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Expert: Ignorance of age
isn't defense in sex cases
By LARRY KELLER
Paim Beach Post Stef Writer
Even if Palm Beach mon-
ey manager Jeffrey Epstein
didn’t know that girls who
police say gave him sexual
massages at his Intracoastal
home were under the legal
age, that alone wouldn’t have
exempted him from criminal
charges of sexual activity with
minors.
“Ignorance is not a valid
defense,” said Bob Dekle, a
legal skills professor who was
a Lake City prosecutor for
nearly 30 years, half of that
time specializing in sex
crimes against children.
“There is no knowledge
element as far as the age is
concerned,” Dekle said.
After an 11-month investi-
gation, Palm Beach police
said there was probable cause
to charge Epstein, 53, with
unlawful sex acts with a minor
Epstein: Two
politicians have
retumed dona-
tions since he
Fi was charged
with soliciting
minors.
and lewd and lascivious mo-
jestation. They contend that
Epstein — friend of the rich
and famous and financial pa-
tron of Democratic Party or-
ganizations and candidates —
committed those acts with
five underage girls.
In the past week, New
York Attorney General and
gubernatorial candidate Eliot
Spitzer has returned about
$50,000 in campaign contri-
butions he received from Ep-
stein, and Mark Green, a
candidate to replace Spitzer in
See EPSTEIN, 5B
ee
(Indicate page, name of
newspaper, city and staie.}
1B / 58 / The Palm Beach Post
Daie: 8/6/2006
Title: ExperiL Ignorance of age
isn't defense in sex cases
Character
or
Classification. 31E-MM-108062
Submitting Office: MM
indexing:
03956-76 7
3/E-HMN — /080b2- If :
DOJ-OGR-00028907