Miami U.S. Attorney Recuses from Epstein Case Amid Claims of Prosecutorial Misconduct and Sealed Plea Deal

Wednesday, March 6, 2019 Miami U.S. attorney's office recuses itself from the Jeffrey Epstein case By JULIE K. BROWN Miami Herald MIAMI — Just days before a Friday deadline, the Justice Department has reassigned the Jeffrey Epstein victims’ rights case to the US. attomey’s office in Adanta, the attorneys representing Epstein’ victims said Tuesday. Miami federal prosecutors, in a let- ter to attorneys for the victims Monday, said they had recused themselves from the case, according to Brad Edwards and Jack Scarola, representing Ep- stein’s victims. The reassignment means that the US. attomey for the Northern District of Georgia, Byung J. “BJay” Pak, will oversee the case for the government. Pak, a former Georgia lawmaker, was appointed Atlanta's chief federal pros- ecutor by President Donald Trump in October 2017. The Justice Department is still under a Friday deadline for prosecutors to confer with the victims’ attorneys in an effort to settle the case. On Feb, 22, U.S. District Judge Kenneth A. Marra in Palm Beach County ruled that federal prosecutors, under former Miami U.S. Attomey Alexander Acosta, broke the law when they concealed a plea agree- ment from more than 30 underage girls in Palm Beach who had been sexually abused by Epstein, a multimillionaire New York hedge fund manager. Marra stopped short of voiding the agreement, which granted Epstein and an untold number of accomplices im- munity from federal prosecution for sex trafficking crimes, provided Ep- stein plead guilty to minor charges in state court. At the time of the plea deal, federal prosecutors had gathered enough evidence against Epstein to write a 53-page federal indictment, court records show. An investigation by the Miami Her- ald, “Perversion of Justice,” found that after Acosta met privately with one of Epstein’s lawyers, the govemment agreed to seal the plea agreement so that no one — not the victims, not even the state court judge who sen- tenced Epstein — would know the full extent of his crimes. Epstein, now 66, was allowed to plead guilty to prosti- tution charges and served 13 months in the Palm Beach County jail, where he was given liberal work release, and Gactesa0 VIP Awards & Engraving allowed to travel to New York and his private island in the Virgin Islands dur- ing his subsequent house arrest. He was released in 2009, and now divides his time between New York, Palm Beach and the U.S, Virgin Islands. The Herald interviewed four of Ep- stein’s victims, who were as young as 13 at the time they were abused by Epstein. They said they felt betrayed by state and federal prosecutors, who treated them like prostitutes instead of victims. Two of them sued the federal government in 2008 under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act, which grants crime victims the right to be informed about plea deals and to confer with prosecutors. Marra, in a 33-page opinion, said prosecutors not only intentionally vio- lated the Crime Victims’ Rights Act, but they misled the girls into believing that the FBI's sex trafficking case against Ep- stein was ongoing — when, in fact, pros- ecutors had secretly closed it after sealing the plea bargain from the public record. Marra, noting that he reviewed affi- davits, depositions and interrogatories, said “Epstein worked in concert with others to obtain minors not only for his own sexual gratification, but also for the sexual gratification of others.” The victims’ attorneys — Edwards, Scarola and Paul Cassell — have asked the Justice Department to throw out Epstein’ plea agreement and reopen the criminal investigation. Edwards, who brought the victims’ rights case against the government, said transferring the case to another ju- risdiction is a prudent decision, “I think it's good that we're going to get fresh eyes and a fresh opinion on the way the case was handled,” Ed- wards said Tuesday. Miami’ new U.S. attorney, Ariana Fajardo Orshan — who was appointed by Trump in September — did not re- spond to a request for comment. Acosta, who was appointed by Trump as the U.S. secretary of labor in 2017, is the focus of a separate Justice Depart- ment investigation into whether there was any prosecutorial misconduct in the Epstein case. That probe, by the DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility, was initiated in response to demands from a bipartisan group in Congress, led by Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Democratic Rep. 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Ee a te q ving you and hope the residents of the pe Ly COG St. Croix Suit 301 Sunny Isle Medical Center * 340-718-2665 COG Restore St. Thomas & St. John * Royal Palms Professional Building * Ste 206 Hav retooeed by thew ACCU ROTTATION ASSOCIATION for AMMULATORY HRALTH CARE, INC 340-779-9355 www.COGVI.com Most Insurance, Medicare & Medicaid Accepted HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_031170 Wednesday, March 6, 2 019 NATION The Virgin Islands Daily News 9 Miami U.S. attorney's office recuses itself from the Jeffrey Epstein case allowed to travel to .w York and his private island in the Virgin Islands dur- __________________________________________ ing his subsequent house arrest. lie was MIAMI—Just days before a Friday released in 2009, and now divides his deadline, dm Justice Department has time between New York, Palm Beach reassigned dte Jeffrey Epstein victims' and the U.S. Virgin Islands. rights case to the U.S. attorney, office The Herald interviewed four of Ep- in Atlanta. dte attorneys representing stein, victims,who were as young as 13 Epstein, victims saidnesday. at the time they were abused by Epstein. Miami fedeml prosecutors, in a let- They said they felt betrayed by state and ter to attorneys for the victims Monday. federal prosecutors, who treated them said they had recused themselves front like prostitutes instead of victims. Two dte case, according to Brad Edwards of tImm sued the federal government in and Jack Scarola, represethng Ep- 2008 under the Crime Victims' Rights stein, victims. Act, which gmnts crime victims the The reassignment means that the right to be informed than plea deals U.S. attorney for the Northern District 8IXI to confer with prosecutors. of Georgia, Byung J. 'Shy.' 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That probe. by the DOJ, tenced Epstein — would know the full Office of Professional Responsibility, extent of his crimes. Epstein, now 66, was initiated in response to demands t7iso:ilcrarecglest°aPnictrticilt )13°1r:til16$ led by Republican Sen. Ben Same of front a bipartisan group in Congress, in the Palm Beach County jail. where Nebraska and Demoaatic Rep. Debbie N Yawn n an Schuh/. of Florida. he VALS giVell liberal work release. aikl VIP Awards a Engraving CUSTOM RUBBER EmBos4is DONE 114101101 hYtIlift Nero" Notary Public • Photocopies Emalling • Faxing • lamination Orthopedic Joint Care for The USVI and The Caribbean Region Dr. Bacot and Comprehensive Orthopaedics Global (COG) have mourned their Total Joint Program effective November 2018. We are pleased to notify the residents of the USVI and surrounding Caribbean Islands about the recent developments to provide much needed orthopedic joint care to the Caribbean region. 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