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This is a pretty mind-blowing turn of events--in a very good way. All credit goes to a couple of Miami lawyers who have been trying for 10+ years to find justice for victims, and intrepid journalist extraordinaire Julie K. Brown of the Miami Herald, for shining a light on the rot of this situation for the nation to see.
If you're not aware of the details, start here with Perversion of Justice, the long-form, explosive, in-depth exposé the Herald published last November. (Content warning for the subject matter.) It's a stellar piece of must-read journalism.
This is a textbook case of powerful men committing crimes and protecting each other regardless of law, justice, morality, or any of the virtues that are supposed to rule a "just" society. (I know, it's the US, so there are a lot of erroneous assumption there.) The primary names involved, billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, the ringleader; Alex Acosta, the federal prosecutor (now-Secretary of Labor) who called off the FBI and violated every Fed Attorney ethical norm; an all-name legal team, including Jay Lefkowitz, Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz, Jack Goldberger, Roy Black, former U.S. Attorney Guy Lewis, Gerald Lefcourt, and Kenneth Starr. Together, these men conspired to keep a billionaire well known to traffic in underage girls from going to prison, and to steal justice from the girls, whose lives were poisoned.
Epstein should have spent the rest of his life in prison for sex trafficking. Instead he's been out living his best life, while his victims...?
Now, tonight, the Federal Prosecutors of SDNY have arrested Epstein, thanks to NY's elimination of the statue of limitations for sex crimes. (He also has homes in NY and New Mexico, and several of these underage sex "parties" occurred on his private plane.) It's also about to get very TMZ because of the names that will be unveiled (Dershowitz, Trump, Clinton, Prince Andrew, for starters). The national under-belly is about to get a nice, close examination.
I am so, SO hopeful these women--these, once, young girls--finally get their justice.
If you're not aware of the details, start here with Perversion of Justice, the long-form, explosive, in-depth exposé the Herald published last November. (Content warning for the subject matter.) It's a stellar piece of must-read journalism.
This is a textbook case of powerful men committing crimes and protecting each other regardless of law, justice, morality, or any of the virtues that are supposed to rule a "just" society. (I know, it's the US, so there are a lot of erroneous assumption there.) The primary names involved, billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, the ringleader; Alex Acosta, the federal prosecutor (now-Secretary of Labor) who called off the FBI and violated every Fed Attorney ethical norm; an all-name legal team, including Jay Lefkowitz, Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz, Jack Goldberger, Roy Black, former U.S. Attorney Guy Lewis, Gerald Lefcourt, and Kenneth Starr. Together, these men conspired to keep a billionaire well known to traffic in underage girls from going to prison, and to steal justice from the girls, whose lives were poisoned.
This is the story of how Epstein, bolstered by unlimited funds and represented by a powerhouse legal team, was able to manipulate the criminal justice system, and how his accusers, still traumatized by their pasts, believe they were betrayed by the very prosecutors who pledged to protect them.
“I don’t think anyone has been told the truth about what Jeffrey Epstein did,’’ said one of Epstein’s victims, Michelle Licata, now 30. “He ruined my life and a lot of girls’ lives. People need to know what he did and why he wasn’t prosecuted so it never happens again.”
“This was not a ‘he said, she said’ situation. This was 50-something ‘shes’ and one ‘he’ — and the ‘shes’ all basically told the same story,’’ said retired Palm Beach Police Chief Michael Reiter, who supervised the police probe.
Federal prosecutors, including Acosta, not only broke the law, the women contend in court documents, but they conspired with Epstein and his lawyers to circumvent public scrutiny and deceive his victims in violation of the Crime Victims’ Rights Act. The law assigns victims a series of rights, including the right of notice of any court proceedings and the opportunity to appear at sentencing.
“As soon as that deal was signed, they silenced my voice and the voices of all of Jeffrey Epstein’s other victims,’’ said Wild, now 31. “This case is about justice, not just for us, but for other victims who aren’t Olympic stars or Hollywood stars.’’
Epstein should have spent the rest of his life in prison for sex trafficking. Instead he's been out living his best life, while his victims...?
The Herald also identified about 80 women who say they were molested or otherwise sexually abused by Epstein from 2001 to 2006. About 60 of them were located — now scattered around the country and abroad. Eight of them agreed to be interviewed, on or off the record. Four of them were willing to speak on video.
The women are now mothers, wives, nurses, bartenders, Realtors, hairdressers and teachers. One is a Hollywood actress. Several have grappled with trauma, depression and addiction. Some have served time in prison.
Now, tonight, the Federal Prosecutors of SDNY have arrested Epstein, thanks to NY's elimination of the statue of limitations for sex crimes. (He also has homes in NY and New Mexico, and several of these underage sex "parties" occurred on his private plane.) It's also about to get very TMZ because of the names that will be unveiled (Dershowitz, Trump, Clinton, Prince Andrew, for starters). The national under-belly is about to get a nice, close examination.
I am so, SO hopeful these women--these, once, young girls--finally get their justice.
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