FILTHY RICH
CHAPTER 48
Once again, Chief Reiter was outraged. So much so that he
took the extraordinary step of calling the FBI and the federal
prosecutor's office.
At the time, the federal prosecutor of the Southern District of
Florida was a Republican named R. Alexander Acosta. Chief
Reiter recalls being present at Acosta's swearing-in ceremony
and remembers Acosta's declaration that one of his goals would
be the prosecution, to the fullest extent of the law, of anyone
who takes advantage of the weak-especially perpetrators of
sex crimes. Disgusted with Krischer's laissez-faire attitude, Reiter
recalls thinking he'd found his man.
In Acosta, the chief saw a prosecutor who wouldn't shy away
from confronting a man with Jeffrey Epstein's resources and
connections.
But it turned out that Acosta had worked under Ken Starr at
Starr's high-powered multinational law firm, Kirkland & Ellis.
And while Acosta had a sterling résumé, which included a stint
clerking for future Supreme Court justice Samuel Alito, he had
only argued two cases before a judge.
At the time, Reiter did not know this. All he knew was that someone had to look much more seriously into Jeffrey Epstein's crimes.
ry reached a verdict that floored
leal that Krischer had offered to
Now the grand jury was recomged with just one felony count of
of underage girls. The original
s of unlawful sex acts with minors
and lascivious molestation-had
>stein to prison.
render on a Sunday, when no one
gned. A few hours later, he was
llars bail.
ot even notified.
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Reiter's actions did not necessarily make him a hero-at least,
not in every corner of the community he served.
“I had individuals suggest that the department's approach to
the investigation and my referral of the investigation to the FBI
was more horsepower than the investigation deserved. And I
had other individuals suggest that-yeah, the term 'back off'
probably fits," Reiter said in his deposition for B.B. vs. Epstein.
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JAMES PATTERSON
Fil:
"I had people in the community in Palm Beach who either made
comments directly to me or to others who relayed them to me that I
didn't need to take the tack in the investigation that we did, which is
[to] completely investigate it and then refer it to the FBI after the
state case was resolved," Reiter said in the deposition. "I had one
individual who came to see me a couple of times about this."
According to the chief, the individual in question was a
prominent Palm Beach politician.
"He said this wasn't necessary; this was a case that was really
very minor," Reiter recalled. "The victims had lifestyles that
don't make them-shouldn't make them believable to the police
department."
"I told him that those kinds of suggestions to me were
improper and he should stop," said Reiter. "That he had taken a
couple of steps down the road toward something that could
eventually constitute a crime. We talked several times. Early on
it didn't end favorably. You know, this is an individual [whom] I
had to interact with in my official capacity and in his official
capacity as well."
The Palm Beach politician wasn't the only one to pressure
the police chief. "I received comments from a variety of different
viewpoints...in some cases I had people tell me, hey, he's a Palm
Beacher, why are you investigating a Palm Beach er?" Reiter
would say when deposed. "I had people that said it was an unfavorable career move for me to ask the state attorney to remove
himself from the case and to refer it to the FBI.... I had plenty of
people that told me that that was a mistake."
Reiter didn't back off. To have done so would have been a
betrayal-not only of the victims but also of his vocation and
the community he had sworn he would serve.
184
"My responsibility was to
Beach and preserve their condepartment for all," Reiter sai
particularly under the crimin
the nature of our system, be ti
But along with handing t
attorney, Reiter took another
letters-on Palm Beach PD
victims in the case.
He delivered the letters by
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TTERSON
FILTHY RICH
y in Palm Beach who either made
ers who relayed them to me that I
nvestigation that we did, which is
then refer it to the FBI after the
aid in the deposition. “I had one
:ouple of times about this."
: individual in question was a
1.
y; this was a case that was really
The victims had lifestyles that
ike them believable to the police
ids of suggestions to me were
said Reiter. “That he had taken a
d toward something that could
ve talked several times. Early on
w, this is an individual [whom] I
icial capacity and in his official
wasn't the only one to pressure
ments from a variety of different
ad people tell me, hey, he's a Palm
gating a Palm Beachcr?” Reiter
d people that said it was an unfaask the state attorney to remove
fer it to the FBI.... I had plenty of
as a mistake."
ave done so would have been a
ims but also of his vocation and
e would serve.
184
“My responsibility was to protect everyone that lives in Palm
Beach and preserve their constitutional rights and be the police
department for all,” Reiter said. “And I think that under the law,
particularly under the criminal laws, that all people have to, by
the nature of our system, be treated exactly alike."
But along with handing the case off to the FBI and the US
attorney, Reiter took another unusual step. He wrote personal
letters—on Palm Beach PD letterhead—to the parents of the
victims in the case.
He delivered the letters by hand.
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