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CHAPTER THREE: ISSUES RELATING TO THE GOVERNMENT?’S INTERACTIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS WITTE. VIG LIM S wor: axcmmonensnes ecmmmananatents wanna aaa eres 189 PART ONE: FACTUAL BACKGROUND 0... ecececeseeseseseeeseseeeseeneeseeneeseenaeseeaesaeeaeeneeerenaees 189 I. OVERVIEW... ececeeccesessesseeseesecnevsecneeseessessevaecaevsesaevseenaeseessessesaesseveesneeseenseseesaesaesaeeaevets 189 Il. THE CVRA, 18 U.S.C. § 3771 oeeeccceseseeenseseenseseesseseesaesaeesecnevseenaeseenaeseesaeeaesaesneeereneesees 189 A HIStOLY.......cececeeeeeeeeeeeeessceceaecseeeeneesaeecsaecsseeeeneesaeecsaeceaeeesneesaeesaeeneeeeneesaeecsaeeneesees 189 B. Enumerated Rights ..........ccccesceeeeeseeesneeceeeeeeeesneesaeeceaeesaeeseneesaeecaeeeeeesneesaeessaeenes 191 ll. THE DEPARTMENT’S INTERPRETATION OF THE CVRA’S DEFINITION OF “CRIME VICTIM” AT THE TIME OF THE EPSTEIN INVESTIGATION ............... 192 A. April 1, 2005 Office of Legal Counsel “Preliminary Review”.............:::cceeeees 192 B. 2005 Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance.............. 193 IV. USAO AND FBI VICTIM/WITNESS NOTIFICATION PRACTICE AT THE TIME OF THE EPS-TRIN TN VES LIGATION somes sonsaans averse s ovesewasonens sa anenena maw sss 194 A. USAO Training... ceeeeeeeeesceeneeceseeeeneesneecnaeseaeeeacecsaecaeeueneesaeecaeeeeeseneesaeessaeens 194 B. The Automated Victim Notification System ............:cecceeeseeeseeeeeeeseeeeneeesaeeeeneeees 195 Ce FBI Victim Notation. Pan Phlets scorns oscesvnameo aoneme aceon a meeONR ome ma 196 V. THE INTRODUCTORY USAO AND FBI LETTERS TO VICTIMS... seers 196 A. August 2006: The FBI Victim Notification Letters ...........c cc eecceeeseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees 196 Bs Aweust 2006, The USAC s Letiere 19 WICGIB secon memes examen meemsmamans 198 c. USAO and FBI Letters Are Hand Delivered ..0.... eee cee see eneeeeeeseeneenaeeneeees 200 VI. AUGUST 2006 —- SEPTEMBER 2007: FBI AND USAO CONTACTS WITH VICTIMS BEFORE THE NPA IS SIGNED... ee ceceeeeeseseesseeeeeeeneeecnseseesnesaeeaesneeerensens 200 A. The Case Agents and Villafafia Solicit Some Victims’ Opinions about Resolving the Federal Investigation..............:cccsesceeeeeeneeenreceeeeeneeeeneesaeesnaeeneeeees 201 B. Before the NPA Is Signed, Villafafia Expresses Concern That Victims Have Not Been Consulted... eceeceesecsseessesneeseeeseeeseesaeenaesaeesaeeseesaeeaeenaesaes 202 1. July 2007: Villafafia’s Email Exchanges with Menchel................:008 202 2. Villafafia Asserts That Her Supervisors Gave Instructions Not to Consult Victims about the Plea Discussions, but Her Supervisors Do Not Currently Recall Such Instructions ............ecceeceeeeeeeneeeeeeeeneetenee 204 3. September 6, 2007: Villafafia Informs Sloman, Who Informs Acosta, of Oosterbaan’s Opinion That Consultation with Victims Was Required... ceecceeccessceceseceeeeesneeseeceaeceeeesneesaeecaeeneeeeneeseessaeeseeeesnes 204 VI. SEPTEMBER 24, 2007 — JUNE 30, 2008: AFTER THE NPA IS SIGNED, THE USAO MAKES VARIOUS VICTIM NOTIFICATION DECISIONS. ........ececeeeeeeees 206 XX DOJ-OGR- 00023034