Epstein settles suit, averting victim testimony
1,368 views · Published 10 December 2018 · 3:36 · Indexed 1 October 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(4 Dec 2018) The rich and politically connected money manager Jeffrey Epstein accused of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls reached a last-minute settlement Tuesday in a lawsuit, denying his accusers - for now, at least, the opportunity to testify against him. "We are going to have a volume of victims that are going to come forward to testify." said Attorney Brad Edwards, who represents several women who were allegedly molested as minors. The settled suit Tuesday resolved a decade-long legal spat where Epstein made claims that Edwards was falsifying allegations to aid his female clients. Epstein recanted those claims in legal documents released today. Though outstanding questions still surround the 65-year-old Florida financier who secretly negotiated plea a bargain a decade ago that enabled him to escape a possible life sentence on sex charges. That deal has given rise to suspicions he used his influence to get prosecutors to go easy on him. The non-prosecution deal protecting Epstein was negotiated by federal prosecutors in South Florida and approved by then-U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta, who is now President Donald Trump's labor secretary. Epstein could have faced a possible life sentence if federal prosecutors had pursued a draft 57-page indictment that was never filed. Instead, under the deal, Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to two sex-related state charges, served 13 months in jail, paid financial settlements to many of the accusers and registered as a sex offender. The plea agreement did not become public until several years later. Some of Epstein's accusers are now arguing that their rights were trampled under a federal law that says crime victims must be informed about plea bargains. "I'm now getting calls from my clients who have been hidden, who have been pushed into silence, scared to death," said attorney Brad Edwards. Epstein at the time had a Palm Beach mansion where authorities say many of the girls were brought for sexual encounters. "An effort is being made in congress to open an investigation in regards to the circumstances of how this plea bargain could possibly of been entered into." said Jack Scarola, another attorney representing the women. A federal case has been filed in West Palm Beach where Epstein's plea deal could be nullified. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/7cf19a5b1ee0143fce50af5c58344a82
