File 030299
Email Chain: Epstein News Articles and Palm Beach Post Editorials (File 030299)
Email correspondence from February 2010 forwarding Palm Beach Post editorials critiquing the prosecution's handling of Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse case, including discussion of evidence, victim credibility, and prosecutorial decisions.
Summary
This document is an email chain originating from Michael Reiter at Palm Beach Police dated August 2008, forwarded through multiple recipients including Martin Weinberg and Alan Dershowitz, reaching Robert D. Critton Jr. in February 2010. It includes two Palm Beach Post editorials from August 2006 criticizing State Attorney Barry Krischer's decision to refer charges against Epstein to a grand jury rather than proceeding with trial, and questioning why Epstein was not charged with crimes against minors despite evidence he knew the victims were underage teenagers. The editorials highlight police evidence of victim abuse, Alan Dershowitz's role in undermining victim credibility by referencing their social media posts about drug and alcohol use, and the disparity in prosecutorial treatment between Epstein and other similar cases.
From:Sent:To:Subject:Attachments:Jeffrey Epstein [jeeyacation@gmail.com]2/26/2010 6:41:25 PMRobert D. Critton Jr.Fwd: Fw: Epstein News ArticlesEpstein combined articles.pdfJessica Cadwel----------Forwarded message----------From: Jeffrey Epstein <jeevacation@gmail.com>Date: Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 10:01 AMSubject: Fwd: Fw: Epstein News ArticlesTo: "Alan M. Dershowitz"Forwarded messageFrom: <Date: Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 5:53 AMSubject: Fw: Epstein News ArticlesTo: jeevacation@gmail.com>, Martin WeinbergForwarded by Public Records/PalmBeach on 02/24/2010 05:53AMFrom: Michael Reiter/PalmBeachDate: 08/12/2008 09:33PMSubject: Epstein News Articles(See attached file: Epstein combined articles.pdf)Joyce,I am looking forward to meeting with you on Wednesday. Please find below (and attached as a PDF file),some background information for your reference. Thanks for agreeing to have this discussion.Regards,MikePalm Beach Post Editorial #1He was over 50. And they were girlsBy Elisa CramerHASH(Ox5fa474)Friday, August 04, 2006If the women whom Palm Beach police say a part-time town resident invited to his homeand paid for sex acts were, in fact, women, the solicitation charge against Jeffrey Epsteinmight feel more sufficient. But, according to police records, they weren't. He was over50. And they were girls. 14. 15.16.17-year-old girls. That should count for something -HOUSE OVERSIGHT 030299the difference between prostitution and pedophilia.So, it is baffling that Mr. Epstein, who was indicted last month by a grand jury on onefelony count of solicitation of prostitution, has not been charged, as Palm Beach policestrenuously urged, with unlawful sex acts with a minor and lewd and lasciviousmolestation.Conviction of crimes against minors would mean steeper penalties than the maximumfive-year prison term Mr. Epstein faces if convicted of the single count of felonysolicitation. It also would help carry a message of intolerance to perverts who prey ongirls.Prosecutors did not pursue charges against Mr. Epstein reflecting the age of the victimsbecause they assumed a jury would view the girls not as victims but as promiscuous,untrustworthy, willing participants. The presumption is offensive.Mr. Epstein, a 53-year-old Manhattan money manager who has hired Harvard lawprofessor Alan Dershowitz and defense attorney Jack Goldberger, has denied knowinghow old the girls were. But police interviews with five alleged victims and 17 witnessesunder oath, as well as phone messages, a high school transcript and other items thatpolice found from searching Mr. Epstein's trash and 7,234-square-foot waterfront home,provide evidence that he knew the girls were teenagers.One girl couldn't show up when Mr. Epstein wanted because she had soccer. Anothertime, Mr. Epstein had to wait for his "massage" session because the girl he wanted wasstill in class.Why didn't State Attorney Barry Krischer let a jury decide whether to believe theteenagers - including a 16-year-old who went to Mr. Epstein's house to "work" inDecember 2004 after being asked whether she needed to make money for Christmasgifts?Prosecutors gave greater weight to the details Mr. Dershowitz provided about the girls inan apparent effort to assail their character. Mr. Dershowitz pointed out to prosecutors thatsome of the teenagers had talked on myspace.com about marijuana and alcohol use.The 20-year-old Royal Palm Beach woman who told police she recruited girls for Mr.Epstein has a Web page on myspace.com that features one girl using the name "Pimpin'Made EZ."Although no charges of witness tampering have been filed, the parents of at least one ofthe teenage victims complained to police of being followed and intimidated by two men.Police determined that their vehicles were registered to two private investigators. Mr.Goldberger denied knowing anything about it.Police also note in their reports that the state attorneys office offered Mr. Epstein a pleadeal that would have placed him on probation for five years, allowing him ultimately towalk away with no criminal record at all.I asked Mr. Krischer's spokesman, Mike Edmondson, why the case was referred to agrand jury instead of Mr. Epstein being charged and facing a trial before a jury. Andshouldn't the victims credibility be a factor to determine whether a crime's beencommitted, not whether a jury will convict? (After all, as Mr. Goldberger told The PalmBeach Post of Mr. Epstein, "He's never denied girls came to the house.")HOUSE OVERSIGHT 030300Especially, I asked Mr. Edmondson to explain: Why shouldn't the public look at this caseand think there are two kinds of justice - one for the wealthy and one for the rest of us?Mr. Edmondson said he could not comment on the case because it is active, but on thelatter point, he offered, for the sake of "philosophical debate": "Whether wealth buys adifferent standard of justice across the country ... the answer to that would, of course, beyes."But in this case, he said, "regardless of the battery of attorneys, the outcome would be thesame. Every issue that was debated in public was debated in our office before this casewent to the grand jury."In this case, it is not the victims credibility but the state attorneys that deservesquestioning.Palm Beach Post Editorial #2Massaging the systemPalm Beach Post EditorialThursday, August 10, 2006Palm Beach police say their 11-month investigation shows that 53-year-old part-timetown resident Jeffrey Epstein committed unlawful sex acts with and lewd and lasciviousmolestation on five underage girls. Defense attorney Jack Goldberger claims that hisclient, Jeffrey Epstein, had no idea that the untrained girls he hired for massages wereminors.The Palm Beach Count State Attorneys Office could have let a jury decide whom tobelieve. Instead, State Attorney Barry Krischer left the public to wonder whether thesystem tilted in favor of a wealthy, well-connected alleged perpetrator and against veryyoung girls who are alleged victims of sex crimes.Mr. Krischer took the unusual step of referring the case to a grand jury, which last monthindicted Jeffrey Epstein on one felony count of solicitation of prostitution. That decisioncame after Harvard law Professor Alan Dershowitz met with prosecutors to underminethe credibility of the 14- to 17-yearold girls who charged that Mr. Epstein had paid them$200 to $300 to undress and massage him in his five-bedroom, 7 1/2 -bath home on theIntracoastal Waterway.The girls, Mr. Dershowitz told prosecutors, had written on myspace.com about smokingmarijuana and drinking alcohol. But if the girls have a credibility problem, what aboutJeffrey Epstein? Mr. Goldberger, told The Post: "Mr. Epstein absolutely insisted anybodywho came to his house be over the age of 18. How he verified that, I don't know." Andprosecutors took him at his word?Police collected evidence that refutes Jeffrey Epstein's defense. Police searched his homeand garbage and found phone messages about the girls' school schedules and even a highschool transcript, suggesting that Mr. Epstein at least knew that the girls were teenagers.The state attorneys office has responded to criticism from Palm Beach police and othersby noting the higher standard prosecutors face for conviction than law-enforcementofficers do for arrest. But in this case, the state attorney bowed to the risk that a jurymight look at both Jeffrey Epstein and the girls, and point fingers at both sides.Even if the girls could be impugned as prostitutes, solicitation of a minor is a crime.HOUSE OVERSIGHT 030301Former disc jockey and teacher Bruno Moore was charged with that Tuesday.Investigators say the 34-year-old used the Internet - myspace.com - to recruit a 13-yearold.Police say Jeffrey Epstein used a 20-year-old woman who had a myspace.comaccount to recruit young girls. His actions were sleazy. It would have been good to ask ajury just how criminal they were.Palm Beach Post Editorial #3Spare us the outrageWednesday, February 13, 2008An 11-month police investigation led to an indictment on one felony charge ofsolicitation of prostitution. That was in July 2006, and part-time Palm BeacherJeffrey Epstein still has faced no repercussions for allegedly preying on underagegirls.So maybe Mr. Epstein is satisfied that he's getting his moneys worth from his largelegal team, which includes Harvard Law School Professor Alan Dershowitz(remember O.J. Simpson?) and Kenneth Starr (remember Monica Lewinsky?). JackGoldberger of West Palm Beach, who's also on the team, told Post columnist JoseLambiet in November: "This case is absolutely going to end without a trial withinthe next two months."He was wrong, but Mr. Goldberger remains on Mr. Epstein's payroll, feigningmoral outrage at two lawsuits filed this year against the Manhattan moneymanager. The lawsuits allege sexual exploitation of teenaged girls, one ofthem as young as 14. Said Mr. Goldberger after the first lawsuit, seekingmore than $50 million, was filed on Jan. 24: "We think this shows what thiscase is all about: money." Yes, it is - Mr. Epstein's effort to buy his way outof prosecution.According to the lawyer of a 17-year-old whose parents are suing him, Mr. Epsteinmasturbated in front of her (she was 14 at the time) and used a vibrator on her at hishome in February 2005. Another Epstein attorney, Lilly Ann Sanchez dismissed it:"Jeffrey Epstein did not have sex with this woman."For those girls who claim that he did, Mr. Epstein's lawyers maintain that he did notknow their ages, despite a police search of his home and garbage that found phonemessages about the girls school schedules and even a high school transcript. For all ofhis money, Mr. Epstein's best defense remains "I didn't know that I was a criminalpervert"?Palm Beach Post Editorial #4Rich man fought the law and he mostly wonPalm Beach Post EditorialMonday, July 07, 2008Two years after a grand jury indicted him on a felony charge of solicitation ofprostitution, Jeffrey Epstein finally admitted that he lured a teenage girl to his $8.5million, 13,000-square-foot Palm Beach mansion for sex. A week ago, the 55-yearoldinvestment banker began serving 18 months in jail.HOUSE OVERSIGHT 030302But that plea deal - guilty of felony solicitation of prostitution and procuring aperson under the age of 18 for prostitution - does not account for all five of the girls,one as young as 14, who alleged that Epstein sexually abused them. And why is Epsteinserving his term in the overcrowded Palm Beach County Jail and not a state prison, whereinmates are sent if their sentences are longer than one year?The slow, dissatisfying resolution of the case sends a message to the publicPost your that there's a different system of justice for the wealthy who hire highcommentspowered lawyers. Epstein's legal team included West Palm Beach defenseon this attorney Jack Goldberger, Harvard Law School Professor Alan Dershowitz,who defended O.J. Simpson against murder charges, and Kenneth Starr, theprosecutor who pursued then-President Bill Clinton for lying about sex withyoung women.Palm Beach police spent 11 months investigating Epstein before State Attorney BarryKrischer sent the case to a grand jury, instead of charging Epstein so the man who onceboasted of accepting only billionaire clients could face a trial. The police had taken a highschool transcript, class schedules and phone messages from Epstein's home that showedhe knew the girls were underage. Yet Mr. Krischer was more swayed by Epstein'slawyers, who attempted to impugn the girls character by showing they had chatted onmyspace.com about smoking marijuana and drinking. He should have let a jury decidewhether the victims - and Epstein - were credible.Ultimately, one charge against Epstein finally reflected the age of one victim, and theplea agreement left Epstein labeled a sex offender. With that additional charge, if Epsteinhad been convicted at a trial, he could have been sentenced to anything from probation to15 years in prison, Assistant State Attorney Lanna Belohlavek said, adding that therecommended guideline sentence was 21 months.Epstein also won't have to certify to the court that he is receiving counseling, typicallyrequired of sex offenders, because he has a private psychiatrist. But without courtsupervision, who will ensure Epstein is in fact being treated?The plea deal also drops a federal investigation of Epstein. If a federal investigation waswarranted, how does dropping it before completion benefit the public?Epstein preyed on girls and denied it. For three years, his wealth and the influence of hislawyers bought him the protection the state attorney owed to the victims.New York Post — 07/27/2008New York Post - New York, N.Y.Date: Jul 27, 2006Start Page: 014Section: Page SixText Word Count: 395IT looks like New York billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein got off easy when he was hitwith a charge of soliciting a prostitute for a "happy ending" in Palm Beach.Because if Palm Beach police had their way, Epstein, 53 - who surrendered last Sundayand is out on $3,000 bail - might have been whacked with far more serious charges ofpaying underage girls for sex.HOUSE OVERSIGHT 030303But a state grand jury found the witnesses in the case were not credible and threw out allbut the single charge of soliciting a hooker in his luxurious Palm Beach home. Epstein'slawyers and friends now say he's the hapless victim of a vendetta by Palm Beach PoliceChief Michael Reiter, whom they describe as a "born-again nut case."According to the police investigation, a copy of which was obtained by the Palm BeachPost, detectives took statements from 17 witnesses and five alleged victims. HaleyRobson, 20, a Palm Beach Community College student who described herself as "like aHeidi Fleiss," says she got naked to give Epstein a massage, then brought him six girlsages 14-16 for massages and sex at his home. She said they were paid $200 per session.Cops also allege that Epstein's personal assistant, Sarah Kellen, who hasn't been charged,set up the liaisons and put fresh sheets on the massage table and supplied massage oils.Police searched through Epstein's garbage and retrieved sex toys and feminine hygieneproducts.Epstein's Palm Beach lawyer, Jack Goldberger, told Page Six that the Florida stateattorney concluded the cops had looked at evidence from a "one-sided perspective." Headded that Epstein had passed an extensive lie-detector test in which he was grilled aboutunderage girls.Epstein's New York lawyer, Gerald Lefcourt, said, "The prosecutor didn't want to bringany charges in this case, but because of the craziness of this police chief, we have thecharge of solicitation."Last night, WPTV in Palm Beach reported that one reason Robson's testimony may havebeen dismissed is the kinky Web page she has on MySpace featuring photos of herfemale friends playing with sex toys. One friend even uses the name "Pimpin Made EZ."Robson, who isn't charged, also writes, "Do what you do to make that money, life isa gamble. Stay hustling."A spokeswoman for Reiter said, "We think our investigation speaks for itself"Cops also allege that [Jeffrey Epstein] 's personal assistant, Sarah Kellen, who hasn't beencharged, set up the liaisons and put fresh sheets on the massage table and suppliedmassage oils. Police searched through Epstein's garbage and retrieved sex toys andfeminine hygiene products.Epstein's Palm Beach lawyer, Jack Goldberger, told Page Six that the Florida stateattorney concluded the cops had looked at evidence from a "one-sided perspective." Headded that Epstein had passed an extensive lie-detector test in which he was grilled aboutunderage girls.NewYork Post — 09/20/2007JAIL LOOMS FOR SEX-CASE MOGULSeptember 20, 2007 -- THE sordid sex case involving Jeffrey Epstein maybe coming to an unhappy ending -with a plea deal that would put thepublicity-shy billionaire behind bars for 15 months for allegedly solicitingunderage teen girls for sex at his Palm Beach mansion.Sources tell Page Six that Epstein's high-powered lawyers - including AlanDershowitz, Gerald Lefcourt, Roy Black and Kenneth Starr - have beennegotiating a deal with federal prosecutors who are probing, among otherHOUSE OVERSIGHT 030304things, whether the gray-haired money manager paid West Palm Beach girlsfor sex or transported them across state lines. Epstein is currently charged bythe State of Florida with soliciting young prostitutes for sex - but federalcharges would be far more serious.The Palm Beach Post reported yesterday that Epstein is very close to a dealwith the feds that would send him to jail for 11/2 to 2 years. Sources tell us thatwhile a deal has not yet solidified, what's under discussion is a guilty plea toat least one charge in exchange for a sentence of 15 months in a Florida stateprison, followed by 15 months of home confinement. That would be a fractionof the time he would have to serve if he were to be convicted by a jury.Epstein's spokesman, Howard Rubenstein, said his client would have nocomment. Dershowitz also declined to comment late yesterday.Palm Beach police records show that on March 15, 2005, a 14-year-old girlalleged she had visited Epstein's estate, where she partially stripped andgave him a massage during which he "pulled out a purple vibrator" and used iton her in exchange for $300. A further probe uncovered five young womenwho said Epstein had masturbated and touched their genitals duringmassages, the records state. A woman named Haley Robson - whodescribed herself as "like a Heidi Fleiss" - later admitted bringing six girlsbetween the ages of 14 and 16 to Epstein's house, according to cops.Despite the allegations, Epstein was only nailed on a single charge ofsoliciting a hooker - but it sparked a federal probe. Epstein's lawyers andfriends have insisted he was the hapless victim of a vendetta by Palm BeachPolice Chief Michael Reiter, whom they described as a "born-again nutcase."Palm Beach Post - 08/14/ 2006Police chiefs reputation helps discredit attacksBy Larry KellerPalm Beach Post - Monday, August 14, 2006In the case of Palm Beach financier Jeffrey Epstein, it seems, at times, as if two men areaccused of wrongdoing: Epstein and Palm Beach Police Chief Michael Reiter.Epstein, 53, was indicted last month on a charge of felony solicitation of prostitutionsolely because of Reiter's "craziness," one of Epstein's lawyers said. His departmentdisseminated "a distorted view of the case" and behaved in a "childish" manner when thegrand jury didn't indict Epstein on the charges it sought, another Epstein lawyercomplained.To hear the Epstein camp tell it, Reiter, 48, is a loose cannon better suited to be thesheriff of Mayberry. They whisper that he's embroiled in a messy divorce.Reiter did in fact file for divorce from his wife, (NAME REMOVED), last year, after 24years of marriage. They have a son, 18, and a daughter, 14. The couple is scheduled to goto mediation next week, Aug. 16. Nothing in the court file suggests their split isparticularly ugly.Reiter incurred the wrath of the Epstein camp as well as the state attorneys office for tworeasons. First, he pressed for Epstein to be charged with the more serious crimes ofHOUSE OVERSIGHT 030305sexual activity with minors. Second, he slammed State Attorney Barry Krischer in bluntlanguage seldom used by one law-enforcement official concerning another because ofwhat he perceived as that office's mishandling of the case.In a letter to Krischer written May 1, Reiter called his actions in the Epstein case "highlyunusual." He added, "I must urge you to... consider if good and sufficient reason exists torequire your disqualification from the prosecution of these cases." In short, Reiter toldthe county's top prosecutor for the past 13 years that he ought to get off the case. "Itlooks like a departure from professionalism," Miami-Dade State Attorney KatherineFernandez Rundle said of Reiter's letter.Following Epstein's indictment, Reiter referred the case to the FBI to determine whetherthe super-rich, super-connected defendant had violated any federal laws. Reiter won'tdiscuss the case or the broadsides aimed at him. But others almost uniformly use oneword to describe the chief: professional."I have always been impressed by Mike's professionalism and his leadership," said RickLincoln, chief of the Lantana Police Department and a Palm Beach County cop for 32years. "The town of Palm Beach has a very professional police department. We allconsider Mike to be our peer and a man of integrity." Juno Beach Police Chief H.C.Clark II agreed. Although he doesn't know Reiter well, he has met with him oncountywide law enforcement issues. "I've never seen him lose his cool. I've never seenanything but a professional demeanor from him."Reiter joined the Palm Beach Police Department in 1981, leaving a $20,000-a-year patroljob at the University of Pittsburgh. His personnel jacket shows consistently excellent jobevaluations. Posh Palm Beach is no hotbed of crime, and in his first year on the job, aresident confined to his home with a sick child thanked Reiter for delivering a few Cokesto the house. Reiter refused payment for the beverages. Another resident thanked Reiterfor shutting off his car's headlights in his driveway, saying a valet must have been atfault. Reiter worked everything from road patrol to organized crime, vice and narcotics.And he's no novice at investigations involving the island's rich and famous. He was thelead detective probing the drug overdose death of David Kennedy in 1984. He also wasone of the officers who worked the investigation of William Kennedy Smith, who wascharged in 1991 — and later acquitted — with raping a woman at the Kennedy familycompound in Palm Beach.Reiter, who has a master's degree in human resource development from Palm BeachAtlantic University, also has attended the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va., andmanagement courses at Harvard. He's been active in countywide interagency lawenforcement organizations and has a "top secret" national security clearance."He has a perspective that's broader than just addressing the needs of the town," saidTown Manager PeterElwell, who promoted Reiter from assistant chief to chief in March 2001. Reiter makesmore than $144,000 as the town's top cop. Elwell thinks he's worth it. He's verybusinesslike, very straightforward. He's not easily agitated or flamboyant. He's about thework," Elwell said. "I think that his service as chief has been outstanding in five-plusyears."HOUSE OVERSIGHT 030306New York Times — 09/03/2006Questions of Preferential Treatment Are Raised in Sex Case Against Money Manager -September 3, 2006By ABBY GOODNOUGHPALM BEACH, Fla. — In the summer and autumn of last year, when most of themansions here stood empty behind their towering hedges, the police stealthily watchedone at the end of a waterside lane. They monitored the comings and goings of its owner'sprivate jet, subpoenaed his phone records and riffled through his trash.The owner was Jeffrey Epstein, 53, an intensely private New York money manager withseveral billionaire clients. Months earlier, the stepmother of a 14-year-old girl told thePalm Beach police that a wealthy older man, whom the girl later identified as Mr.Epstein, might have had inappropriate sexual contact with her.In sworn statements to the police, the 14-year-old and other teenage girls said a friendhad arranged for them to visit Mr. Epstein's home and give him massages, usually intheir underwear, in exchange for cash.Most of the girls, according to the police, said Mr. Epstein had masturbated during themassages, and a few said he had penetrated them with his fingers or penis. Theyidentified him in photos and accurately described the inside of his home. Some recalledthat his employees had fed them snacks or rented them cars.Mr. Epstein pleaded not guilty in August to the crime he was ultimately charged with,soliciting prostitution. But at a time when prosecutors around the nation have becomeincreasingly severe in dealing with people accused of sex offenses, the case has raisedquestions about whether Mr. Epstein's prominence won him preferential treatment.By the account of the police, they found probable cause to charge Mr. Epstein with muchmore serious offenses: one count of lewd and lascivious molestation and four counts ofunlawful sexual activity with a minor.But instead of proceeding with such charges on his own, the Palm Beach County stateattorney took the rare step of presenting a broad range of possible charges to a grand jury,which indicted Mr. Epstein in July on the lesser count. In Florida, prosecutors usuallyrefer only capital cases to grand juries.Even before the indictment, the Palm Beach police chief, Michael Reiter, had accusedprosecutors of giving Mr. Epstein special treatment and asked the state attorney, Barry E.Krischer, to remove himself from the case.In an editorial, The Palm Beach Post attacked Mr. Krischer, a Democrat whose post iselective, saying the public had been left "to wonder whether the system tilted in favor ofa wealthy, well-connected alleged perpetrator and against very young girls who arealleged victims of sex crimes."The case has taken a toll on the reputation of Mr. Epstein, who owns a palatial home inManhattan, has pledged $30 million to Harvard and once flew former President BillClinton on his 727. Politicians including Eliot Spitzer, a Democratic candidate forgovernor in New York, and Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, also a Democrat, havereturned campaign contributions from him.But Mr. Epstein fought back, assembling a team of star lawyers, including Gerald B.HOUSE OVERSIGHT 030307Lefcourt and Alan M. Dershowitz, a friend of his, to look into the backgrounds of hisyoung accusers.Mr. Lefcourt says that the police acted "outrageously" and that his client has beenwrongfully dragged through the mud."He disputes that he ever had sex with any under-age person or anything like that," saidMr. Lefcourt, whose clients have included Russell Crowe, Martha Stewart and AbbieHoffman.Neither the police nor the state attorney's office would discuss the case in detail. But thepolice released a thick report on the 13-month investigation after the indictment wasunsealed in late July.The police started investigating Mr. Epstein in March 2005, almost immediately afterthey were contacted by the stepmother of the 14-year-old, who, according to the report,was in a special school for students with disciplinary problems.The girl, the report said, told the police that an older friend had "offered her anopportunity to make money" and had driven her to Mr. Epstein's house one Sunday. Thefriend, identified by the police as Haley Robson, a local community college student, toldthe girl to say she was 18 if Mr. Epstein asked, the report said.The girl told the police that Mr. Epstein's assistant had led her upstairs to a room with amassage table and that Mr. Epstein had come in and told her to remove her clothes. Shesaid Mr. Epstein had masturbated as she massaged him, had pressed a vibrator against herunderwear and had given her $300 afterward.In October, the police interviewed Ms. Robson, then 19, who told them Mr. Epstein hadroutinely paid her to bring teenage girls to his home. The police then interviewed a totalof 5 alleged victims and 17 witnesses, many of whom told similar stories about what theyhad observed or participated in at Mr. Epstein's home. According to the report, at leastone said Mr. Epstein had engaged in intercourse with her.Mr. Lefcourt, his lawyer, said one girl who told the police of having had sex with Mr.Epstein as a minor had lied about both the sex and her age and had not shown up forgrand jury questioning. He also said Mr. Epstein had passed a lie-detector test clearinghim of any sexual involvement with under-age girls.A spokeswoman for the Palm Beach police said that early this year, the police went toMr. Krischer, the state attorney, intending to apply for warrants to arrest Mr. Epstein.Instead, she said, they were told that Mr. Krischer would convene a grand jury toexamine the evidence and decide what charges, if any, to bring.Around that time, the police report said, Mr. Dershowitz met with prosecutors to shareinformation about the accusers, including statements they had posted on MySpace.com,the social networking site, concerning use of drugs and alcohol. According to the report,Mr. Krischer's office then decided to delay the grand jury session for several months.The Palm Beach police grew frustrated, the report said, and on May 1 the departmentasked prosecutors to approve warrants to arrest Mr. Epstein.Chief Reiter also wrote Mr. Krischer questioning "the unusual course that your office'shandling of this matter has taken" and suggesting that Mr. Krischer disqualify himself.Chief Reiter refused several requests to be interviewed, and his spokeswoman would notHOUSE OVERSIGHT 030308say explicitly why he had urged the prosecutor to step aside.Mike Edmondson, a spokesman for Mr. Krischer, said the state attorney's officesometimes sent noncapital cases to grand juries when there were questions about witnesscredibility. Mr. Krischer does not recommend a particular charge in such cases, Mr.Edmondson said, but gives the grand jury a list of possible charges.Bruce J. Winick, a law professor at the University of Miami, said that while prosecutorsin Florida rarely referred noncapital cases to grand juries, they sometimes did so withsensitive cases to be extra-cautious.Mr. Lefcourt said the police were wrong to have released the report so soon, especiallywithout correcting information that later proved wrong. He cited his assertion that oneaccuser had lied about her age, adding that she had also been arrested on drug chargesand had been fired by her employer for stealing."What I'm trying to focus on," Mr. Lefcourt said, "is, What's motivating the selectiveand misleading release of information to the public?"Copyright 2006 The New York Times CompanyNew York Times — 06/30/08Financier Starts Sentence in Prostitution Case -NYTimes.com Page 1 of 4 ge 1 of 4July 1, 2008Financier Starts Sentence in Prostitution CaseBy LANDON THOMAS Jr.The bad news arrived by phone last week on Little St. James Island, the palm-fringedXanadu in the Caribbean where Jeffrey E. Epstein, adviser to billionaires, lives insecluded splendor.Report to the Palm Beach County jail, the caller, Mr. Epstein's lawyer, said.So over the weekend Mr. Epstein quit his pleasure dome, with its staff of 70 and itsflamingo-stocked lagoon, and flew to Florida. On Monday morning, he turned himself inand began serving 18 months for soliciting prostitution."I respect the legal process," Mr. Epstein, 55, said by phone as he prepared to leave his<p al***********************************************************The information contained in this communication isconfidential, may be attorney-client privileged, mayconstitute inside information, and is intended only forthe use of the addressee. It is the property ofJeffrey EpsteinUnauthorized use, disclosure or copying of thiscommunication or any part thereof is strictly prohibitedand may be unlawful. If you have received thiscommunication in error, please notify us immediately byreturn e-mail or by e-mail to jeevacation@gmail.com, anddestroy this communication and all copies thereof,including all attachments.HOUSE OVERSIGHT 030309--***********************************************************The information contained in this communication isconfidential, may be attorney-client privileged, mayconstitute inside information, and is intended only forthe use of the addressee. It is the property ofJeffrey EpsteinUnauthorized use, disclosure or copying of thiscommunication or any part thereof is strictly prohibitedand may be unlawful. If you have received thiscommunication in error, please notify us immediately byreturn e-mail or by e-mail to jeevacation@gmail.com, anddestroy this communication and all copies thereof,including all attachments.HOUSE OVERSIGHT 030310