EFTA02729716.pdf

Case 9:08-cv-80736-KAM Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/07/2008 FlLSQiv 1 WO D.C. aeCTIOSio JULY 7, 2008 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT ITS vtal M. LARIMORI CLEM. U.S. 01ST. CT. SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA 5.0. Or IL.A.• MOM 08-80736-Civ-MARRA/JOHNSON CASE NO.: IN RE: JANE DOE, Petitioner. tw ees ewe y VICTIM'S PETITION FOR CRIME VICTIM'S RIGHTS ACT,ENFORCEM ENT OF 18 U.S.C. SECTION 3711 COMES NOW the Petitioner, JANE DOE (hereinafter "Petitioner"), by and through her undersigned attorneys, pursuant to the Crime Victim's Rights Act, 18 U.S.C. Section 3771 ("CVRA"), and files this Petition for Enforcement in the above styled action as follows: 1. Petitioner, an adult, as a minor child was a victim of federal crimes committed by JEFFREY EPSTEIN (hereinafter "Defendant"). These crimes included sex trafficking of :1 children by fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1591, use of a means of interstate commerce to entice a minor to commit prostitution, in violation of I8 U.S.C. § 2422, as well as wire Gaud, in violation of 18 § 1343. The Defendant committed these crimes within the jurisdiction of the Southern District of Florida in Palm Beach County, Florida. 2. Upon Information and belief, the Defendant is the subject of a federal criminal U investigation conducted by the United States of America in the Southern District of Florida. The Defendant has recently been prosecuted and pleaded guilty, on June 30, 2008, in the Circuit Court for Palm Beach County to various similar state offenses including solicitation of minors for prostitution. 3. Upon information and belief, the Defendant is engaged in plea negotiations with the Office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida concerning federal 1010 09112/2019 Agency to Agency Requet: 19-411 CONFPITTENTIAL SDNY_GM_00332006 EFTA_00204732 EFTA02729716  Case 0:08-cv-80736-KAM Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/07/2008 Page 2 of 10 crimes which he is alleged to have committed against minor children, including the Petitioner. Such negotiations may likely result in a disposition of the charges in the next several days. 4. Under the CVRA, before any charges are filed against the Defendant, the Petitioner has the rights (among others) to notice of her rights under the CVRA, to confer with the prosecutors, and to be treated with fairness. As soon as charges are filed, the Petitioner has the rights (among others) to timely notice of court proceedings, the right not to be excluded from such proceedings, the right to be heard at such public proceedings regarding conditions of release, any plea, and any sentence, the right to confer with the attorney for the government. the I tight to restitution, and the right to be treated with fairness and with respect for her dignity and privacy. 5. The Petitioner has been denied her rights in that she has received no consultation with the attorney for the government regarding the possible disposition of the charges, no notice of any public court proceedings, no information regarding her right to restitution, and no notice of rights under the CVRA, as required under law. 6, The Petitioner is in jeopardy of losing her rights, as described above, if the government is able to negotiate a plea or agreement with the Defendant without her participation 1. and knowledge. U WHEREFORE, for the reasons outlined above, the Petitioner respectfully requests Court to grant her Petition, and to order the United States Attorney to comply with the provisions this of the CVRA prior to and including any plea or other agreement with the Defendant and any attendant proceedings. ll 2 U Isle 09/12/2019 Agency to Agency Requet 19-411 U CONFIDEN G TIAL SDNY_GM_00332007 EFTA_0{)204733 EFTA02729717  Case 9:08-cv-80736-KAM Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/07/2008 Page 3 of 10 ve MEMORANDUM I. THE CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS ACT MAKES CRIME VICTIMS INDEPENDENT PARTICIPANTS THROUGHOUT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS. I In October 2004, Congress passed and the President signed into law the Crime Victims' Rights Act, Pub. L. No. 108-405, 118 Stat 2251 (codified at 18 U.S.C. § 3771). Because this appears to be the first case involving the Act to come before this Court, a bit of background may be in order. A. The CVRA Gives Crime Victims Rights to Participate in the Criminal Justice Process. Congress passed the CVRA "to give crime victims enforceable rights to participate in federal criminal proceedings." Opinion at 14. Congress was concerned that in the federal system crime victims were "treated as non-participants In a critical event in their lives. They were kept in the dark by prosecutors too busy to care enough ... and by a court system that simply did not have a place for them." 150 CONO. REC. S4262 (Apr. 22, 2004) (statement of Sen. Feinstein). To remedy this problem, Congress gave victims "the simple right to know what is going on, to participate in the process where the information that victims and their families can provide may be material and relevant ... ." Id. The CVRA gives victims of federal crimes a series of rights, including the right to notice of court proceedings, to be heard at plea and sentencing hearings, and to reasonably "confer with the attorney for the Government in the case." 18 U.S.C. § 3771(a). Victims also have a "right of access to the terms of a plea agreement ... ." /n re Interested Party 1, 530 F.Supp. 2d 136, 2008 WL 134233 at '7 (D.D.C. 2008). The CVRA also assures victims broadly that they will "be treated with fairness." 18 U.S.C. §3771(a)(8). 3 3010 09/12/2019 Agency to Agency Requet: 19-411 CONFPITTENTIAL SDNY_GM_00332008 EFTA_00204734 EFTA02729718  Case 9:08-cv-80736-KAM Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/07/2008 Page 4 of 10 Of course, these rights would be of little use to most crime victims unless they were told about them. To ensure that victims are notified of their rights, the CVRA directs employees of the Justice Department "and other departments and agencies of the United States engaged in the detection, investigation, or prosecution of crime" to use their "best efforts to see that crime victims are notified of ... the rights described (in the CVRA]." IS U.S.C. § 3771(c)(I) (emphasis added).! B. The CVRA Gives Victims Rights During the Investigation of a Crime. The CVRA gives victims rights during the investigation of a crime. The Fifth Circuit recently reached this conclusion, holding: The district court acknowledged that "[t]here are clearly rights under the CVRA that apply before any prosecution is underw ay." BP Prods.. 2008 WL 501321 at • I I, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12893 at '36 Logically, this includes the CVRA's establis hment of victims' "reasonable right to confer with the attorney for the Government." 18 U.S.C. 3771(a)(5). At least in the posture of this case (and we do not speculate on the applicability to other situations), the government should have fashioned a reasona ble way to inform the victims of the likelihood of criminal charges and to ascertain the victims' views on the possible details of a plea bargain. In re Dean, 527 F.3d 391,394 (5' Cir. 2008). [1 The position that CVRA rights apply before charges have been filed is consistent with the Justice Department regulations under the CVRA, which explain that government officials "must advise a victim [about their rights under the CVRA) ... at the earliest opportunity at which it may be done without interfering with an investigation." A.G. GUIDEL INES FOR VICTIM AND WITNESS U I Further supporting this requirement is another statute, 42 U.S.C. § :o provide victims with "the earliest possible notice of," among I0607(e)(3). which directs government offrcials other things, "the filing of charges against a suspected offender." U 4 U 09/12/2019 Agency to Agency Roque: 19-411 U CONFIDE 1 9 NTIAL SDNY_GM_00332009 EFTA_00204735 EFTA02729719  Case 9:08-cv-80736-KAM Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/07/2008 Page 5 of 10 Assisrorra 23 (May 2005). And the plain language of the CVRA imdergirds this conclusion, as it applies not simply to prosecutors but to government agencies "engag I ed in the detection (and) investigation ... of crime ... ." 18 U.S.C. § 3771(cX1). Indeed, if there were any doubt, the plain language of the CVRA extends victims' right to situations "in which no prosecution is underway." I8 U.S.C. § 3771(dX3). IL PETITIONER IS A "VICTIM PROTECTED BY THE CVRA. Under the CVRA the crime victim is defined as "a person directly and proximately harmed as a result of the commission of a Federal offense ... ." 18 U.S.C. Section 3771(e). In particular, Defendant called Petitioner when she was a minor over a telephone (a means of interstate communication) requesting that she perform a massag e in exchange for payment. As Defendant well knew, that request was fraudulent, as he not only intended to receive a massage, but also intended to have her perform sexual acts in exchange for a cash payment to Petitioner. Only when Petitioner arrived at a Defendant's mansion as directed by Defendant, did Defendant reveal his true purpose of obtaining sexual favors in exchange for payment. This conduct violated 18 U.S.C. § 2422, which forbids using a means of interstate commerce to knowingly "induce" or "entice" a minorto engage in prostitution." In addition, this conduct was both a use of "fraud" to obtain a commercial sex act, in violation of 18 U.S.0 § 1591, and use of wire communications to perpetrate a "scheme and artifice to defraud ," in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. It appears obvious that Petitioner was "directly and proximately" harmed by these crimes, thereby making her a victim under the CVRA. It should be emphasized that the CVRA 'was designed to be a 'broad and encompassing' statuto ry victims' bill of rights." United States v. . 5 L 0911212019 Agency to Agency Requet: 19-411 CONFPIDENTIAL SDNY_GM_00332010 EFTA_00204736 EFTA02729720  Case 9:08-ov-80736-KAM Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/07/2008 Page 6 of 10 •••• Noir Degenhordt, 405 F.Supp.2d 1341, 1342 (D. Utah 2005) (quoting 150 Cong. Rec. S4261 (dail y ed. Apr. 22, 2004) (statement of Sen. Feinstein)). Congress intended the CVR A to dramatically rework the federal criminal justice system. In the course of construing the CVRA generously, the Ninth Circuit observed: "The criminal justici system has long functioned on the assumption that crime victims should behave like good Victorian children — seen but not hear d. The Crime Victims' Rights Act sought to change this by making victims independent parti cipants in the criminal justice process." Kenna v. U.S. Dirt. Court for CD. Cal., 435 F.3d 1011, 1013 (9th Cir. 2006). Accordingly, because the CVRA is remedial legislation, courts should interpret it "liberally to facilitate and accomplis h its purposes and intent." Elliott Industries Ltd Partnership v. BP America Productio CI remedial legislation should be "interpret n Co., 407 F.3d 1091, 1118 (10th ed liberally to facilitate and accomplis Cit. 2005) (noting h its purposes and 1.1 intern"). The CVRA itself suggests this conclusio n by requiring that courts must treat crime victims with "fairness." United States v. Pallor, 2008 WL 233062 at *3 (D. Haw LI UnitedStates v. Turner, 367 F.Supp.2 d 319,335 (E.D.N.Y. 2005)). . 2008) (citing U Not only must the CVRA as a whole victim" requires a generous construct be interpreted liberally, but its definition of "crime ion. After reciting the direct-and-prox imate-harm language at issue here, one of the Act's two co-sponsors -- Senator Kyl -- explained that "Whis is an intentionally broad definition because all victims of crime deserve to have U ." ISO Cong. Rec. 510912 (Oct. 9, 2004) (emphasis added). The their rights protected description of the victim U definition as "intentionally broad" was in the course of floor colloquy with the other primary sponsor of the CVRA and therefore dese rves significant weight. See Kenn U (discussing significance of CVRA sponsors,- floor statements). a, 435 F.3d at 1015.16 U 6 U 0110 09112/2019 Pag399 e 3 Agency to Agency Requet: 19-011 U CONFIDENTIAL SDNY_GM_00332011 EFTA_00204737 EFTA02729721  Case 9:08-cv-80736-KAM Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/07/2008 Page 7 of 10 `sr The definition of "crime victims" must thus be construed broadly in favor of Petitioner. She obviously qualifies as a "victim" under the CVRA. III. PETITIONER IS ENTITLED TO NOTICE OF HER RIGHTS, AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONFER WITH THE PROSECUT ORS AND TO BE TREATED WITH FAIRNESS. Because Petitioner is a "victim" under the CVRA, she has certain protected rights under the Act. Most important, the Act promises that she will have an opportunity to "confer with the attorney for the Government in the case." To date, Petition er has not been given that right. This raises that very real possibility that the Government may negotia te and conclude a plea agreement with the Defendant without giving Petitioner her protected rights.2 Petitioner is entitled to have this conference with prosecutors before any final plea agreement is reached. The Fifth Circuit reached exactly this conclusion in a very recent case. In 17 re Dean, 527 F.3d 391 (5'h Cir. 2008), the Govern ment negotiated a plea agreement with the well-heeled corporate defendant without conferring with the victims. When the Government's failure was challenged in the Fifth Circuit, the Fifth Circuit concluded that the Government had indeed violated the CVRA. The Fifth Circuit observe d: "In passing the [CVRAJ, Congress made the policy decision-which we are bound to enforce-that the victims have a right to inform U the plea negotiation process by conferring with prosecutors before a plea agreement is reached." Id. at 394. U This Court is obligated to protect the rights of Petitioner. The CVRA directs that "Nit U any court proceeding involving an offense against a crime victim, the court shall ensure that the U 2 On information and belief, roughly the same crimes were victims, too. are In danger of losing their right to confer undercommitted against several other young females. These U 7 the CVRA. .110 0912;2019 Agency to Agency Requet tg-4 It CONFIDENT N IAL I AL SDNY_GM_00332012 EFTA_00204738 EFTA02729722  Case 9:08-cv-80736-KAM Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/07/2008 Page 8 of 10 •••• was* crime victim is afforded the rights described in (the CVRA]." 18 U.S.C. § 3771(b)(1). The CVRA also confers on crime victims the right to "assert the rights described in [the CVRA]." 18 U.S.C. § 3771(d)(1). Therefore, this Court has its own indepe ndent obligat ion to intercede and ensure that the Government respects the rights of Petition er under the CVRA. CONCLUSLON The Petitioner requests the intervention of this Court to ensure that her ri ghts are respected and accorded, as promised in the Crime Victim s' Rights Act. DATED this lth day of It. 2008. Respectfully Submitted, I ME LAW OFFICE OF BRAD EDWARDS & ASSOCIATES. LLC Li Brad Edwards, Esquire Attorney for Petitioner Florida Bar #542075 2028 Harrison Street U Suite 202 Hollywood, Florida 33020 Telephone: 954-414.8033 Facsimile: 954.924-1530 U $ IOW 09/12/2019 995 Agency to Agency Requet: 19-011 CONFPIDENTIAL SDNY_GM_00332013 EFTA_00204739 EFTA02729723  Case 9:08-cv-80736-KAM Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/07/2008 Page 9 of 10 %ay CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I HEREBY CERTIFY that a true and correct copy of the above and foregoing has been provided by United States mail and via facsimile to: ANN MARIE C. VILLAFANA, AUSA, United States Attorney's Office, 500 South Australian Avenue, Suite 400, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401, this 21h day of July, 2008. Brad Edwards, Esquire Attorney for Petitioner Florida Bar No. 542075 9 9410 09/12/2019 Agency to Agency Requet: 19-011 CONFPIDENTIAL SDNY_GM_00332014 EFTA 00204740 EFTA02729724