Washington, DC – Today, the Eleventh Circuit issued a narrow 2-1 decision rejecting Courtney Wild’s lawsuit challenging Jeffery Epstein’s 2007 plea deal under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act (CVRA). Wild has courageously led the way in asserting the rights of scores of victims who fell prey to Epstein in Florida and were kept in the dark as federal prosecutors hashed out a secret and appallingly lenient plea deal. In rejecting Wild’s claim, the Majority held that because prosecutors never brought charges against Epstein in federal court, Wild could not legally seek relief under the CVRA.

Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA), Co-Chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, issued the following response:

“The majority got it wrong. As Judge Hull noted in her dissent, the CVRA plainly states that victims have the right to confer with the government’s attorney and the right to be treated fairly, yet these rights were clearly and repeatedly violated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Florida. Though the CVRA was absolutely designed to address injustices like the obscenely lenient Epstein plea deal, it’s clear that many loopholes exist that must be closed. Congress must pass my bipartisan bill to ensure no survivor is denied his or her rights when seeking justice.”

Rep. Speier’s bill, the Courtney Wild Crime Victims’ Rights Reform Act of 2019, would strengthen the CVRA so that victims of crime are treated with the dignity they deserve throughout a criminal case and to avoid further victimization. Among other provisions, the bill clarifies that victims of federal crimes have the right to confer with the government and be informed about key pre-charging developments in a case, such as plea bargains, non-prosecution agreements, and referrals to state and local law enforcement.

Click here for the text of the bipartisan Courtney Wild Crime Victims’ Rights Reform Act of 2019, which has 22 cosponsors.

 

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