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Jeffrey Epstein’s Victims, Denied a Trial, Vent Their Fury at a Hearing Jeffrey Epstein’s Victims, Denied a Trial, Vent Their Fury at a Hearing
(32 minutes later)
One by one, the women walked up to a podium in a federal courtroom in Manhattan on Tuesday, finally given the opportunity to speak in court about the man they said abused them. One by one, the women walked up to a podium in a federal courtroom in Manhattan on Tuesday, finally given the opportunity to speak in a formal proceeding about the man they said had abused them.
The man, Jeffrey Epstein, was not there, having killed himself two weeks ago. But his accusers vowed to give voice to what they said had happened — about the distress they had endured, and a criminal justice system that they said had failed them. The man, Jeffrey Epstein, was not there, having killed himself in jail two weeks ago. Yet more than a dozen of his accusers showed up at a hearing on dismissing the indictment to tell their stories, to talk about the distress they had endured and a criminal justice system that they said had failed them.
One of his accusers, Courtney Wild, told the court that Mr. Epstein’s suicide had robbed her and other victims of the chance to confront him in court. “For that, he is a coward,” she said. Many said they were angry that Mr. Epstein’s suicide robbed them of the chance to confront him in court. “For that, he is a coward,” said one of his accusers, Courtney Wild.
“I feel very angry and sad,” said Ms. Wild, holding back tears. “Justice has never been served in this case.” “I feel very angry and sad,” Ms. Wild said. “Justice has never been served in this case.”
For more than an hour in court, the women spoke of their frustration, anger and trauma. Some spoke anonymously, some in person, some through lawyers, some through letters and many of them through tears.
It was a moment of catharsis in a criminal proceeding that had attracted intense national attention because of Mr. Epstein’s ties to several wealthy and powerful people, including President Trump, former President Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew of Britain.
Mr. Epstein’s suicide was particularly galling for his accusers because he had escaped federal prosecution on similar charges in Florida in 2008 when he reached a widely criticized plea bargain with the United States attorney in Miami. Under that deal, Mr. Epstein pleaded guilty to two state charges, including soliciting a minor for prostitution, and served 13 months in a local jail, where he was allowed out on work-release six a days a week.
Several of Mr. Epstein’s accusers spoke about how they had been coerced at a young age into having sex with him for money, then were pressured to continue seeing him. “These are things that so many girls can relate to,” said one of the women, speaking anonymously. “Change needs to happen.”
Denied a trial, Mr. Epstein’s accusers spoke about how they had been coerced at a young age into having sex with Mr. Epstein, then were pressured to continue seeing him. Many spoke through tears. It was a moment of catharsis in a criminal proceeding that had been cut short when Mr. Epstein was found dead in his cell two weeks ago. Another woman, who spoke anonymously, said Mr. Epstein had victimized her a second time by taking his own life. “It felt like new trauma all over again,” she said.
Some of the women, who withheld their names, said Mr. Epstein had victimized them a second time by taking his own life. “It felt like new trauma all over again,” a woman said. Others, like the actress Anouska De Georgiou, said they were appearing in court out of a spirit of solidarity. “I am every girl he did this to, and they are all me,” she said, “and today we stand together.”
Others, like the actress Anouska De Georgiou, said they were appearing out of a spirit of solidarity. “I am every girl he did this to, and they are all me,” she said, “and today we stand together.” Several of the women turned to prosecutors during their remarks and urged them to continue investigating Mr. Epstein’s employees and associates, who they said had helped lure them into Mr. Epstein’s scheme. “Please, finish what you have started,” said Sarah Ransome, another of Mr. Epstein’s accusers.
Some of the women turned to prosecutors during their remarks and urged them to continue investigating Mr. Epstein’s employees and associates who they said had helped lure them into Mr. Epstein’s scheme. “Please, finish what you have started,” said Sarah Ransome, another of Mr. Epstein’s accusers. Prosecutors assured the court the investigation would continue into others who are believed to have aided Mr. Epstein in his long-running sex-trafficking scheme, helping to procure dozens of teenage girls and women.
Prosecutors assured the court the investigation would continue into others who are believed to have aided Mr. Epstein in his long-running sex-trafficking scheme, helping to procure dozens of teenage girls and women to have sex with him for money.
The dismissal of Mr. Epstein’s case “in no way prohibits or inhibits the government’s ongoing investigation into other potential co-conspirators, nor does it prevent the bringing of a new case in the future,” a government prosecutor, Maurene Comey, said. She added those inquiries “have been ongoing, remain ongoing and will continue.”The dismissal of Mr. Epstein’s case “in no way prohibits or inhibits the government’s ongoing investigation into other potential co-conspirators, nor does it prevent the bringing of a new case in the future,” a government prosecutor, Maurene Comey, said. She added those inquiries “have been ongoing, remain ongoing and will continue.”
Judge Richard M. Berman had scheduled the hearing on Tuesday after federal prosecutors wrote to him last week, saying that in light of Mr. Epstein’s death, they planned to drop the criminal charges against him — a decision that requires a judge’s approval. Noting the intense public interest in the case, he invited victims to speak.Judge Richard M. Berman had scheduled the hearing on Tuesday after federal prosecutors wrote to him last week, saying that in light of Mr. Epstein’s death, they planned to drop the criminal charges against him — a decision that requires a judge’s approval. Noting the intense public interest in the case, he invited victims to speak.
“I believe it is the court’s responsibility, and manifestly within its purview, to ensure the victims in this case are treated fairly and with dignity,” he said at the start of the hearing.“I believe it is the court’s responsibility, and manifestly within its purview, to ensure the victims in this case are treated fairly and with dignity,” he said at the start of the hearing.
Prosecutors had charged that Mr. Epstein brought dozens of underage girls, some as young as 14, to his mansion in New York and to his compound in Palm Beach, Fla., between 2002 and 2005. He then engaged in sex acts with the girls during naked massage sessions, prosecutors said, paying them hundreds of dollars in cash each time.Prosecutors had charged that Mr. Epstein brought dozens of underage girls, some as young as 14, to his mansion in New York and to his compound in Palm Beach, Fla., between 2002 and 2005. He then engaged in sex acts with the girls during naked massage sessions, prosecutors said, paying them hundreds of dollars in cash each time.
Mr. Epstein also encouraged some of his victims to recruit additional girls who were then abused, allowing him to maintain “a steady supply of new victims to exploit,” the indictment had charged. He was indicted on charges of sex trafficking and sex trafficking conspiracy, and if convicted, could have faced up to 45 years in prison.Mr. Epstein also encouraged some of his victims to recruit additional girls who were then abused, allowing him to maintain “a steady supply of new victims to exploit,” the indictment had charged. He was indicted on charges of sex trafficking and sex trafficking conspiracy, and if convicted, could have faced up to 45 years in prison.
The judge, in a brief order, said he wanted to hold the hearing because the public might still have an “interest in the process by which the prosecutor seeks dismissal of an indictment.”The judge, in a brief order, said he wanted to hold the hearing because the public might still have an “interest in the process by which the prosecutor seeks dismissal of an indictment.”
The judge did not elaborate, but his statement seemed to acknowledge the extraordinary public interest in the questions surrounding Mr. Epstein’s death and the future of the government’s broader investigation into his associates.The judge did not elaborate, but his statement seemed to acknowledge the extraordinary public interest in the questions surrounding Mr. Epstein’s death and the future of the government’s broader investigation into his associates.
Judge Berman said in the order that he wanted to hear from the prosecution and the lawyers who had been representing Mr. Epstein, and he also invited Mr. Epstein’s accusers and their lawyers to address the court if they wished to.Judge Berman said in the order that he wanted to hear from the prosecution and the lawyers who had been representing Mr. Epstein, and he also invited Mr. Epstein’s accusers and their lawyers to address the court if they wished to.
As if to underscore the wide interest in the matter, the hearing was moved from the judge’s regular courtroom to a much larger one that is typically used for the high-profile cases.As if to underscore the wide interest in the matter, the hearing was moved from the judge’s regular courtroom to a much larger one that is typically used for the high-profile cases.
Mr. Epstein was found dead around 6:30 a.m. on Aug. 10 after apparently hanging himself with a bedsheet in his jail cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, where he was being held pending trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.Mr. Epstein was found dead around 6:30 a.m. on Aug. 10 after apparently hanging himself with a bedsheet in his jail cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, where he was being held pending trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.
Law enforcement officials say he had not been checked on for about three hours, a violation of jail protocol. The city medical examiner said on Aug. 16 that it had determined Mr. Epstein died by suicide.Law enforcement officials say he had not been checked on for about three hours, a violation of jail protocol. The city medical examiner said on Aug. 16 that it had determined Mr. Epstein died by suicide.
The news of Mr. Epstein’s death — and the circumstances surrounding it — sent shock waves through the justice system and prompted an outcry in Congress and investigations by the F.B.I. and the Justice Department’s inspector general.The news of Mr. Epstein’s death — and the circumstances surrounding it — sent shock waves through the justice system and prompted an outcry in Congress and investigations by the F.B.I. and the Justice Department’s inspector general.
Attorney General William P. Barr called the shortcomings at the jail “serious irregularities,” and pledged to determine why Mr. Epstein was apparently left unsupervised just weeks after he was taken off suicide watch after an apparent initial attempt at killing himself on July 23.Attorney General William P. Barr called the shortcomings at the jail “serious irregularities,” and pledged to determine why Mr. Epstein was apparently left unsupervised just weeks after he was taken off suicide watch after an apparent initial attempt at killing himself on July 23.
“We will get to the bottom of what happened and there will be accountability,” Mr. Barr said after Mr. Epstein’s death.“We will get to the bottom of what happened and there will be accountability,” Mr. Barr said after Mr. Epstein’s death.