Epstein accusers’ day in court
One by one, 16 women who say they were sexually abused by Jeffrey Epstein poured out their anger yesterday, lashing out at him as a coward and a manipulator, after a judge gave them the day in court they were denied when he killed himself behind bars.
‘‘The fact I will never have a chance to face my predator in court eats away at my soul,’’ said Jennifer Araoz, who has accused Epstein of raping her in his New York mansion when she was a 15-year-old aspiring actress.
‘‘Even in death, Epstein is trying to hurt me. I had hoped to at last get an apology, but this evil man had no remorse or caring for what he did to anyone,’’ she said.
The hearing was convened by US District Judge Richard M. Berman, who presided over the case after federal prosecutors had Epstein arrested last month.
The question before the judge was whether to throw out the indictment because of the defendant’s death, a usually pro forma step undertaken without a hearing. But the judge offered Epstein’s accusers an extraordinary opportunity to speak in court.
In addition to the women who spoke – some publicly for the first time – statements from several others were read in court by their lawyers.
They vented their fury over Epstein’s alleged crimes and his suicide in his jail cell August 10 while awaiting trial on sextrafficking charges involving dozens of teenage girls. Repeatedly, the women described themselves as survivors and said they hoped coming forward would help others.
‘‘I was a victim, but I will not remain a victim and be silent for one more day,’’ said actress Anouska De Georgiou, who said she was sexually abused by Epstein as a teenager. ‘‘Although I think it’s tragic when anybody dies before their time, I’m extremely relieved that Jeffrey Epstein will not be in a position to hurt any more children or any more women.’’
Courtney Wild, who has said she was sexually abused by Epstein in Florida at age 14, called him a ‘‘coward’’ who had ‘‘robbed myself and all the other victims of our day in court to confront him’’.
Among those under scrutiny: Epstein’s girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, who has been accused of recruiting young women for his sexual pleasure and taking part in the abuse. She has denied wrongdoing.
In opening the session, the judge called the 66-year-old Epstein’s suicide a ‘‘rather stunning turn of events’’. He defended his decision to let the women speak, saying public hearings ‘‘promote transparency’’. During the 21⁄2-hour proceeding, the women sometimes clutched one another for support. Several cried as they described falling into Epstein’s web.
A New York City coroner ruled that Epstein hanged himself. But one of Epstein’s lawyers, Martin Weinberg, challenged that finding, saying ‘‘we are told by a very experienced forensic pathologist’’ that broken bones in his neck were more consistent with strangulation than with suicide.
‘‘Find out what happened to our client,’’ the lawyer told the judge.
Assistant US Attorney Maurene Comey, though, said the manner of Epstein’s death was irrelevant to the proceedings.
The judge said he thought it was ‘‘fair game’’ for the defence to raise concerns, but took no immediate action on the request. Prosecutors noted that a grand jury is investigating the death.
Comey said the dismissal of an indictment against Epstein ‘‘in no way lessens the government’s resolve to stand up for the victims’’.
At his death, Epstein was being held without bail, accused of abusing girls in the early 2000s at his mansions in New York and Palm Beach, Florida. –