THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW NOW REGARDING SEXUAL ASSAULT THIS WEEK.
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Los Angeles (The Karney Report)— Over 100 Girls Sex Trafficked; Alleged Perpetrator Jeffrey Epstein Got Sweetheart Plea Deal from Trump Labor Secretary Acosta
Here are important survivor stories—for all of us—for those who love and support survivors.
100 Girls Sex Trafficked-Jeffrey Epstein Gets Sweetheart Plea Deal from Trump’s Acosta
Over 100 Girls, Teens and Pre-Teens Were Allegedly Sex Trafficked by Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, but He Got a Sweetheart Plea Deal from Trump’s Labor Secretary Acosta.
And this got me in full lioness mode…
Key
Points
As an attorney who has handled sexual abuse cases involving underage victims for over 20 years, the treatment of some of the most helpless victims by then-U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta (now Trump Administrator Labor Secretary) in the Jeffrey Epstein case is stunning and egregious.
Jeffrey Epstein’s deal with federal prosecutors wasn’t normal. The men who arranged it broke the law when they signed a secret plea agreement with billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Palm Beach judge, ruled Thursday. Jeffrey Epstein, was represented by Sexgate prosecutor Ken Starr and celebrity attorney Alan Dershowitz who created the secret 2008 plea deal with Acosta, then Miami’s top federal prosecutor, without the alleged victims’ knowledge.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth A. Marra ruled that the decision to keep more than 30 of Epstein’s accusers in the dark about the non-prosecution deal that allowed Epstein, a billionaire with political connections, to avoid federal prosecution was unconstitutional.
Acosta treated the victims as “throw-away girls.” His actions even more outrageous given the accusations in the case: For six years, Jeffrey Epstein allegedly ran a sex trafficking ring that preyed on more than 30 girls, some as young as 13, and personally raped and sexually assaulted many of them. But, though there are strict federal laws designed to address this type of egregious conduct, Epstein was allowed to plead guilty to state, not federal, charges pursuant to a non-prosecution agreement (NPA) with federal prosecutors in 2015 and received an appalling lenient sentence amounting to a slap-on-the-wrist. By signing the deal, Marra rule, Acosta and other DOJ lawyers violated the Crime Victims Rights Act (CVRA) which guarantees victims the right to speak with prosecutors.
“Petitioners and the other victims should have been notified of the Government’s intention to take that course of action before it bound itself under” a plea agreement, Marra wrote in the 33-page opinion, which mentioned Acosta multiple times.
“When the Government gives information to victims, it cannot be misleading,” the judge wrote. “While the Government spent untold hours negotiating the terms and implications of the NPA with Epstein’s attorneys, scant information was shared with victims. Instead, the victims were told to be ‘patient’ while the investigation proceeded.”
Judge Marra’s ruling, concluded a 10-year investigation into Epstein’s plea deal, which revealed hundreds of emails showing how Acosta and other prosecutors worked with Epstein’s legal team to conceal the deal from victims and the public.
When asked about it during a Friday afternoon appearance in the Oval Office Trump shrugged it off and said “I know he’s done a great job as Labor Secretary, and that seems like a long time ago.”
However, something that no one is talking about according to Politico, is an alleged twice-filed civil lawsuit against Donald Trump brought be a woman using the alias “Katie Johnson” who allegedly claimed that Trump “sexually and physically” abused her at parties hosted by billionaire Jeffrey Epstein when she was 13 years old and then threatened her to ensure her silence.” Politico is reporting, that the “One weird court case linking Trump and a billionaire pedophile is a woman suing in connection with Jeffrey Epstein’s underage sex ring, who claims she was first approached while working as a towel girl at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort.” It is believed, that “Katie Johnson’s” real name is Virginia Giuffre, and her civil suit, scheduled to go to trial later this month, threatens to expose new detail of a long-running saga tying together President Donald Trump, Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, and other prominent figures to billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.” According to Politico, Epstein, was once a regular at Mar-a-Lago.
Legal Ease
Age of victim in prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein, long a source of confusion, eased his obligations to register as a sex offender
Defendant Pleaded Guilty to Sexual Misconduct of ‘Older’ Victim Easing Predators Obligation to Register as Sex Offender:
According to information obtained by The Washington Post “A federal investigation into alleged sexual misconduct by multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein ‘had flagged scores of potential underage victims, including the 14-year-old girl who first alerted police.’ But when he pleaded guilty in state court in 2008, the only minor Epstein was convicted of soliciting was 16 years old at the time the offenses began, according to a piece published by The Washington Post in 2019.
“The decision to charge Epstein with a crime involving an older teen” — part of a plea deal that has already been criticized as excessively lenient —”has eased his obligations to register as a sex offender,” said The Washington Post. For example, in New Mexico, where Epstein has a 7,600-acre property, he is not required to register because his victim was not under 16, state officials,” reported The Washington Post.
The Daily Best reports that the case has faced growing scrutiny since last month, “when a federal judge ruled that the prosecution team led by then-U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta, now President Trump’s labor secretary, ‘violated the rights of alleged victims by failing to notify them of an agreement not to bring federal charges.’ House Democrats are calling for the resignation of Acosta, whose department oversees investigations into sex trafficking and workplace abuses.
Victims are Seeking to Void the Non-Prosecution Agreement
The alleged victims are seeking to void the non-prosecution agreement, which ended the federal criminal investigation and granted immunity to any other defendants involved.
Epstein, now age 66 was charged with soliciting a minor between Aug. 1, 2004, and Oct. 9, 2005, according to court documents. Based on the birth date provided by the state attorney’s office, this victim would have been 16 when the solicitation began and on the eve of her 18th birthday — the age of consent in Florida — when it ended.
The age of consent is 16 years old in more than half of the states, according to surveys and government reports, potentially allowing Epstein to own homes in many of those places without having to register.
Lead Prosecutor Said Epstein’s Team “tried to fool the U.S. Attorney’s Office
The lead prosecutor under Acosta, Marie Villafana, accused Epstein legal dream team, of “trying to ‘fool’ our office into letting Mr. Epstein plead to a non-registerable offense, according to a letter by Villafana published by the Daily Beast in 2011.”
Where you have a very wealthy sex offender who owns multiple planes and homes across the United States and around the world, it is difficult to track whether sex offender registration requirements are being met.
Epstein’s attorney Martin G. Weinberg declined to comment and stated that his client “has fully complied with all applicable registration obligations under federal and local law, and will continue to do so.” He added: “Mr. Epstein accepted responsibility, served his sentence, made significant monetary settlements, and fully met his legal obligations under these agreements.’’
“She gave him approximately 15 massages, including with sexual contact, and ultimately when she is 17 had intercourse with him,” Epstein’s victim said, according to a transcript of the Jan. 18, 2011, hearing. “She is a child,” said Supreme Court Judge Ruth Pickholz, adding, “He procured her at 16.”
Two days after Epstein registered, state officials in New Mexico reversed course because in his case the law requires registration only if the victim is under the age of 16.
“You are not required to register with the State of New Mexico at this time,” they wrote.
Billionaire Alleged Sex Trafficker Jeffrey Epstein Get’s Sweetheart Plea Deal from Trumps Labor Secretary Acosta as District Attorney New York.
CIVIL RIGHTS FOR CHILD SEX ABUSE VICTIMS
We need to protect our children and teens from predatory sex traffickers who are billionaire wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Men of power only pretend to care about children. In reality, women and children are chattel, owned, indentured servants to be used at their master’s will and whim. We are the disposables. One of the victims revealed that she only agreed to go on the plane, as a “waitress” because she wanted to buy a second pair of shoes. She only had one pair of shoes
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Let your heart go out to all survivors who burn daily, living in shame, grief, and pain. Let us remember that we (you, me, all of us) are the only ones who can make a difference, demand justice, bring compassion to victims, and hold perpetrators legally and morally accountable. To do so, we must eliminate all statutes of limitations for sexual violence. Civil rights lawsuits need to be filed against the United States government for violation of our civil right to life, liberty and the pursuit of property.
- We ask that you donate even $1.00 for victims of child sex abuse. www.roara1.org. (The cost of an item at The .99 Cents Only Store).
- We ask you not to forget the plight of survivors of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, harassment, and rape. We ask that you write to your U.S. Senator and Congressperson to support The Civil Rights Act for Victims of Sexual Violence (“CRAVSV”).
Where do We Go From Here? JUSTICE FOR ALL SURVIVORS
Together we must act to end the “scourge on humanity” of sexual assault. Please help us sponsor legislation that creates a civil right for survivors to be free of sexual violence.
Call to action:With stories coming out daily coupled with victims left in the wake of the national disaster of sexual assault, we ASK that Presidential candidates like Senators Harris, Warren, Booker, Klobuchar, Sanders, Gillibrand, Former Vice President Biden, Governor Inslee, Mayors Castro and Buttigieg, and candidate Beto O’Rourke take up the mantle of sexual violence as a cornerstone of their national campaign. Sexual violence deserves to have the same national platform, cultural transformation and legislative attention that Global warming, health care, and a living wage for all.
The issue of sexual abuse is too important to remain silent. Millions of Americans are denied their humanity by sexual violence.
It’s a bipartisan issue. It’s a human rights issue––The civil right to be free of sexual assault and violence.
Sexual violence and assault don’t discriminate based on political party, race, sexual orientation, or whether you are from the Coast, Rust Belt, Heartland, or the South.
My prayer and life’s mission is that some good will come out of it.
From pain to purpose.
Shari Karney, Attorney and Founder of ROAR as ONE, a non-profit organization focusing on the rights of action for survivors of all forms of sexual abuse and sexual harassment.
Shari Karney, Attorney, survivor, legal analyst.
“From pain to purpose. Being sexually abused at such an early age was the scar on my soul. But I feel like it ultimately made me into the person I am today. I understand the journey of life. I had to go through what I went through to be here. But now it’s time to take action to save the next generation of women and children from what we went through.
Shari Karney, Esq. Author Prey No Longer–Step by Step Action Guide for Survivors and is currently working on her memoir, “The Perfect Family…From Pain to Purpose.
Please support survivors and Roar as One (www.roaras1.org). Our mission is pursuing justice for all survivors of sexual assault, sexual abuse, harassment and violence.
We need to come together, speak up, stand up, rise now. ACT AS ONE. ROAR AS ONE.
Rise
Organize
Act
Restore
We must recognize and enact laws that protect the basic human right to be free of sexual assault and sexual violence. Enact nationwide Federal Civil Rights Legislation for victims of sexual abuse, rape, child sexual abuse. Join our Civil Rights Movement to get legal rights and recognition of sexual violence as a violation of human civil rights. Help us remove the Statute of Limitations nationwide for sexual assault, sexual abuse, and continuous child sexual abuse, in both civil and criminal courts. Allow survivors and sexual violence victims to file in Federal court.
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