'Today is a day of power and strength': Epstein victims testify weeks after his death

Record ID: 1428813

  • Title: 'Today is a day of power and strength': Epstein victims testify weeks after his death
  • Date: 27th August 2019
  • Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 27, 2019) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALLEGED VICTIM OF JEFFREY EPSTEIN, TEALA DAVIES, SAYING: "Today is a day of power and strength." UNIDENTIFIED ALLEGED VICTIM OF EPSTEIN / DAVIES (SOUNDBITE) (English) ATTORNEY, GLORIA ALLRED, SAYING: "It took a lot of courage for them to write the statements and to have their voice heard, and I really commend them for being here. Because Jeffrey Epstein's death, whether it was a suicide or murder, does not end the case, does not end their fight for justice. It does not end their feeling that they were manipulated and victimized and that they were child victims of Mr. Epstein. So today they spoke truth to power, they spoke truth to what happened to them." NEWS CONFERENCE WITH ALLRED SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) ATTORNEY, GLORIA ALLRED, SAYING: "I think it was unprecedented. Unless I'm missing something. Some people call it unique, because generally the victims only have an opportunity to give their victim impact statement after a conviction. And then of course they have a right to give their victim impact statement as a matter of law, federal law, state laws. Here, there was no conviction because the defendant is deceased. And yet, this court felt the victims should be heard. The court opined early on in this proceeding as to whether or not, you know, that some people thought that maybe the victim shouldn't have an opportunity because there's been no conviction. Obviously, this court differed. And I'm so glad that he did. I mean, that meant so much to these victims, so many of whom have been living in fear and in silence." ALLRED SAYING HELLO TO BABY OF UNIDENTIFIED ALLEGED VICTIM OF EPSTEIN WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) ATTORNEY GLORIA ALLRED, SAYING: "(Reading off baby's shirt) It says, 'Strong Like Mommy.' She's five-and-a-half months. The momma does not wish to give a statement. She is a victim. It's important to her to bring her baby because she has no child care and she loves her baby, protects her baby, wants to keep her baby safe, and so there she is with her baby, being a great parent and a brave victim all at the same time." END OF NEWS CONFERENCE WITH ALLRED DAVIES / UNIDENTIFIED ALLEGED VICTIM OF EPSTEIN HOLDING HER BABY WHITE FLASH UNIDENTIFIED ALLEGED VICTIM OF EPSTEIN / DAVIES NEWS CREWS AROUND ALLRED AND ALLEGED VICTIMS OF EPSTEIN ALLEGED VICTIM OF EPSTEIN, JENNIFER ARAOZ, WALKING DOWN COURTHOUSE STEPS WITH HER ATTORNEYS ARAOZ APPROACHING MIC STAND WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALLEGED VICTIM OF JEFFREY EPSTEIN, JENNIFER ARAOZ, SAYING: "It was so powerful in there, hearing all the other victims and very similar stories that I have endured. I wanted to thank the judge for letting us speak, having some closure. It's still gonna be a rough road but I also wanted to thank all the survivors that had reached out to me as well, and telling me their stories. It really means a lot. I'm here for anyone that went through something similar." BLACK FLASH ARAOZ AND ATTORNEYS WALKING AWAY
  • Embargoed: 10th September 2019 19:46
  • Keywords: Epstein Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking jail suicide MCC
  • Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • City: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
  • Reuters ID: LVA003ATZV687
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:A succession of women who say Jeffrey Epstein sexually abused them voiced anger and defiance in a packed New York courtroom on Tuesday (August 27), expressing raw emotions during a dramatic hearing less than three weeks after the financier killed himself while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
    "Today is a day of power and strength," said Teala Davies, an alleged Epstein victim, outside of the courthouse after a hearing before U.S. District Judge Richard Berman that lasted about 2-1/2 hours.
    Federal prosecutors appeared at the hearing to ask the judge to formally dismiss their case against Epstein. One after another, the accusers then detailed Epstein's actions against them years ago. In all, 16 women testified, including six who did so without giving their names, and lawyers read statements from seven other women.
    Epstein, who once counted U.S. President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton as friends, was arrested on July 6 and pleaded not guilty to federal charges of sex trafficking involving dozens of girls as young as 14.
    The 66-year-old was found dead Aug. 10 in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in Lower Manhattan. An autopsy concluded that he hanged himself.
    (Production: Andrew Hofstetter / Roselle Chen)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register