EFTA00215711.pdf

i. tic i cuiii aCctlA I rust. DOUG FRANKLIN. Pithhater JOHN BARTOSEK Maar CHARLES GERARDL Gana! Mane. BILL ROSE. Memory Editor RANDY SCHULTZ. niter oldie Editorial Pate JAN TUCKWOOR Associate Ease BARRY BERG. VP eirodation LARRY SIEDLIK VP& Thrower JOHN KELLY. VP Advertising GALE HOWDEN. VP Community &Lotions and Marketing LINDA MURPHY. VP &Non Rnewra BOB BALFE. VP Operatsons LIM BURKE, VP Digital Mahe (AURA DECK CUNNINGHAM. Director. Markehog Sawn Rich man fought the law and he mostly won Two years after a grand jury Why is Jeffrey Epstein in indicted him on a felony charge of solicitation of prostitution, Jeffrey jail, and not prison? Epstein finally admitted that he lured a teenage girl to his $8.5 mil- lion, 13,000-square-foot Palm Beach home that showed he knew the girls mansion for sex. A week ago, the were underage. Yet Mr. Krischer 55-yearold investment banker be- was more swayed by Epstein's law- gan serving 18 months in jail. yers, who attempted to impugn the But that plea deal — guilty of girls' character by showing they felony solicitation of prostitution had chatted on myspacecom about and procuring a person under the smoking marijuana and drinking. age of 18 for prostitution — does He should have let a jury decide not account for all five of the girls, whether the victims — and Epstein one as young as 14, who alleged that — were credible. Epstein sexually abused them. And Ultimately, one charge against why is Epstein serving his Epstein finally reflected term in the overcrowded the age of one victim, and Palm Beach County Jail the plea agreement left and not a state prison, Epstein labeled a sex of- where inmates are sent if fender. With that additional their sentences are longer charge, if Epstein had been than one year? convicted at a trial, he The slow, dissatisfy- could have been sentenced ing resolution of the case to anything from probation sends a message to the to 15 years in prison, Assis- t public that there's a dif- tant State Attorney Lana ferent system of justice for Belohlavek said, adding that the s the wealthy who hire high-powered recommended guideline sentence lawyers. Epstein% legal team includ- was 21 months. a: ed West Palm Beach defense attor- ney Jack Goldberger, Harvard Law Epstein also won't have to cer- School Professor Alan Dershowitz, tify to the court that he is receiv- who defended 04. Simpson against ing counseling, typically required a. of sex offenders, because he has murder charges, and Kenneth Starr, the pprosecutor who pursued a private psychiatrist. But without then-President Bill Clinton for lying court supervision, who will ensure about sex with young women. Epstein is in fact being treated? Palm Beach police spent 11 The plea deal also drops a federal months investigating Epstein be- investigation of Epstein. If a federal fore State Attorney Barry Krischer investigation was warranted, how Sr cy st sent the case to a grand jury,. in- does dropping it before completion "OPP:!, stead of charging Epstein so the benefit the public? man who once boasted of accepting Epstein preyed on girls and de- only billionaire clients could face a nied it For three years, his wealth wag t trial. The police had taken a high and the influence of his lawyers Io a;q school transcript, class schedules bought him the protection the state :umpe and phone messages from Epstein% attorney owed to the victims. uo se -p ;nal •tioxx:;; . 0. .1 1 • EFTA00215711