Jeffrey Epstein was denied bail on Thursday despite his legal team’s best efforts to convince SDNY Judge Richard M. Berman that he wasn’t a flight risk.
Judge Berman cites evidence of intimidation and evidence of Epstein missing sex-offender check-ins.
Also cites “sexually explicit photos” and “expired Austrian passport” with Epstein’s photo, not his name, and a Saudi residence.
— Kevin Corke (@kevincorke) July 18, 2019
Berman:
“I find that the government has established danger to others and to the community by clear and convincing evidence,” he says, also finding risk of flight by “preponderance of the evidence.”
“I doubt that any bail package can overcome danger to the community.”
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) July 18, 2019
The 66-year-old registered sex offender will remain in the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in lower Manhattan until his trial on charges of sex-trafficking minors, where he has been held since his July 6 arrest.
“When you have someone that’s allegedly a sexual predator like Jeffrey Epstein, he’ll need to be in protective custody,” said lawyer Andrew Laufer, who has represented MCC inmates. And because of Epstein’s high profile, he’s likely in solitary confinement.
He faces a maximum sentence of 45 years in prison if convicted.
And as Bloomberg points out, “The bail decision means Mr. Epstein is likely to spend more time in jail awaiting trial in New York than he did in Florida after pleading guilty in 2008 to two state counts following an investigation into similar allegations of sex abuse against minors.”
Developing…
via ZeroHedge News https://ift.tt/2XRM2XK Tyler Durden