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Received: 16404420 11/14/2807 21:53 5616404420 bs *20A THE PALMBEACHPOST PAE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2007 The Palm Beach Post TOM GIUPFRIDA, Publisher JOHN BARTOSEK. Mditor oual BIL ROSE, Managing Editor CHARLISS GERARDI, General Manaper RANDY SCHULTZ, Editor of the Editorial Page JAN TN ICKWOOD, Absactaty L-4tor tne BARRY BERG. VP Circulation JOHN KELLY, VP Advertising Ww y a: Er per We soon will find out whether big money can buy from the crimi- nal justice system what everyone assumes that big money can buy. The penalty news reports say parttime Palm Beach resident Jeffrey Epstein is expected to face suggests that he will plead guilty to something more than one felony count for solicitation of prostitution. A Palm Beach County grand jury indicted the Manhattan money manager on that charze in July 2006. But a guilty plea that does not recognize the age of the girls whom police say the billionaire paid for sex would be a disservice to the girls, an insult to the investigators who pressed the case and, for goocl measure, a general outrage. Palm Beach police have said that Jeffrey Epstein, 54, paid underage girJs, one as young as 14, to come to his 7,200-square-foot waterfront home for “massage” sessions. Police said interviews with five alleged victims and 17 witnesses under oath, phone messages, a high school transcript and other items they found in Mr Epstein’s trash and. home show that he knew how young the girls were. But after Mr. Epstein’s attorneys told prosecutors about the girls’ MySpace pages, which mentioned marijuana and alcohol use, State Attorney Barry Krischer sent the case to a grand jury, instead of filing charges himself. Blaming these victims, however, does not make them any more de- serving of what happened. And Mr Krischer’s unnecessary handoff to a grand jury, after an 11-month police investigation, more than reinforced Page 93 of 102 07/26/17 LARRY SIFDIIK. VP & Peaasurer GALE HOWDEN, VP Community Relations and Marhering UNDA MURPHY, VP Human Resources LAURA DECK CUNNINGHAM, Director Murketing Services DAN SHORTER. Gerieral Manager, Pa'm¥eachPost. com BOB HALFE, VP Operations How will system judge Palm Beach predator? Jeftrey Epstein case comes to turning point. te the public understanding — tha the more money the accused has. the bigger the break he gets. M) Epstein legal team includes Wes Palm Besch defense attorney Jact: Goldberger, Harvard Law Schoo: Professor Alan Dershowitz, wh«: worked oi the O.J. Simpson murdes case, and Kenneth Starr, who once pursued a president based on his: lies abeu! sex with young women. Federal authorities also sieppec! in, which stalled the states casc for anorher year. On Nov. 9, citing: an unnamed source close to Jeffrey Epstein, Jose Lambiet of The Pos! wrote thal the federal investigation is over, and Mr Epstein is expected to serve up to 18 months and could be Jabele:! a sex offender in crimi- nal records. The change the grad jury returned more than a year ago carries a waximum five-year prison term and no “sex offender” Jabel. “This case,” Mr. Goldberger toi Mr. Lamtiet, “is absolutely going end without a trial within the nex: two months.” State attorney spukes- man Michael) Edmondson wouis not confivm any plea deal. But, tr noted: the state attorney's hand: are not twd by there being a sing: grand iury charge. That does noi preclude additional charges.” Jeffrey Epstein, like too manv men in Finrida, preyed on teenaged girls. The system should not fet him buy his way out of that reality. Public Records Request No.: 17-295 @1 a Ce ck Th “With aron'n.. us Pale Peac heljied re gioners To Newe‘l ar Rey Liber aie Willian morth. “.. teniion pai Cramer ers of hil by nuns, v the gus | ber filing: “We are wot, Mos are tha wn DOJ-OGR-00031401