A so-called false memory expert testified Thursday in the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell as the defense sought to undercut the credibility of ...
A so-called false memory expert testified Thursday in the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell as the defense sought to undercut the credibility of accusers who say Maxwell assisted Jeffrey Epstein in preying on young girls.
“False memories … can be very vivid, detailed. People can be confident about them, people can be emotional about them, even though they’re false,” psychologist Elizabeth Loftus said, according to U.S. News and World Report.
“One thing we know about memory is that it doesn’t work like a recording device,” she said, according to Law & Crime.
According to Rolling Stone, Loftus testified in court that the unreliability of memories can increase over time.
“As [the memory has] faded and weakened, it becomes more vulnerable to contamination,” Loftus said.
When it was the prosecution’s turn to question her, Judge Alison Nathan shut down questions related to her past defense testimony for Harvey Weinstein, according to the Independent.
Loftus also testified for the defense in the trials of Robert Durst and Ted Bundy, the outlet reported.
In addition, Loftus assisted the defense of Bill Cosby and Michael Jackson, according to The New Yorker. Law & Crime reported that she was called to the stand in the trial of O.J. Simpson.
Loftus said individuals who experience trauma might forget “peripheral details,” but would recall “core memories.”
“Studies show if you participate, you’re more likely to remember than if you’re observing,” she said, according to Rolling Stone.
During cross-examination, Loftus admitted she charges $600 an hour for her services.
She also said she usually testifies for the defense because her beliefs do not align with what she called the prosecution’s “agenda.”
Attorney Lisa Bloom, who represents some of the women who have accused Maxwell and Epstein of sexual abuse, said Loftus has a very clear agenda.
“Child sexual abuse victims, in her view, never have a clear memory, never have a good memory, should never be believed,” Bloom said, according to Rolling Stone.
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