EFTA00183050¶
THE PALM BEACH POST • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2009¶
Appeals court backs unsealing of Epstein’s ‘07 deal with feds¶
By SUSAN SPENCER-WENDEL¶
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer¶
WEST PALM BEACH — An appeals court has affirmed a lower court ruling unsealing the confidential deal Jeffrey Epstein struck with federal prosecutors to avoid being charged by them.¶
The 4th District Court of Appeal this week upheld Circuit Judge Jeffrey Colbath’s earlier decision to unseal the agreement.¶
Attorneys for the money manager of billionaires have fought vigorously against the agreement’s release. They have 15 days to request a rehearing with the 4th District Court of Appeal.¶
Absent that, it will become public.¶
Epstein’s local criminal defense attorney Jack Goldberger did not return a call seeking comment.¶
Epstein’s own attorneys, in federal filings, have See EPSTEIN, 6B ►¶
Epstein¶
Attorneys for the Palm Beach money manager have 15 days to seek a rehearing.¶
Civil litigation intensifies; deposition ends abruptly¶
▶ EPSTEIN from 1B¶
An attorney’s questioning of Epstein becomes personal.¶
referred to his confidential deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, struck in September 2007, as “unprecedented” and “highly unusual.”¶
Attorneys for The Palm Beach Post as well as alleged victims of Epstein’s sexual advances sought to have the deal unsealed in state court.¶
Colbath found that the proper, sealing procedures had not been followed by an earlier judge.¶
According to various media accounts, Epstein moved in circles that included President Clinton,¶
“There is nothing more fundamentally important than for the public and press to observe how the government is doing its job,” Post attorney Deanna Shullman has said. “There is great public interest in how everybody in this case is doing their job.”¶
Donald Trump and Prince Andrew. “International Moneyman of Mystery,” declared a 2002 New York magazine profile of Epstein.¶
He pleaded guilty in 2008 to procuring teens for prostitution and was sentenced to 18 months in jail, but allowed out extensively for work release. Epstein was released in late July, after serving 13 months of the sentence.¶
He now faces civil lawsuits filed by young women allegedly lured to his Palm Beach home and paid to perform massages and other acts.¶
That civil litigation is intensifying.¶
This week, while Epstein was being deposed by attorney Spencer Kuvin,¶
who represents an alleged victim identified only as “B.B.”, Kuvin questioned Epstein about the shape of his genitalia and the deposition abruptly ended, according to a transcript.¶
Kuvin has since made a motion in court to be able to inspect Epstein’s genitalia.¶
Kuvin said Thursday he seeks to corroborate a description one woman gave Palm Beach police.¶
Because Epstein is invoking his right to remain silent in depositions, this is the only way to do it, Kuvin said.¶
“We want to corroborate what those girls saw,” Kuvin said.¶