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Saturday, July 6, 2019
OPINIONS
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Government turns its back
on Jeffrey Epstein's sex victims
From the Sun Sentinel, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Private lawyers allowed sexual predator Jef-
frey Epstein to escape justice. Epstein's new
defense team works for the federal government.
The U.S. attorney for the northern district
of Georgia claimed last week that even though
prosecutors in South Florida broke the law
when they approved an outrageously light sen-
tence for Epstein, the deal must stand. Byung
Pak may not actually be on Epstein's legal team,
but he has placed the Department of Justice on
Epstein's side.
To review, Epstein is a billionaire money
manager whose friends include President
Trump, former President Bill Clinton and
Prince Andrew. Between 1998 and 2006, Ep-
stein recruited roughly three dozen underage
girls — generally from poor and troubled fami-
lies — to his house in Palm Beach and sexually
abused them.
Epstein could have faced federal sex traffick-
ing charges. He could have faced life in prison.
Instead, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern Dis-
trict of Florida — Alex Acosta, now Trump's la-
bor secretary — gave Epstein immunity on fed-
eral charges and allowed him to plead guilty to
minor state charges. Then-Palm Beach County
State Attorney Barry Krischer went along. Ep-
stein served 13 months in jail — he was allowed
out about half the time — and had to register
with the state as a sex offender.
Prosecutors never told the victims about the
agreement. Until the signing of that odious
agreement in 2007, the girls believed the FBI
was still investigating.
Two victims challenged the deal, which ap-
plied not just to Epstein, but also to those who
recruited the girls and joined in the abuse. Last
February, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra
ruled that prosecutors had violated the Crime
Victims Rights Act. In criticizing the govern-
ment, Marra noted, "Epstein worked in concert
with others to obtain minors not only for his
own sexual gratification, but also for the sexual
gratification of others."
Marra then asked attorneys for both sides
how he should correct this violation. Pak got
the case because Acosta's old office had to re-
cuse itself.
Pak's idea? The victims could "confer in pri-
vate" with prosecutors about the deal. Prosecu-
tors could get more training in how to consult
with victims. But the deal stands. The victims
don't deserve even an apology.
Pak argues that the Crime Victims Rights
Act contains no provision for undoing the non-
prosecution agreement, which is what the vic-
tims want. Doing so, Pak claims, could violate
separation of powers.
That sounds like a warning to Marra —
one he should ignore. Prosecutorial discretion
doesn't matter when the action in question
breaks the law. Even Pak acknowledges repeat-
edly that it happened.
The government, he writes, "should have
communicated with the victims in a straight-
forward and transparent way." Pak "regrets that
the manner in which (the government) com-
municated the resolution of the Epstein case to
the victims fell short." Prosecutors could have
communicated "more clearly and directly"
with the victims."
None of that happened because Acosta,
Krischer and Epstein's lawyers didn't want the
deal to become public. The victims might have
gone public with their complaints. Media cov-
erage could have killed the deal.
Indeed, the record reflects the lengths to
which Acosta and Krischer sought secrecy.
Acosta drove from Miami to West Palm Beach
to meet with Epstein attorney Jay Lefkowitz.
Krischer wrote to a federal prosecutor, "Glad
we could get this worked out for reasons I won't
put in writing."
We acknowledge that Pak didn't create this
mess. But his argument insults the public and
reflects badly on the Department of Justice.
"The resolution in this case," Pak writes,
"has led some to conclude that the government
chose for improper reasons not to prosecute
Epstein, a conclusion that remains unsubstanti-
ated." That's because the principals have been
able to avoid talking about it for more than a
decade.
Acosta ducked the issue during his confir-
mation hearings in April 2017. Last November,
The Miami Herald ran a series on the case that
featured interviews with victims who agreed to
be identified. Acosta refused to comment. So
did Krischer.
Some might argue that the victims have re-
ceived money from civil lawsuits and should
move on. But can there be a price for what Ep-
stein and his accomplices did to these women?
How many other victims are there? Why should
a man who once faced a 52-page indictment be
able to resume a life of privilege?
"While the court cannot unwind the past,"
Pak argues, "the remedies proposed
by the government would
give the victims a mean-
ingful opportunity to
have their voices
heard and to un-
derstand, if not
accept, the deci-
sions made in
this matter."
Unaccept-
able is right.
The victims'
lawyers will
file their re-
sponses soon.
They should ask
Marra to void
the agreement.
— This edito-
ria is the opin-
ion of the Sun
Sentinel Editorial
Board.
66
Some might
argue that the
victims have
received money
from civil
lawsuits and
should move
on. But can
there be a price
for what Jeffrey
Epstein and his
accomplices did
to these
women? How
many other
victims are
there? Why
should a man
who once faced
a 52-page
indictment be
able to resume
a life of
privilege?
The Daily News' opinions are expressed only in its editorials.
The opinions expressed in columns, letters, cartoons and guest editorials are those of the particular author or artist.
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