EFTA00212950.pdf

THE PALM BEACH POST • WEDNESDAY. UNE 10, 2009 Women want sex plea deal unsealed Their attorneys will ask a judge to open Jeffrey Epstein's records. By SUSAN SPENCER-WENDEL Palm Beach Post SteWriter WEST PALM BEACH - When wealthy money manager Jeffrey Epstein of Palm Beach pleaded guilty last year to pro- curing teens for prostitution, his case detoured around local and state rules regarding the sealing of court documents. At a plea conference on the state charges, a judge, a defense lawyer and a pros- ecutor huddled at the bench and decided that a deal EIntsla Epstein had struck with federal prosecip tors to avoid charges should be sealed, according to a transcript of the hearing. And so it was. But Florida rules of judicial admin- istration, as well as rules of the Palm Beach County court system, require public notification that a court document has been or will be sealed, meaning kept from public view The rules also require a judge to find a significant reason to seal, See EPSTEIN, 4A O. See past coverage of Jeffrey Epstein's sex scandals. PalmBeachPost.com/epsteln EFTA00212950 Public has right to know details of deal, Post attorney will claim ► EPSTEINfrons 111 practice and representing torney Lanna Belohlavek one of the women. approached Pucillo in such as protecting a trade The Palm Beach Post also a sidebar conference. secret or a compelling gov- will ask Colbath to unseal Pucillo, who had left the ernment interest. the agreement. Post attor, bench nine years earlier, Yet no notification ney Deanna Shullman will was filling in temporarily or reason occurred in argue that the public has a as a senior judge. Epstein% case, according right to know the specifics Accordingtoa transcript, to court records. of Epstein's deal. Goldberger told Pucillo that Epstein% own attorneys, According to various Epstein had entered a con- in federal filings, have media accounts, Epstein fidential agreement with referred to his confiden- moved in circles that in- the US. attorney% office tial deferred prosecution chided President Clinton, in which federal prosecu- agreement with the US. Donald Trump and Prince tors brokered not pursuing attorney's office, struck in Andrew "International charges against him if he September 200.1 as "un- Moneyman of Mystery" de- pleaded guilty in state precedented" and "highly clared a 2002 New York mag- court. Pucillo then said she unusual." And it was "a azine profile of Epstein. wanted a sealed copy of the significant inducement" Epstein, 56, is in the agreement filed in his case. for Epstein to. accept the Palm Beach County Stock- and Goldberger concurred state% deal, observed the ade, serving an 18-month that he wanted it sealed. state judge who accepted sentence after pleading Belohlavek later signed off his plea, County Judge guilty nearly a year ago on it. Deborah Dale Pucillo. to felony solicitation of The Florida Supreme Epstein now faces at prostitution and procuring Court has expressed "seri- least a dozen civil lawsuits teenagers for prostitution. ous concern" and launched in federal and state courts He is allowed out from 7 an all-out inquiry into seal- filed by young women who am. to 11 p.m., escorted by ing procedures across the said they had sex with a deputy, said Palm Beach state following media re- him and now are seeking County Sheriff% Office ports in 2006 of entire cases damages. spokeswoman Teri Barbera. being sealed and disappear. Attorneys for some of During a Palm Beach ing from court records. those women want his Police Department in- "The public% constitu- agreement with federal vestigation, five victims tionalright ofaccess to court prosecutors unsealed and and 17 witnesses gave records must remain invio- will ask Circuit Judge Jef- statements. They told of late, and this court is fully frey Colbath to do so today young women brought by committed to safeguarding "It is against public his assistants to Epstein% this right," justices wrote in policy for these documents mansion on El Brillo Way their final report to be have been sealed and for massages and sexual Epstein's office on hidden from public scrutiny. activity, and then being Tuesday referred any As a member of the public, paid afterward. questions to Goldberger. E.W. has a right to have At Epstein's plea confer- who declined to comment. these documents unsealed," ence last year, his attorney, Pucillo also has declined wrote former Circuit Judge Jack Goldberger, and to comment. • Bill Belzer, now in private then-Assistant State At- Osusan_spencer..wendeiSPblvacorn EFTA00212951