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Saturday, July 6, 2019
OPINIONS
TheVirgin Islands Daily News 11
DAILY „:..„ NEWS
Fuunck. Aug. 1,1930, by, Antonio Jur. and Ariel Me..., Sr.
Published by Daily News Publishing Co., Inc.
Archie Nohigian, Publisher ..1LoweDavls. Edkor
The week in cartoons
Government turns its back
on Jeffrey Epstein's sex victims
From the Sun Sett fine, FL Lauderdale. Fla
Private Imvyers allowed sexual predator Jef-
frey Epstein to escape justice. Epstein's new
defense team works for the federal gmerninent.
The U.S. attorney for the northern district
of Georgia claimed last week that even though
prosecutors in South Florida broke the law
%then they approml an outrageously light se,
tence for Epstein, the deal must stand. B,ing
Pak may not actually be on Epstein, legal team,
but he has placed the Department of Justice on
Epstein, side.
an'agrerevIZI; EPstefillietlids a it'll:di; l'Pr=nYt
inunp, former President Bill ulinton and
Prince Andrew. Between 1998 and 2., E,
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 fethral sex traffick-
ing charges. He could have faced life in prison.
Instead, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern Dis-
trict of Rorida —Alex Acosta, now Trump, 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 K.rischer went along. E,
stein served 13 months in jail — he was allmked
out about haff the time — and had to register
with die state as a sex offender
Prosecutors never told the victims about the
agreement Until the signing of that othous
agreement in 2007, the girls believed the FBI
was still investigating
The victims challenged the deal, which a,
plied not j. to Epstein, but also to those who
recruited the girls and joined in the abuse. Last
February, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Matra
ruled that prosecutors Ind violated the Crime
Victims RigNs Act In criticizing the govern-
ment, Marra noted, "Epstein worked in concert
with others to obtain minors not only f his
own sexual gratification, but al. for the sental
gratification of others."
Mona then as. attomeys for both sides
how he should correct this violation. Pak got
the case because Acosta, old office had to 'r-
euse itself
Pak, idea?The victims could "confer in pri-
vote" with prosecutors about the deal. Prosec,
tots co. get more trsining in how to consuk
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 no,
prosecution agreement which is what the
tims want. Doing so, Pak claims, could violate
separstion of powers.
That sounds lilce a waming to Marra —
one he should ignore. Prosecutorial discretion
doesn't maner when the action in question
breaks the law. Even Pak acknowledges repeat-
ethy that it hopper..
The government, he writ., "should have
communicated with the victims in a straight-
fonvard and transparent way,' Pak "regrets that
the manner in which (the government) corn-
municated the resolution of the Epstein case to
the victims .11 short.- Prosecutors could have
communicated "more clearly and direcdy-
with die victims.-
None of that happened because Acosta,
Krischer and Epstein's laAryers didn't want the
deal to become p.c. The victims might have
gone public with their complaints. Metha cov-
erage could have ki. the deal.
Indeed, the record reflects the lengths to
which Acosta and I.scher sought secrecy.
Acosta thove 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 di.1 create this
mess. But his argument insults the public and
reflects badly on die Department of Justice.
"The resolution in this case,- Pak writes,
"has led some to conclude that die government
chose for impropernmasatons not to prosecute
:IZ'1%iaa=1 ththe Iptrint:liPisaltsitvubestgreenn
able to avoid talking about it for more than a
decade.
Acosta duc. the issue during his confir-
mation hearings in Apri12017. Last November,
The Miami Herald tan a series on the case that
featured interviews with victims who agreed to
be identi.. Acosta refus. to comment. So
did I.scher.
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 E,
stein and his accomplices did to these women?
How ma, 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 (mind the post."
Pak argues, "the ten.. proposed
by the goverment would
give the victims a mean-
hmagvea theiPrc=tYes t
heard and to un-
derstand, if not
: icoctei ath ed ed xi;
this matter-
Unaccept-
able is right.
The victin,
lawyers will
file their re.-
t3iers o u Icc "I a
Marra to void
the agreement
— This edito-
ria is the opin-
ion of the Stet
Sentinel Editorial
Board
The Da i y 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
-
Some might
argue that the
victims have
received money
from civil
lawsuits and
sh OU Id move
on. But can
there be a price
for what Jeffrey
Epstein and his
accomplices did
to the.
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?