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Mr. Dershowitz was apparently, based on the transcripts
I was seeing, to take the Fifth even with regard to any
knowledge of Mr. Dershowitz.
So in those circumstances I did think it was
highly fair to draw an inference from Mr. Epstein,
particularly where, you know, like some of the sexual
abuse involved Virginia, Epstein, and Dershowitz was the
allegations, you know, the trafficking and so forth.
So you know, if Virginia is making an
allegation, Mr. Epstein is invoking the Fifth and
Mr. Dershowitz is, you know, declining to answer
questions, it seemed to me in those circumstances an
adverse inference would be fair.
Q. Isn't it routine practice for a witness who
is the target or faces -- I'm going to start over.
Isn't it routine practice for a witness who
faces potential criminal liability to take the Fifth as
to all substantive questions?
A. That's not -- no. I would say absolutely
not. And again, I'm drawing -- I was a federal
prosecutor for four years. I was a federal district
court judge for about five-and-a-half years. I would
say, that is not the practice and, indeed, that would be
inconsistent with Fifth Amendment case law as I
understand it.
ROUGH DRAFT ONLY
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