchio, we will hear in defense how victims actually conform to their sexual abusers. It is very common for victims of abuse not to recognize this in the first years, but to come forward years later. This is the case in the trial against Ghislaine Maxwell (and the now deceased) Epstein.

Stay tuned, because the trial will last at least six weeks and it can hardly be otherwise than that much more is about to happen.