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988 KB
Extraction Summary
6
People
4
Organizations
2
Locations
3
Events
7
Relationships
9
Quotes
Document Information
Type:
Legal document
File Size:
988 KB
Summary
This legal document details the aggressive tactics used by Jeffrey Epstein's legal team, including a threat by attorney Alan Dershowitz to 'destroy' witnesses. It also explains the Florida State Attorney's Office's decision to present the case to a grand jury, citing a conflict of interest involving prosecutor Krischer's husband and Epstein's lawyer, Jack Goldberger, as well as the complexities of the case and the victim-witnesses.
People (6)
| Name | Role | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Alan Dershowitz | Attorney |
Epstein's local counsel who met with and threatened Krischer.
|
| Krischer | Assistant State Attorney |
Prosecutor in the Epstein case who was threatened by Dershowitz and interviewed by OPR.
|
| Epstein | Defendant |
The subject of the criminal investigation and prosecution discussed in the document.
|
| Jack Goldberger | Local attorney |
Hired by Epstein; was law partners with Belohlavek, the husband of the Assistant State Attorney.
|
| Belohlavek | Attorney |
Husband of Assistant State Attorney Krischer and law partner of Jack Goldberger. Took over the case after Krischer wa...
|
| Gerald Lefcourt | Criminal defense attorney |
A nationally known New York attorney who also represented Epstein.
|
Organizations (4)
| Name | Type | Context |
|---|---|---|
| OPR | Government agency |
Office of Professional Responsibility, which interviewed Krischer and Belohlavek about the case.
|
| State Attorney’s Office | Government agency |
The office responsible for prosecuting Epstein.
|
| Florida Department of Law Enforcement | Government agency |
Mentioned in a footnote as investigating the State Attorney's Office's handling of the Epstein case.
|
| The Florida Bar | Professional association |
Cited in a footnote regarding grand jury procedures.
|
Timeline (3 events)
Alan Dershowitz met with Krischer and the Assistant State Attorney and made threats.
The State Attorney's Office decided to present the Epstein case to a grand jury.
Florida
Assistant State Attorney Krischer was recused from the Epstein case due to a conflict of interest involving her husband, Belohlavek.
Relationships (7)
Dershowitz is described as Epstein's local counsel.
Goldberger was a local attorney hired by Epstein.
Lefcourt was a criminal defense attorney also representing Epstein.
The document states, 'Because the husband of the Assistant State Attorney was Goldberger’s law partner...'
The document states Belohlavek was 'Goldberger’s law partner'.
Dershowitz, representing Epstein, met with and threatened prosecutor Krischer.
Krischer stated she had 'a working relationship' with Goldberger.
Key Quotes (9)
"We’re going to destroy your witnesses; don’t go to court because we’re going to destroy those girls."Source
— Alan Dershowitz
(A threat made to Krischer and the Assistant State Attorney regarding the witnesses in the Epstein case.)
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Quote #1
"overly aggressive"Source
— Krischer (describing Dershowitz)
(Description of Alan Dershowitz's demeanor during his meeting with prosecutors.)
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Quote #2
"tainted the waters"Source
— Krischer (describing Dershowitz's actions)
(Describing the effect of Dershowitz's threats, which led Epstein to hire another attorney.)
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Quote #3
"a working relationship"Source
— Krischer
(Describing her professional relationship with local attorney Jack Goldberger.)
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Quote #4
"even the appearance of any kind of conflict of interest"Source
— Belohlavek
(The reason given for recusing the Assistant State Attorney (Krischer) from the case.)
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Quote #5
"great consternation within the office"Source
— Krischer
(Describing the office's reaction to the possibility that Epstein's victims could themselves have been prosecuted for prostitution under the law at the time.)
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Quote #6
"it was an organized scheme to involve young girls by offering them money. And I wouldn’t say that we . . . thought they were prostitutes . . . [but] I think there was solicitation."Source
— Belohlavek
(Explaining to OPR why her office took the allegations against Epstein seriously.)
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Quote #7
"behavior was reprehensible, . . . I’m limited by . . . the state statutes as to what I can charge."Source
— Belohlavek
(Expressing her view of Epstein's conduct while noting the legal constraints on prosecution.)
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Quote #8
"There were so many issues involving the victim-witnesses that to my mind, in consultation with my [prosecutors], the only way to achieve, to my mind, real justice was to present the case to the grand jury and not to direct-file"Source
— Krischer
(Explaining to OPR the rationale for taking the unusual step of presenting the case to a grand jury.)
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Quote #9
Full Extracted Text
Complete text extracted from the document (3,845 characters)
Case 22-1426, Document 77, 06/29/2023, 3536038, Page43 of 258
SA-41
Case 1:20-cr-00330-AJN Document 204-3 Filed 04/16/21 Page 41 of 348
SA-41
Case 1:20-cr-00330-AJN Document 204-3 Filed 04/16/21 Page 41 of 348
told OPR that Epstein’s local counsel brought attorney Alan Dershowitz to see Krischer and the
Assistant State Attorney, but Dershowitz was “overly aggressive” and threatened, “We’re going
to destroy your witnesses; don’t go to court because we’re going to destroy those girls.” According
to Krischer, Dershowitz so “tainted the waters” that Epstein also hired local attorney Jack
Goldberger, with whom Krischer had “a working relationship.” Because the husband of the
Assistant State Attorney was Goldberger’s law partner, Belohlavek recused the Assistant State
Attorney to remove “even the appearance of any kind of conflict” of interest, and Belohlavek took
over the case. Goldberger, together with Gerald Lefcourt, a nationally known New York criminal
defense attorney also representing Epstein, then directed their efforts at Belohlavek and Krischer
to dissuade the office from prosecuting Epstein, largely by attacking the credibility of the victim
witnesses.
Assistant State Attorney, but Dershowitz was “overly aggressive” and threatened, “We’re going
to destroy your witnesses; don’t go to court because we’re going to destroy those girls.” According
to Krischer, Dershowitz so “tainted the waters” that Epstein also hired local attorney Jack
Goldberger, with whom Krischer had “a working relationship.” Because the husband of the
Assistant State Attorney was Goldberger’s law partner, Belohlavek recused the Assistant State
Attorney to remove “even the appearance of any kind of conflict” of interest, and Belohlavek took
over the case. Goldberger, together with Gerald Lefcourt, a nationally known New York criminal
defense attorney also representing Epstein, then directed their efforts at Belohlavek and Krischer
to dissuade the office from prosecuting Epstein, largely by attacking the credibility of the victim
witnesses.
Meanwhile, the State Attorney’s Office took the unusual step of preparing to present the
case to a grand jury. Krischer told OPR that under state law as it existed until changed in 2016,
his office prosecuted minors as young as 14 for prostitution.10 The possibility that Epstein’s
victims themselves could have been prosecuted caused “great consternation within the office,” and
according to Krischer, resulted in the decision to put the case before the grand jury.11 Belohlavek
told OPR that her office took the allegations against Epstein “seriously, because . . . it was an
organized scheme to involve young girls by offering them money. And I wouldn’t say that we . . .
thought they were prostitutes . . . [but] I think there was solicitation.” However, she said, although
Epstein’s “behavior was reprehensible, . . . I’m limited by . . . the state statutes as to what I can
charge.” Krischer told OPR, “There were so many issues involving the victim-witnesses that to
my mind, in consultation with my [prosecutors], the only way to achieve, to my mind, real justice
was to present the case to the grand jury and not to direct-file” criminal charges against Epstein.
case to a grand jury. Krischer told OPR that under state law as it existed until changed in 2016,
his office prosecuted minors as young as 14 for prostitution.10 The possibility that Epstein’s
victims themselves could have been prosecuted caused “great consternation within the office,” and
according to Krischer, resulted in the decision to put the case before the grand jury.11 Belohlavek
told OPR that her office took the allegations against Epstein “seriously, because . . . it was an
organized scheme to involve young girls by offering them money. And I wouldn’t say that we . . .
thought they were prostitutes . . . [but] I think there was solicitation.” However, she said, although
Epstein’s “behavior was reprehensible, . . . I’m limited by . . . the state statutes as to what I can
charge.” Krischer told OPR, “There were so many issues involving the victim-witnesses that to
my mind, in consultation with my [prosecutors], the only way to achieve, to my mind, real justice
was to present the case to the grand jury and not to direct-file” criminal charges against Epstein.
C. Florida State Procedure for Bringing Criminal Charges
Federal criminal procedure requires that a felony charge—that is, any charge punishable
by imprisonment for one year or more—be brought by a grand jury unless waived by a defendant.12
Under Florida law, however, a grand jury is required to bring criminal charges only in a death
penalty case.13 For all other cases, a State Attorney has concurrent authority to file criminal
charges by means of a document called an “information” or to seek a grand jury indictment.
Although Florida criminal cases are routinely charged by information, state grand juries are often
utilized in sensitive or high-profile cases, such as those involving allegations of wrongdoing by
public officials.14 Florida grand jury proceedings are subject to strict secrecy rules that, among
by imprisonment for one year or more—be brought by a grand jury unless waived by a defendant.12
Under Florida law, however, a grand jury is required to bring criminal charges only in a death
penalty case.13 For all other cases, a State Attorney has concurrent authority to file criminal
charges by means of a document called an “information” or to seek a grand jury indictment.
Although Florida criminal cases are routinely charged by information, state grand juries are often
utilized in sensitive or high-profile cases, such as those involving allegations of wrongdoing by
public officials.14 Florida grand jury proceedings are subject to strict secrecy rules that, among
10 Belohlavek told OPR that prostitution was a misdemeanor charge, and she did not handle misdemeanors.
11 Because the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation into the State Attorney’s Office’s
handling of the Epstein case was pending at the time OPR interviewed Krischer, he declined to further explain to OPR
his office’s prosecutive decisions.
handling of the Epstein case was pending at the time OPR interviewed Krischer, he declined to further explain to OPR
his office’s prosecutive decisions.
12 U.S. Const. amend. V; Fed. R. Crim. P. 7(a), (b). The sole exception under the rule is felony criminal
contempt, which need not be charged by indictment. Fed. R. Crim. P. 7(a)(1).
contempt, which need not be charged by indictment. Fed. R. Crim. P. 7(a)(1).
13 Fla. Const. Art. I, § 15(a).
14 The Florida Bar, The Grand Jury, Reporters Handbook—The Grand Jury, available at https://www.floridabar.
org/news/resources/rpt-hbk/rpt-hbk-13/.
org/news/resources/rpt-hbk/rpt-hbk-13/.
15
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