Wednesday June 4.2014

Wednesday June 4.2014 VTII21'11\1 ICT A NTiC Epstein's accusers press to reopen sex abuse case By CURT ANDERSON The Associated Press MIAMI — Nearly a cliaade ago, • wealthy financial gurti Jeffrey Epstein came under FBI investiga- tion, suspected of sexually abusing dozens of-under- age girls at Ms Palm Beachma& sion: Then, abruptly; 'the investigation was dropped and felTrey Epstein _.pleaded guilty to Jeffrey Epstein a single state charge of soliciting prostitution. He served jiart over a-year in jail. • Now, two women who say. they were among his victims have won a precedentrsetting appeals court ruling entitling them to see all the documents from the. plea bargain s cessions ' between Eps tein s 41i-iieweiod 1i-titers and federal - prosecutors. Their goal: use those files to undo the agreement, reopen the investiga- tion and subject Epstein to more charges. The women's lawyers contend Epstein got special treatment because of his wealth and Connections. His. attorneys deny that. • Virgin Islands first lady Cecile delongli is the manager of Financial Trust Co.; a financial services coin- pany,owne.d by-Epstein. She has also worked with his charitable founda- tion, the -1:-Epstein Virgin Islands Foundation. ., Epsteinowns one of the territory's largest residential estates, the 68.7- acre Little St James - • Epstein, 61, made. hundreds of mil-. • lions-of dollars :tiianaging (Unfit for rich clients. Shortly after his -2008 guilty plea; it came to light that his lawyers had secretly reached.a non- prosecution agreement months earli- er with-the U.S.. Justice Department that spared him a potentially heavier punishment. • "Our complaint alleges that, prod- .: BIG LEE 1 CISTERN SERVICE 1 1 Building • Repairing .,....Sealin: • Ins ,ection : dad by Epstein, the federal prosecu- tors deliberately concealed the sweet- heart plea deal they made with him to avoid public criticism," said Paul Cassell, a University of Utah law professor who- is representing the two women. The U.S. attorney's office in Miami would not comment. But the U.S. attorney at the time, R. Alexander Acosta, said in a 2011 let- • ter defending his office that more evidence came to light after Epstein made his deal. "Many victims have spoken out, filing detailed statements in civil, cases seeking damages. Physical diri: dente has been discovered," Acosta Wrote. "Had these additional state- maita and:evidence been knoWn, the outcome may have been different." Epstein has settled lawsuits for undisclosed amounts with many of , the women who say they were unda- age ivhen they' ere paid for sea:. The case represents the first trend a federal appeafs court has ruled that the Crime Victims' Rights Act of 2004-guarantees victim the right to be informed about the details of how a plea bargaiiiivas reached, accord- ing to-legal experts and lawyers involved* the case. The law marked the culmination of efforts begun in the 1960s-to giVe crime victims more -"I hope that the case will ultimate- ly set •an important precedent that federal prosecutors can't keep vic- tims in the dark about the plea deals that-they reach," Cassell said, Epstein served 13 months of an 18-month sentence en the prostitu- tion charge, sold his Palm Beach home in 2011 and now divides his time between a New York City home, -Little St. James island and an apart- ment in Paris, according to court doer , uments. He'also: has a large New 'Mexico ranch. He donates huge sums each year,, particularly toward projects involv- - int new medical treatments andarti- , ficial intelligence. His foundation -established a liartrard- University program that uses. mathematics to study evolutionary biology, viruses and-disease. • Abcordifig to lawsuits filed by some of his accusers, Epitein relied on assistants to recruit underage girls to.give him massages and,perform sex acts. They were usually paid about S200. ' Some girls were notified about the investigation beginning in 2006. -But ' -they Weren't told about the negotia- tions with federal prosecutors for at least nine months, despite a require- ment. in the Crime Victims' Rights Act that they be kept informed; The two women.= who were 13 and 14 when the 'alleged assaults occurred -.- --sited for the files and won. 'Although plea negotiations are vital to the functioning of the crimi- nal justice system, a prosecutor and ' target of a criminal prosecution do not enjoy a relationship of confidence and trust V;hen.theyhegotiate," the appeals diatufsaid. - • • Federal prosecutors have begun. . turning over the doctiments: ' Epstein's attorney, Roy Black, the.... ' celebrity laWyerwhe is also repre- saiting`hartin Bieber iarhis DUI and resisting-arrest case in Miami Beach, declined to comment-but has asked that the documents be kept they have public view; and so fat they have beep. In a May 23 Court filing, Black said that there was no conspiracy between prosecutors and Epstein's team to violate the victims' rights law and that the non-prosecution' agreement-contained many provi.• .sions. Epstein strongly opposed, such as registering asa sex offend- er and agreeing not to contest cer- tain lawsuits. . ' • ".This was no aweetheiret deal by any stretch of the imagination," Black said in court papers. Even if a judge invalidates the plea deal, it will still be up.to federal pros- ecutors to decide what to do. . "Theo:girt canitteree theProsecu- tors to bring. charges," said Man Alexrod, a former.federal prosecutor now in private practice,- in Washington. CONIIMMTAIISOLLI SHIA MONT CISMTS BACKLITSIEN MD SIGNS BLIMPS aMIROPS • Cruise shi Today, June 4. Nonvegjan Getaway (3,969) Freedom of the Seas (3,63 DisneyTantasy14,0001 Caribbean Princess (3,622) Thursday, June 5-Sat No ships Sunday, June 8 Jewel of the Seas (2,501) Monday, June 9 Carnival Valor (2,974) Numbers in pa. Laser Visio VISION WELC DR. MA THERAPEU specializii • Family E • Treatmer • Cataract • Glaucon • Contact Call for a Nisky C1 Tutu Par AUDITION JUNE 11-13 3:30-4:30 pm ........ EFTA01121731