US court will rehear Epstein victims' claims over plea deal

Source: AP

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A federal appeals court decided Friday to reconsider claims that Florida federal prosecutors violated the rights of Jeffrey Epstein's sex abuse victims by not informing them about a secret plea deal.

The Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a previous panel’s 2-1 decision rejecting an effort to undo an agreement federal prosecutors made with Epstein more than a decade ago. Instead of facing stiff federal charges, Epstein was allowed to plead guilty to lesser state crimes and served a relatively short jail sentence.

Some of the victims have long claimed the Miami U.S. attorney's office violated their rights by not informing them of the plea deal. This decision by the appeals court will allow their argument to be heard by the full court.

“I had confidence this day would come,” one of the victims, Courtney Wild, said in a statement. “We have fought for 12 years, and as I’ve said before, no matter how many obstacles pile up, we will never give up fighting for what is right.”

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/us-court-will-rehear-epstein-victims-claims-over-plea-deal/ar-BB17HKUf?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=DELLDHP