Fairness for Epstein?

http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/opinionzone/2010/07/20/3619/

by Opinion Staff

Jeffrey Epstein’s year-long probation ends today. Epstein’s punishment didn’t fit his crimes, but that hasn’t stopped the billionaire money manager who paid teenage girls for sex and massages at his Palm Beach mansion from complaining.

Epstein whined to probation officers about the restrictions of his sentence. Yeah, he had it tough. During the first four months of this year, Epstein traveled nearly every week to his home in New York City or his private Caribbean island — with the approval of his probation officers. During the 13 months he served of his 18-month sentence — in the Palm Beach County Jail instead of state prison, where inmates with such sentences usually go — Epstein was let out on weekdays and some weekends as part of a work-release program.

Epstein’s soft time flowed from his soft treatment by state and federal law enforcement officials after Palm Beach police first turned his case over to former State Attorney Barry Krischer in 2006.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI investigated after allegations that Mr. Krischer’s office wasn’t doing enough. Instead of filing charges that would have led to more prison time, federal officials struck an unusual, secret non-prosecution agreement in which Epstein would plead guilty to the state charges, register as a sex offender and serve the 18 months.

Spencer Kuvin, the attorney for the woman who was 14 when she first gave Epstein a sexually charged massage, said of his client, now 20, “Both the criminal process and the civil process just really disgusted her. She felt that he didn’t receive anywhere near the punishment he should have received.” His client, along with about two dozen others, reached a confidential settlement with Epstein.