Women win right to see negotiations that led to 'lenient' plea agreement for billionaire sex offender - Sun Sentinel
< img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="//googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/viewthroughconversion/982068480/?value=0&guid=ON&script=0"/> < /div> Sun Sentinel 72° F, Mostly cloudy Monday, April 21, 2014 11:25 PM EDT • Home • Subscriber Services • Classified Ads • Reader Rewards • Crossword, Sudoku, Games • Place An Ad • Contact Us • News • Weather Forecast • Lottery • Schools • Nation & World • Crime & Safety • Mug Shots • Columnists • Traffic • Weird • Politics • Medical Marijuana • Florida • Hurricane HQ • Surveillance Videos • CBS12 • El Sentinel • Broward • Coconut Creek • Coral Springs • Davie • Deerfield Beach • Fort Lauderdale • Hollywood • Miramar • Pembroke Pines • Plantation • Pompano Beach • Sunrise • Tamarac • Weston • More Cities • Palm • Boca Raton • Boynton Beach • Delray Beach • Wellington • West Boca • More Cities • Sports • Miami Dolphins • Miami Heat • Florida Panthers • Miami Marlins • FIFA World Cup • Miami Hurricanes • FAU Owls • Florida Gators • Florida State Seminoles • Broward High Schools • Palm Beach High Schools • Recruiting • Fort Lauderdale Strikers • Outdoors • Tennis • Olympics • Golf • Horse Racing • Youth Sports • Scores • Entertainment • SouthFlorida.com • Events • Restaurants & Bars • Music • Movies • Theater & Arts • Gay & Lesbian • Gambling • TV • Spotted: Party Pics • Celebrity News • Games • Life • Travel • Getaway of the Day • Vacation Starter • Florida Travel Magazine • Deals & Shopping • Food • Society • Jewish Journal • Comics • Home & Garden • Celebrity News • South Florida Parenting • Crossword, Sudoku, Games • Trivia • Health • Dr. Oz Advice • Medical Marijuana • Obamacare • Fitness • Sex & Relationships • Diet & Nutrition • Medicare Guide • Health Tools • Restaurant Calories • Fitness Profiles • Business • People On The Move • Deals & Shopping • Local Business Search • Broward Property Sales • National Business • Personal Finance • Workplace • Technology • Consumer • Opinion • Editorials • Blogs • Columnists • Today's Buzz • South Florida 100 • Cartoons • Letters • Classified • Foreclosures • Business Search • Celebrations • Place an Ad • Public Notices • Search • basicsearch • All content • businesssearch • Business listings • Search Search • Search adv_all Search • adv_all Search Advanced Search Advanced Search X adv_all advSearch • include all of these words: • include any of these words: • include this exact phrase: • exclude: • pre Select a date range this week past 30 days past 3 months past year • cust Create a custom date range From: To: • Search Home > News > Palm Beach County News Victims win right to see negotiations that led to 'lenient' plea agreement for billionaire sex offender Latest in legal saga involving Jeffrey Epstein, 61, financier convicted of procuring minor for prostitution • print Jeffrey Epstein Jeffrey E. Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitutes at his Palm Beach mansion. (The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office via The New York Times / April 21, 2014) • Related • Gov. Scott signs bills clamping down on sexual predatorsGov. Scott signs bills clamping down on sexual predators • Broward pilot gets four years in prison for child porn possessionBroward pilot gets four years in prison for child porn possession • Hollywood police find untested rape kits in evidence room refrigerator Hollywood police find untested rape kits in evidence room refrigerator • MapMaps • Palm Beach, FL, USA By Brett Clarkson, Sun Sentinel 7:43 p.m. EDT, April 21, 2014 Did a Palm Beach billionaire being investigated for having sex with young girls use his wealth to negotiate a lenient and secret agreement that saw him avoid federal prosecution? Attorneys for two victims, known only as Jane Doe 1 and 2, may soon get an answer thanks to an appeals court ruling against financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, 61. The ruling, issued Friday, orders federal authorities to disclose the correspondence that took place between Epstein's attorneys and federal prosecutors when they were negotiating a 2007 agreement, which allowed him to escape federal prosecution if he pleaded guilty to state charges that carried a lesser penalty. "We're trying to figure out if Epstein used his political connections and great wealth to secure this kind of arrangement, that was unheard of, frankly, if you look at these charges," said Paul Cassell, an attorney for the women. Epstein is a native New Yorker who according to media reports built a huge fortune as a money manager and owns several properties including a primary residence in Manhattan, a Palm Beach mansion and his own island in the Caribbean. At one point he counted among his friends former President Bill Clinton, Donald Trump and other high-powered figures. The appeal court decision described the background of Epstein's case, stating that in 2006, the Federal Bureau of Investigation "began investigating allegations that Jeffrey Epstein had sexually abused several minor girls." In September 2007, federal prosecutors struck the non-prosecution deal with Epstein, but didn't tell the victims, court filings say. Photos: Crimes that shocked South Florida "Not only did the United States neglect to confer with the victims before it entered into the agreement with Epstein, it also failed to notify them of its existence for at least nine months," Circuit Judge William H. Pryor wrote in the appeals court decision. In June 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to a state charge of procuring a person under the age of 18 for prostitution and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. He spent 13 months behind bars, and is registered as a sex offender in Florida. The situation also resulted in civil suits being filed against Epstein, who according to media reports settled claims from about two dozen young women who alleged he paid them for sexual massages at his Palm Beach mansion, some as young as 14, according to media reports. To the attorneys who represent the Jane Does 1 and 2, the sentence was much lighter than the years, or possibly decades, that Epstein could've spent behind bars had he been prosecuted in the federal system. They're hoping that the correspondence, ordered released by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, will shed light on what they say is an unusually lenient deal. "I can say that I've been teaching criminal law for more than two decades and I have never seen a plea agreement as lenient as this one, for hands-on sex offenders," said Cassell, who is based in Salt Lake City. But one of Epstein's attorney's, Martin Weinberg, based in Boston, disputed those characterizations. Weinberg said Monday that the plea agreement was "reached in good faith" and that "it's not a fair conclusion" to describe the agreement as either improper or tainted by Epstein's wealth. "It's Mr. Cassell's hope that this correspondence may support that theory, but the reality is that the U.S. Attorney's Office made a responsible judgment in how to implement the law," Weinberg said. Weinberg said he was concerned about the potential impact the ruling would have on the ability of criminal defense attorneys and prosecutors to communicate confidentially. He also said he and Epstein co-counsel, Miami criminal defense attorney Roy Black, will ask the Atlanta-based appeals court to review the decision. As for the Jane Does, who are now over 18, it's just the latest development in a long legal saga, another one of their attorneys said. "They're pretty numb at this point to favorable news because they've heard this before and nothing's happened," said Fort Lauderdale attorney Brad Edwards. Edwards and Cassel said their goal is to have Epstein's plea agreement deemed to be in violation of federal victims' rights legislation and invalidated. Edwards said Epstein should face a new prosecution. Edwards also said he was first told by the U.S. Attorney's Office that he would receive the correspondence documents on Monday, but was then told that they weren't ready yet. Cassell said the documents number 500 pages. In an email, Annette Castillo, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida, said the office couldn't comment. bsclarkson@tribune.com, 561-243-6609 or Twitter @BrettClarkson_ Copyright © 2014, South Florida Sun-Sentinel fl-jeffrey-epstein-federal-court-of-appeals-20140421 Upload a photo of Mom for a chance to win $200 • print « Previous StoryMore Palm Beach County News: Local breaking news, events, info and updates for Palm Beach County and its surrounding citiesNext Story » Bail set at $600,000 for ex-West Palm pain doctor charged in overdose deaths Bail set at $600,000 for ex-West Palm pain doctor charged in overdose deaths Boca Raton Children's Museum needs the city's helping hand Boca Raton Children's Museum needs the city's helping hand We've upgraded our reader commenting system. Learn more about the new features. The Sun Sentinel welcomes civil dialogue about our stories; you must register with the site to participate. 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Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitutes at his Palm Beach mansion. (The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office via The New York Times / April 21, 2014) • Related * Gov. Scott signs bills clamping down on sexual predators Gov. Scott signs bills clamping down on sexual predators HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_030831 * Broward pilot gets four years in prison for child porn possession Broward pilot gets four vears in prison for child porn possession Hollywood police find untested rape kits in evidence room refrigerator Hollywood police find untested rape kits in evidence room refrigerator • Map. Maps • Palm Beach, FL, USA By Brett Clarkson, Sun Sentinel 7:43 p.m. EDT, April 21, 2014 Did a Palm Beach billionaire being investigated for having sex with young girls use his wealth to negotiate a lenient and secret agreement that saw him avoid federal prosecution? Attorneys for two victims, known only as Jane Doe 1 and 2, may soon get an answer thanks to an appeals court ruling against financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, 61. The ruling, issued Friday, orders federal authorities to disclose the correspondence that took place between Epstein's attorneys and federal prosecutors when they were negotiating a 2007 agreement, which allowed him to escape federal prosecution if he pleaded guilty to state charges that carried a lesser penalty. "We're trying to figure out if Epstein used his political connections and great wealth to secure this kind of arrangement, that was unheard of, frankly, if you look at these charges," said Paul Cassell, an attorney for the women. Epstein is a native New Yorker who according to media reports built a huge fortune as a money manager and owns several properties including a primary residence in Manhattan, a Palm Beach mansion and his own island in the Caribbean. At one point he counted among his friends former President Bill Clinton, Donald Trump and other high-powered figures. The apons chart dies on described tie a grosed of Eatenio ge, tating that in 2006, the Federal Bureau of Investigation "began investigating In September 2007, federal prosecutors struck the non-prosecution deal with Epstein, but didn't tell the victims, court filings say. Photos: Crimes that shocked South Florida "Not only did the United States neglect to confer with the victims before it entered into the agreement with Epstein, it also failed to notify them of its existence for at least nine months," Circuit Judge William H. Pryor wrote in the appeals court decision. In June 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to a state charge of procuring a person under the age of 18 for prostitution and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. He spent 13 months behind bars, and is registered as a sex offender in Florida. The situation also resulted in civil suits being filed against Epstein, who according to media reports settled claims from about two dozen young women who alleged he paid them for sexual massages at his Palm Beach mansion, some as young as 14, according to media reports. To the attorneys who represent the Jane Does 1 and 2, the sentence was much lighter than the years, or possibly decades, that Epstein could've spent behind bars had he been prosecuted in the federal system. They're hoping that the correspondence, ordered released by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, will shed light on what they say is an unusually lenient deal. "I can say that I've been teaching criminal law for more than two decades and I have never seen a plea agreement as lenient as this one, for hands-on sex offenders." said Cassell, who is based in Salt Lake City. But one of Epstein's attorney's, Martin Weinberg, based in Boston, disputed those characterizations. Weinberg said Monday that the plea agreement was "reached in good faith" and that "it's not a fair conclusion" to describe the agreement as either improper or tainted by Epstein's wealth. "It's Mr. Cassell's hope that this correspondence may support that theory, but the reality is that the U.S. Attorney's Office made a responsible judgment in how to implement the law." Weinberg said. Weinberg said he was concerned about the potential impact the ruling would have on the ability of criminal defense attorneys and prosecutors to communicate confidentially. He also said he and Epstein co-counsel, Miami criminal defense attorney Roy Black, will ask the Atlanta-based appeals court to review the decision. As for the Jane Does, who are now over 18, it's just the latest development in a long legal saga, another one of their attorneys said. HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_030832 "They're pretty numb at this point to favorable news because they've heard this before and nothing's happened," said Fort Lauderdale attorney Brad Edwards. Edwards and Cassel said their goal is to have Epstein's plea agreement deemed to be in violation of federal victims' rights legislation and invalidated. Edwards said Epstein should face a new prosecution. Edwards also said he was first told by the U.S. Attorney's Office that he would receive the correspondence documents on Monday, but was then told that they weren't ready yet. Cassell said the documents number 500 pages. In an email, Annette Castillo, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida, said the office couldn't comment. bsclarkson@tribune.com, 561-243-6609 or Iwitter @BrettClarkson_ Copyright © 2014, South Florida Sun-Sentinel fl-jeffrey-epstein-federal-court-of-appeals-20140421 Upload a photo of Mom for a chance to win $200 « Previous StoryMore Palm Beach County News: Local breaking news, events, info and updates for Palm Beach County and its surrounding cities Next Story » Bail set at $600,000 for ex-West Palm pain doctor charged in overdose deaths Bail set at $600,000 for er-West Palm pain doctor charged in overdose deaths * Boca Raton Children's Museum needs the city's helping hand Boca Raton Children's Museum needs the city's helping hand We've upgraded our reader commenting system. Learn more about the new features. The Sun Sentinel welcomes civil dialogue about our stories; you must register with the site to participate. We filter comments for language and adherence to our Terms of Service, but not for factual accuracy. By commenting, you agree to these legal terms. Please flag inappropriate comments. Having technical problems? Check here for guidance. Don't Miss These * Upload a photo of Mom for Upload a photo of Mom for your chance to win • Prom photos: Pictures from South Photos: South Florida high school proms TOP VIDEOS HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_030833 BRAND PUBLISHING This is sponsoree content. 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