None of Jeffrey Epstein’s accusers will be able to testify against the wealthy sex offender for now under a last-minute settlement reached Tuesday, The Associated Press reported.
Epstein, who pleaded guilty in 2008 to state sex charges, served just more than a year in jail and became a registered sex offender, is accused of sexually abusing dozens of teenage girls.
He was in court Tuesday for a civil lawsuit against Bradley Edwards, a former state prosecutor who represents some of his accusers, according to the AP.
Epstein had claimed Edwards committed legal misdeeds in representing several accusers in a case that would have allowed several of them to testify for the first time, the news service noted.
Epstein’s case was pushed into the national spotlight after a Miami Herald investigation revealed that he avoided a possible life term during the initial case in 2008 through a secret deal with federal prosecutors led by now-Labor Secretary Alexander AcostaRene (Alex) Alexander AcostaUS Attorney’s Office in Miami recuses itself from Epstein case Trump should fire Labor Secretary Acosta for cowardice in child sex abuse case Dems call on Trump to fire Acosta MORE.
Under that agreement, Epstein was also allowed to leave jail during his 13-month sentence for 12-hour periods six days a week to commute to his private office for work. The agreement was kept secret from his accusers.
A second lawsuit, which is still pending, seeks to invalidate the nonprosecution agreement to send Epstein to federal prison.