(NewsNation) — Former senior deputy district attorney Matt Murphy, hoped the Jeffrey Epstein documents would shed more light on “the abysmal prosecutorial failure in South Florida.”
A third group of records related to the former billionaire and accused sex trafficker were released Friday, totaling more than 3,000 pages. The records are being unsealed on a rolling basis and include names of Epstein’s associates, including high-profile politicians and celebrities.
“They had 13 victims that came forward and they prosecuted on one which led to this joke of a deal,” Murphy said in an interview on “NewsNation Prime.” Murphy wanted more information regarding potential influences on former State Attorney Barry Krischer, who changed course mid-prosecution.
Additionally, Murphy questioned why Vanity Fair did not run a story on Epstein in 2003, a decision that could have prevented subsequent victims. He expressed concern over the magazine’s failure to act responsibly, leaving victims, including a 16-year-old, vulnerable.
“A reporter was told about this in 2003, and Vanity Fair did not run it,” Murphy said. “They could have prevented a lot of these people from being victims.”
Murphy cited Vanity Fair’s invitation to Ghislaine Maxwell, who had been invited to their 2011 Oscar party after receiving a conviction in connection with Epstein’s crimes, as well as their use of the term “sexual peccadilloes” in an article to describe systematic sexual abuse of minors.
Murphy labeled such actions as inexcusable and urged a reckoning for those who continued to associate with Epstein despite his criminal convictions.
Murphy said that most of the names mentioned in the documents were already known. He emphasized a crucial dividing line in associations with Epstein, pointing to the year 2008 when the financier was convicted of felony sex crimes against a minor.
Murphy argued that those associated with Epstein before 2008 might get a pass, as there is no indication they knew about his criminal activities. However, he firmly asserted that anyone associating with Epstein after 2008, when he became a registered sex offender, should face scrutiny and disassociation.
Regarding high-profile names mentioned in the documents, Murphy addressed accusations against individuals like Prince Andrew from the royal family and Alan Dershowitz. While Prince Andrew’s case settled last year, Dershowitz faced allegations that were later recanted by the victim.