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June 20, 2024

Prosecutors let Epstein walk while questioning victims like criminals

Time
House Oversight Committee Democrats
Yahoo News
U.s. Department of Justice
Associated Press
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Grand jury transcripts reveal prosecutorial failures that protected a predator

Palm Beach prosecutor Lanna Belohlavek asked teenage Epstein victim, "You are aware that you committed a crime?" during 2006 grand jury proceedings.

State Attorney Barry Krischer never interviewed any victims directly, per state attorney documents, undermining his own case.

Grand jury indicted Epstein on single prostitution charge despite police finding evidence of 24 victims and recommending charges that could imprison him for decades.

Epstein spent 13 months in jail with 12-hour daily work release while victims believed he was fully imprisoned.

Palm Beach Post lawsuit forced 2024 release of sealed 2006 grand jury transcripts showing prosecutorial misconduct.

One victims attorney estimates Epstein abused at least 500 victims during the 11 years between his plea deal and 2019 arrest.

Police identified 5 minor victims and 17 witnesses whose similar stories could have supported criminal charges under 2006 law.

🔐Ethics🏛️Government⚖️Justice

Test Your Knowledge

10
Q1

Attorney General Pamela Bondi’s February 2025 “phase one” release totaled about how many **pages**, most already public?

Q2

Morning Consult found what **share of Republicans** say the files \"should be released no matter who is implicated\"?

Q3

What legal tool do advocacy groups like RCFP and CREW use when a FOIA request is denied?

Q4

On what date did a U.S. court unseal hundreds of pages of Epstein-related documents that reignited public scrutiny?

Q5

PolitiFact says Trump’s oft-recycled 2002 quote about Epstein came from which magazine?

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People, bills, and sources

Lanna Belohlavek

Assistant State Attorney, Palm Beach County

Barry Krischer

Palm Beach County State Attorney (2006)

Judge Luis Delgado

Circuit Judge, 15th Judicial Court of Florida

What you can do

1

Access the full 176-page grand jury transcripts at DocumentCloud via the Palm Beach Post to see how prosecutors can sabotage their own cases.

2

File FOIA requests for prosecutorial communications in high-profile cases through your state attorney general office to monitor case handling.

3

Contact your state legislators to support sunshine laws requiring disclosure of grand jury proceedings in cases involving public figures.

4

Support journalism organizations like the Palm Beach Post that file transparency lawsuits to expose judicial and prosecutorial misconduct.

5

Monitor your local prosecutors conviction rates and plea deal patterns for wealthy defendants through court records databases.

6

Join victim advocacy groups that push for prosecutorial accountability and victim rights in sexual assault cases.