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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.' Pak. will Marra, in a 33-page opinith. said
oversee the case 101 62 government prosecutors not only intentionally 16-
P6k, a former Georgia lawmaker, was toted dm Gime Victims' Rights Act, but
appointed Atlanta, chief federal pros- they mrtled dte girls into believing that
ecutor by President Donald Trump in the FBI, mx tmfficicing arte apinst Ep-
October 2017. stein was ongoing — when. in fact. pros-
The Justice Department is stillunder motors had secredy closed it after sealing
a Friday deadline for prosecutors to the plea bargthn front die pthlic record
confer with dte victi.' attorneys in an Marra, noting that he reviewed affi-
effort to settle the case. On Feb. 22, U.S. davits, depositions and interrogatories,
District Judge Kenneth A. Marra in said "Epstein worked in concert with
Palm Beach County ruled that federal others to obtain minors not only for
prosecutors. under former Miami U.S. own sexual gnrtification, but also for
Attorney Alexander Acosta, broke dte dte sexual gmtification of others?'
law when they concealed a plea agree- The victi.' attorneys — Edwards,
mem from more than 30 underage girls Scarola and Paul Cassell — have as.
in Palm Beach who had been sexually the Justice Department to drow 1116
abirted by Epstein, a nuthimillionaire Epstein's plea agreement and reopen
New York hedge fund manager. dte criminal investigation.
Marm stopped shoe of voiding dte Edusrds, who brought the victims'
ag.ment, which granted Epstein and rights case against the governmart,
an untold mother of accomplices im- said transferring the CaSe to anotherju-
munity front federal prosecirion for risdiction is a pnident decision.
Sill sex trafficking crimes, provided Ep- think it, good that we. going
pletrtntlytheui
tonitior tcharges loge fresh ey es and a fresh opini
c on
o, hc plea on the way the case was handled:. Ed-
derlatfeederal prosecutors' had gathel2d wards said...day.
c"c't leg ha "i34-1;c: tat? innte rt: Fsjardo Orshan — who was appointed
Miami, new U.S. attorney, Ariana
court recoL show. by Trump in September — did not re-
An investigation by Miami tier- spond to a request for comment.
ald, -Perversion of Justice:. found that Acosta, who was appointedby Thoth
after Acosm met privately with one as the U.S. secretary of labor in 2017, is
of Epstein, lawyers, the government the focus of a separate Justrce Depart-
agreed to seal the plea agreement so mem investigation into 0611611 16161
that no one — not the victims, not was any prosecutorial misconduct intim
even the state court judge who sen- Epstein case. 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
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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.
Dr. Bacot and COG have established relationships
with large hospital systems in South Florida
to provide these specialized surgical services
currently unavailable in the USVI.
e team at COG, led by Dr. Bacot will direct your medical care, perform the required
rgical procedures and manage your recovery once you return home.
e surgical procedures required will be coordinated with the hospital by the clinical
am at COG. The hospital system will be accepting the same methods of payments
ccepted by COG.
We look forward to serving you and hope the residents of the
US VI and Caribbean welcome the orthopedic services being provided
COG St. Thomos & St. John • Foothills Professional Bldg • Ste 206 • 340-779-2663
COG St. Croix Suit 301 Sunny Isle Medical Center • 340-718-2665
COG Restore St. Thomas & St. John • Royal Palms Professional Building • Ste 206
340-779-9355
www.COGVI.com
Most Insurance, Medicare & Medicaid Accepted
and/or directions... LL 340 14-1501