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B. July 7, 2008: The CVRA Litigation Is Initiated 0.0.0... ce eeeceeeeeeeeeneeeeeeenaeeees 236 Ce July 2008: Villafafia Prepares and Sends a Victim Notification Letter to Listed Victims... cece cee essesseeseeeseessecnaecsecaeeseeeseessecsaecnuesaeesaeeseesaeesaeenaeenaesas 237 D. July — August 2008: The FBI Sends the Victim Notification Letter to Victims Residing Outside of the United States... eecceesceseseceeeceeeeeeeeeeeeenaeens 238 E. August — September 2008: The Federal Court Orders the USAO to Disclose the NPA to Victims, and the USAO Sends a Revised Victim Notification Letter... cece eeesseseeesecssecssecseeseesseesseeaecsaessaesaesseesaeenaeesaesaeesaeeas 239 F. 2010 — 2011: Department and Congressional Actions Regarding Tetterpretation af 116 (VTA, ccm: semen wtmnmnmmmarenas weemenmsmatennt eoesotsmnstenmss san 241 G. The CVRA Litigation Proceedings and Current Status .............ceeceesseeeeeeeeeeeeee 242 PART TWO: APPLICABLE STANDARDS 1... cccecceceeseseseeseseeesecneesecneeseenseseesaesaeeaeeneeareneess 247 I. STATUTORY PROVISIONS ......ccecscesseseesseeneesreseseeaessesaesaevseenavsesneeseesaeseesaesneeseeneesees 247 A. The CVRA, 18 U.S.C. § 3771 occ eicessesseeeecneesecnseseesaeseessesneveeeneeseenaeseeenesaeeaeenees 247 B. The Victims’ Rights and Restitution Act of 1990 (VRRA), 34 U.S.C. § 20141, Services to Victims (formerly cited as 42 USCA § 10607)........... cc eeceeeteeeeeeeeeee 248 Il. DEPARTMENT POLICY: THE 2005 ATTORNEY GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR VICTIM AND WITNESS ASSISTANCE (2005 GUIDELINES)... essere 249 lll. FLORIDA RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT uu... ec cceseseeeseeneeeeeneeeeeneeseeenees 253 A. FRPC 4-4.1 — Candor in Dealing with Other ............ceccecceesceeeneceeeeeeneeeaeeeeaeenes 253 B. FRPC 4-8.4 — Conduct Prejudicial to the Administration of Justice .............. 253 PART THREE: ANALYSIS... cc cecesccesesseeseseeeseeevsecneeeessessesaecaevaeenevseenaeseenaeseesaesaeveesneeatenaess 255 I. OVERVIEW ....cececeesceseesessesseesecnevseeneeseesaessesaesaessesnevseeneeeeesaeseesaesaeveesnevseeneeseesaeseesaeeaeats 255 Il. THE SUBJECTS DID NOT VIOLATE A CLEAR AND UNAMBIGUOUS STANDARD BY ENTERING INTO THE NPA WITHOUT CONSULTING THE VICTIMS 00... cece ce ececeesee cesses cnseeeensaeecnseuecnseeecnuesenseeecneeesseeeeseeeesseeeesseeeeneees 255 A. At the Time, No Clear and Unambiguous Standard Required the USAO to Notify Victims Regarding Case-Related Events until after the Filing at Cetra] (MATES crease cs sansa nnnene sa amen canes sh SWE ARRON Ha SMRESTER AOR SSRN RN HAR 256 B. OPR Did Not Find Evidence Establishing That the Lack of Consultation Was Intended to Silence Victims... ee eeceseseeseeeseeeeenseesesseesaesseesseeaeenaeaee 258 Il. LETTERS SENT TO VICTIMS BY THE FBI WERE NOT FALSE STATEMENTS BUT RISKED MISLEADING VICTIMS ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE FEDERAL INVESTIGATION... ee ceee eee n erent eeeneeeenneeeenas 261 A. The USAO Was Not Responsible for Victim Notification Letters Sent by the FBI in October 2007, January 2008, and May 2008 Describing the Status. of the Case ag “Under Tay est ati wee cere: exsmemmenceans eneennmes wma 262 XXil DOJ-OGR- 00023036