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<\/a><\/p>\nIn this July 30, 2008 file photo, Jeffrey Epstein is shown in custody in West Palm Beach, Fla. U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra ruled in February that federal prosecutors violated the rights of victims by secretly reaching a non-prosecution agreement with Epstein, a wealthy financier accused of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls. Epstein’s death Saturday continues a debate over what remedies are appropriate in response to the violation. (Uma Sanghvi\/AP)<\/h5>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nThe death of\u00a0Jeffrey Epstein<\/a>\u00a0spurred some his sexual abuse victims on Monday to renew calls for his accused \u201cco-conspirators\u201d \u2014 four women and unnamed others \u2014 to face prosecution in South Florida.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nAngry that Epstein and his associates avoided federal charges through his \u201csweetheart\u201d deal over a decade ago, the victims urged a judge to clear the way for the alleged accomplices to be held accountable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nThey asked U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra to immediately rescind the portion of Epstein\u2019s deal that provided immunity for the people who allegedly aided Epstein\u2019s efforts to\u00a0abuse dozens of underage girls<\/a>\u00a0at his Palm Beach mansion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nEpstein\u2019s much-criticized \u201cnon-prosecution agreement\u201d prevented charges against Sarah Kellen, Adriana Ross, Lesley Groff, and Nadia Marcinkova, as well as any other \u201cpotential co-conspirators,\u201d records show.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\u201cIt would be unfair to the victims if Epstein not only managed to cheat justice through his death, but also left behind some kind of legal issue preventing the victims from obtaining the … remedy to which they are plainly entitled,\u201d wrote attorneys Bradley Edwards and Paul Cassell.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nFive months ago, Marra found Epstein\u2019s deal with the federal government violated a federal crime victims\u2019 rights law.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nThe judge said the victims were \u201cdeliberately\u201d kept in the dark about Epstein\u2019s deal, which resulted in his pleading guilty in 2008 to two prostitution charges, avoiding the chance of a lengthy prison sentence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nProsecutors recently argued that Epstein\u2019s deal could not be scrapped under the law and that even some victims worried about losing their anonymity if the arrangement was undone.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nRELATED: Jeffrey Epstein is dead, but it could take years to unravel his vast estate \u00bb<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSo the government lawyers proposed it would be best to let all of the victims have a court hearing in West Palm Beach to publicly tell their stories, if they wish.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nThe lawyers for the two victims in their 11-year-old civil case against the government argued Monday that prosecutors now should have no objection to bringing charges against the\u00a0\u201ccriminals\u201d who conspired with Epstein<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nEdwards and Cassell also called for the court to promptly hold the proposed public hearing to \u201cgive the victims at least some kind of day in court\u201d following Epstein\u2019s\u00a0sudden death in New York<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\u201cBecause Epstein is now dead, there will never be a criminal trial to hold him accountable, either in the Southern District of Florida, the Southern District of New York, or elsewhere,\u201d they wrote. \u201cAccordingly, the victims (and the public) will never witness his public trial where the facts connected to sexual abuse will be fully aired.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nThe lawyers for years have slammed the \u201csecret justice\u201d Epstein received in the deal put together without his victims\u2019 knowledge.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nAlong with the state felony convictions, Epstein also registered as a sex offender and agreed to pay confidential settlements to more than two dozen teenage girls.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nThe victims\u2019 counsel previously urged Marra to keep Epstein\u2019s punishments and confidential financial settlements with victims in place, while removing Epstein\u2019s and his accomplices\u2019 immunity from prosecution in South Florida.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nRELATED: Jeffrey Epstein\u2019s victims ask Florida court to allow new federal charges \u00bb<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThey argued it was an appropriate solution in light of such a \u201cdisturbing illegality \u2014 i.e., the Government and a criminal working together to deliberately impair the protected rights of innocent crime victims.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nIn June, the federal prosecutors acknowledged their office \u201cshould have communicated its resolution of the federal criminal investigation of Epstein to his victims more effectively and in a more transparent manner.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nWhile Epstein was charged last month with sex trafficking charges in New York, the prosecutors in South Florida contended that it wasn\u2019t possible to prosecute Epstein here.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\u201cThe past cannot be undone; the government committed itself to the terms of the (non-prosecution agreement), and the parties have not disputed that Epstein complied with its provisions,\u201d the prosecutors wrote.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nThe controversial pact has come under intense scrutiny in recent months.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nPublicity over Epstein\u2019s deal led to the July 12 resignation of U.S. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, the former U.S. attorney who oversaw the money manager\u2019s immunity from federal crimes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nRELATED: State to investigate Palm Beach County sheriff\u2019s handling of Jeffrey Epstein case \u00bb<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nEpstein wound up serving 13 months of his state punishment in a special wing of the Palm Beach County Jail. He also was permitted to leave the facility during the day and spend up to 12 hours a day in his West Palm Beach office.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nSheriff Ric Bradshaw, responding to allegations that Epstein had sexual relations during his work release, started a criminal investigation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nBut he later agreed that in order to maintain the public\u2019s trust, it was for the best for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to\u00a0conduct a criminal investigation<\/a>\u00a0into all aspects of Epstein\u2019s treatment from 12 years ago.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThis review, ordered by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, is continuing, officials say.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nBefore his death at age 66, Epstein was facing a possible June 2020 trial on allegations he exploited dozens of girls in New York and Florida in the early 2000s. The two counts against the multimillionaire were punishable by up to 45 years in prison.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nHis lawyers argued the \u201cnon-prosecution agreement\u201d in Florida prevented the filing of the new sex trafficking counts in New York. But the lawyers for the Florida victims \u2014 in the crime victims\u2019 rights case \u2013 hoped they would finally get justice.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The death of\u00a0Jeffrey Epstein<\/a>\u00a0spurred some his sexual abuse victims on Monday to renew calls for his accused \u201cco-conspirators\u201d \u2014 four women and unnamed others \u2014 to face prosecution in South Florida.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Angry that Epstein and his associates avoided federal charges through his \u201csweetheart\u201d deal over a decade ago, the victims urged a judge to clear the way for the alleged accomplices to be held accountable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n They asked U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra to immediately rescind the portion of Epstein\u2019s deal that provided immunity for the people who allegedly aided Epstein\u2019s efforts to\u00a0abuse dozens of underage girls<\/a>\u00a0at his Palm Beach mansion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Epstein\u2019s much-criticized \u201cnon-prosecution agreement\u201d prevented charges against Sarah Kellen, Adriana Ross, Lesley Groff, and Nadia Marcinkova, as well as any other \u201cpotential co-conspirators,\u201d records show.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIt would be unfair to the victims if Epstein not only managed to cheat justice through his death, but also left behind some kind of legal issue preventing the victims from obtaining the … remedy to which they are plainly entitled,\u201d wrote attorneys Bradley Edwards and Paul Cassell.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Five months ago, Marra found Epstein\u2019s deal with the federal government violated a federal crime victims\u2019 rights law.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The judge said the victims were \u201cdeliberately\u201d kept in the dark about Epstein\u2019s deal, which resulted in his pleading guilty in 2008 to two prostitution charges, avoiding the chance of a lengthy prison sentence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Prosecutors recently argued that Epstein\u2019s deal could not be scrapped under the law and that even some victims worried about losing their anonymity if the arrangement was undone.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n So the government lawyers proposed it would be best to let all of the victims have a court hearing in West Palm Beach to publicly tell their stories, if they wish.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The lawyers for the two victims in their 11-year-old civil case against the government argued Monday that prosecutors now should have no objection to bringing charges against the\u00a0\u201ccriminals\u201d who conspired with Epstein<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Edwards and Cassell also called for the court to promptly hold the proposed public hearing to \u201cgive the victims at least some kind of day in court\u201d following Epstein\u2019s\u00a0sudden death in New York<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cBecause Epstein is now dead, there will never be a criminal trial to hold him accountable, either in the Southern District of Florida, the Southern District of New York, or elsewhere,\u201d they wrote. \u201cAccordingly, the victims (and the public) will never witness his public trial where the facts connected to sexual abuse will be fully aired.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The lawyers for years have slammed the \u201csecret justice\u201d Epstein received in the deal put together without his victims\u2019 knowledge.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Along with the state felony convictions, Epstein also registered as a sex offender and agreed to pay confidential settlements to more than two dozen teenage girls.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The victims\u2019 counsel previously urged Marra to keep Epstein\u2019s punishments and confidential financial settlements with victims in place, while removing Epstein\u2019s and his accomplices\u2019 immunity from prosecution in South Florida.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n They argued it was an appropriate solution in light of such a \u201cdisturbing illegality \u2014 i.e., the Government and a criminal working together to deliberately impair the protected rights of innocent crime victims.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n In June, the federal prosecutors acknowledged their office \u201cshould have communicated its resolution of the federal criminal investigation of Epstein to his victims more effectively and in a more transparent manner.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n While Epstein was charged last month with sex trafficking charges in New York, the prosecutors in South Florida contended that it wasn\u2019t possible to prosecute Epstein here.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cThe past cannot be undone; the government committed itself to the terms of the (non-prosecution agreement), and the parties have not disputed that Epstein complied with its provisions,\u201d the prosecutors wrote.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The controversial pact has come under intense scrutiny in recent months.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Publicity over Epstein\u2019s deal led to the July 12 resignation of U.S. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, the former U.S. attorney who oversaw the money manager\u2019s immunity from federal crimes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Epstein wound up serving 13 months of his state punishment in a special wing of the Palm Beach County Jail. He also was permitted to leave the facility during the day and spend up to 12 hours a day in his West Palm Beach office.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, responding to allegations that Epstein had sexual relations during his work release, started a criminal investigation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n But he later agreed that in order to maintain the public\u2019s trust, it was for the best for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to\u00a0conduct a criminal investigation<\/a>\u00a0into all aspects of Epstein\u2019s treatment from 12 years ago.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n This review, ordered by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, is continuing, officials say.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Before his death at age 66, Epstein was facing a possible June 2020 trial on allegations he exploited dozens of girls in New York and Florida in the early 2000s. The two counts against the multimillionaire were punishable by up to 45 years in prison.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n His lawyers argued the \u201cnon-prosecution agreement\u201d in Florida prevented the filing of the new sex trafficking counts in New York. But the lawyers for the Florida victims \u2014 in the crime victims\u2019 rights case \u2013 hoped they would finally get justice.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n