Judge allows Jeffrey Epstein’s lawyers to subpoena abortion records from women suing him

Po =D-350 (Rev. 5-8-81) 4 (Mount Clipping in Space Below) Judge rules Epstein attorneys can subpoena abortion records By JANE MUSGRAVE Palm Beach Post Staff Writer WEST PALM BEACH — In a decision that could spark a constitutional showdown over privacy rights, a judge Tuesday gave lawyers rep- resenting multimillionaire sex offender Jeffrey Ep- stein the right to subpoena abortion records from women who are seeking millions in damages from the part-time Palm Beach resident. Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Donald Hafele said the records could help Epstein rebut the women’s claims that they suffered psychologi- cal ills after being paid to give him sexually-charged massages at his Palm Beach mansion when they were as‘young as 14. - Hafele told Epstein’s.at- .torneys they couldn’t go on a fishing expedition. The _ medical records, he said, can’t be sought until the women are asked whether they have ever had an abortion, how many and’ where. Further, he said, the records .would not be -~| Epstein . “1 The judge says ej the records + would not be made public. made public and might not be admissible during trial. But, he said, since the women claim Epstein, now 57, is responsible for . their emotional’ distress, his attorneys can explore the impact of other events. Medical records, Hafele said, are a better source of information than a person's memory. Attorney Louis Silver, who represents the Presi- dential Women’s Health Center, a West Palm Beach clinic where abortions are performed, warned Hafele that he was stepping on shaky constitutional grounds, “These records are protected by our consti- tutional right of privacy,” he said, referring’ to the Florida Constitution. After the. hearing, Sil- ver said an appeal won’t be necessary until Epstein at- torneys seek the records. In another ruling Wednesday, Hafele also said that videos from depositions in the state cases can't be released without a court order. The ruling came after Epstein attorney Robert Critton. complained that a. video of Epstein being asked whether he had an “egg- shaped” penis became a youtube.com sensation. It first appeared on The Palm Beach Post Web site. Critton blamed attorney Spencer Kuvin for releas- ing it. Kuvin said it was “public record. The civil suits began mounting after Epstein agreed to plead guilty to two state charges: procur- ing aminor for prostitution and soliciting prostitution. He served 13 months of an 18-month sentence. As part of the deal brokered with federal prosecutors, he agreed not to contest the accusations.in the civil ' lawsuits. He can argue the women don’t deserve the millions they are seeking. @jane_musgrave@pbpost.com | VEMM-/ OSD pa uP (Indicate page, name of newspaper, city and state.) Date: Tite: Judge yules Epsteir Attoy pays Caw Sub pornr Abot ti téo/d Character: or Classification: Submitting Office: (32/0 u Bench POST HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_021664 | $ 3/E-MM JOP06 Q-