August 26, 2020 • No Comments • National News

Florida Dept. of Law EnforcementBy JAMES HILL, ABC News

(NEW YORK) — A federal judge in New York has ordered that a deposition of a co-executor of Jeffrey Epstein’s estate be postponed while she considers a request from Epstein’s alleged accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell to put a civil lawsuit on hold.

Darren Indyke, an attorney whose work for Epstein’s corporations and charities spans more than two decades, was scheduled to be questioned on Wednesday by lawyers for a woman who sued Epstein’s estate and Maxwell earlier this year, under the pseudonym Jane Doe.

Doe’s attorneys have argued in court filings that Indyke’s testimony is “vital” to her case, and contend that he could provide “extremely relevant testimony” about her lawsuit. She alleges in her complaint that she was recruited by Epstein and Maxwell in 1994 and sexually assaulted multiple times by Epstein, with Maxwell’s assistance, over a period of several years in Florida, New York and New Mexico, beginning when she was 13 years old.

But since Maxwell’s arrest last month, Maxwell’s lawyers have sought to put Doe’s entire civil case on hold, noting that the similarities of Doe’s accusations to those of one of the three alleged victims referenced in the criminal charges against Maxwell could impact her ability to get a fair trial.

“While [Doe’s] counsel refuses to state whether his client is one of the three accusers in the currently-pending Maxwell indictment, there exists substantial overlap in the facts and issues between this civil complaint and the indictment,” Maxwell’s lawyer Laura Menninger wrote to the court last week.

Maxwell’s request prompted U.S. Magistrate Judge Debra Freeman to pump the brakes, delaying Indyke’s deposition at least temporarily while she decides whether Doe’s civil case should be stayed during the pendency of Maxwell’s criminal case.

Indyke was selected by Epstein as a co-executor of his estate in a last will and testament Epstein signed two days before his death by apparent suicide in jail, where he was awaiting trial on child sex-trafficking and conspiracy charges. Indyke, in his capacity as an administrator of the estate, has been named as a defendant in lawsuits filed by more than 30 women against the Epstein estate.

But in a letter to the court last week, attorney Robert Glassman alleged for the first time that Doe’s legal team has “reason to believe” that Indyke personally has “firsthand knowledge” of Epstein’s relationship with Doe while she was a minor and “even acted on Jeffrey Epstein’s behalf to communicate with [Doe] on several occasions.”

Glassman declined to elaborate on the claim when reached by ABC News. Lawyers for the estate and Indyke did not immediately reply to an email request for comment.

The 55-year old Indyke, who has residences in New Jersey and Florida, has been associated with Epstein for at least 20 years, according to public records and legal filings. His name, along with co-executor Richard Kahn, appears on paperwork as an officer for numerous Epstein-related charities and corporations, including several of the shell companies that control most of Epstein’s vast wealth and real estate holdings around the world.

Neither of the co-executors has been accused of any crimes.

But when Epstein came under investigation in Florida for alleged sex crimes against dozens of minor girls, Indyke lent his voice in support of his employer’s character. In a letter sent in 2008 by Epstein criminal defense lawyers to prosecutors in Florida, in which Indyke is identified as “general counsel to Jeffrey,” Indyke is quoted as crediting Epstein for providing emotional support and financial assistance when Indyke and his wife were struggling to start a family.

“Thankfully, after our fifth cycle, my wife and I were blessed with twin daughters,” the letter quotes Indyke as saying. “Although Jeffrey was adamant that we owed him nothing, Jeffery honored us by agreeing to be the godfather of our children.”

After Epstein worked out a plea deal to serve 13 months in a Palm Beach County jail, Indyke was among his first and most frequent visitors, according to logs kept by the county sheriff. And by setting up a new Florida non-profit company for which he was identified as Epstein’s supervisor, Indyke helped the convicted sex-offender gain approval for a lenient work-release program that eventually allowed Epstein to leave the jail for up to 16 hours a day, seven days a week.

The delay of Indyke’s deposition is the second time in Doe’s lawsuit that a scheduled session for Indyke has been taken off the calendar. Lawyers for the Epstein estate canceled the first time shortly after Maxwell’s arrest, citing the need to consult with her attorneys and to settle disputes with Doe’s team over a proposed confidentiality agreement before proceeding.

Glassman, Doe’s attorney, has repeatedly accused the lawyers of the $655 million Epstein estate of engaging in “concerted and coordinated effort” to delay her lawsuit and to steer her claims into a private victim’s compensation fund established by the estate.

“They have done everything they can to make these cases as difficult as possible for the victims so the victims feel like they have no real choice but to submit to the fund and postpone the proceedings indefinitely,” Glassman wrote in a letter to Judge Freeman on Aug. 12.

He also accused the estate lawyers of “belittling [Doe]…simply because she is exercising her constitutional right to pursue a legal claim against those responsible for causing her unimaginable harm.”

In a letter response filed with the court, estate lawyer Mary Grace Metcalfe disputed Glassman’s allegations that the estate had belittled the alleged victim as “completely untrue.”

“We have done no such thing, and the inclusion of this claim by plaintiff’s counsel further highlights their lack of good faith in these discussions,” Epstein estate attorney Mary Grace Metcalfe wrote.

Of the more than 30 women who brought legal claims against Epstein’s estate following his death last year, Doe is the only accuser who has declined to put her lawsuit on hold to pursue an alternative resolution via the Epstein Victims’ Compensation Fund, a voluntary non-adversarial program that began evaluating claims in June.

During a hearing in the case earlier this month, Bennet Moskowitz, a lawyer for the estate, advocated for putting the litigation on hold while Doe submits a claim to the compensation fund, arguing that it was “a very sensible thing to do.”

Freeman will make a decision on Maxwell’s motion to stay the case after receiving written arguments from the parties over the next several days. If she grants Maxwell’s request, all document exchanges and depositions — including Indyke’s — would likely be on indefinite hold.

Maxwell’s criminal trial isn’t set to begin until July 2021.

Glassman told ABC News that Doe intends to oppose Maxwell’s motion and will urge Freeman to allow the case to continue.

“We are disappointed the Epstein Estate is doing everything it can to prevent key witnesses from speaking the truth about what happened to our client and other victims, but we respect the judge’s order and look forward to resetting Darren Indyke’s deposition again real soon,” Glassman said.

Doe’s lawsuit alleges that she is the first known child victim of Epstein and Maxwell. According to her civil complaint, after first meeting them at a music camp in Michigan, a months-long grooming process continued after she returned home to Florida, where Epstein had a seaside estate on Palm Beach Island. Doe’s father had recently passed away, the complaint said, creating an opportunity for Epstein and Maxwell to fill the void.

“Epstein gave himself the name of Doe’s ‘godfather’ while Maxwell acted like an older sister to her,” her complaint said. “They took her to movies, went shopping with her and lounged around Epstein’s estate with her.”

Doe, now 40, alleges the abuse escalated over the next few years as Epstein and Maxwell asserted more and more control over her life and aspirations. Epstein paid for voice lessons, private high school tuition and even co-signed a lease on a New York City apartment for Doe and her mother, according to her complaint.

She claims the abuse occurred at Epstein’s homes in Florida, New York and his ranch in New Mexico, and that she would often travel to those locations with Epstein and Maxwell on one of Epstein’s private jets.

“Epstein’s system of abuse was facilitated in large part by his co-conspirator and accomplice, Maxwell, who helped supply him with a steady stream of young and vulnerable girls,” the complaint said, “many of whom were fatherless, like Jane Doe, and came from struggling families.”

Maxwell was arrested by federal authorities in New Hampshire on July 2 and is facing a six-count federal indictment alleging that she conspired with Epstein in a multi-state sex trafficking scheme involving three unnamed minor victims between 1994 and 1997. She has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail pending a trial scheduled for next summer.

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

August 26, 2020 • No Comments • National News

amphotora/iStockBy IVAN PEREIRA, ABC News

(BOISE, Idaho) — Idaho state police troopers arrested states’ rights activist Ammon Bundy Tuesday and wheeled him out of the Idaho Statehouse, still in his seat, after he disrupted a special legislative session, police said.

His arrest, along with three other protesters, came a day after a crowd of unmasked protesters, some of whom were armed, broke glass, stormed the chambers and violated social distancing rules during the special session, according to authorities.

The Idaho State Police said in a statement to ABC News that Bundy, who was not wearing a mask, Aaron Von Schmidt, 42, and Jill Watts, 38, failed to leave the Lincoln Auditorium after the speaker of the House of Representatives, Scott Bedke, ordered the room cleared.

Bundy, who took part in a 41-day standoff with federal agents in Oregon in 2016, allegedly did not get up from his seat despite orders from the officers, according to the state police.

“He was placed in handcuffs and removed from the Statehouse still in the rolling chair where he was seated,” the police said in a statement.

Bundy, Von Schmidt and Watts were charged with misdemeanor trespassing, according to the state police. Bundy was charged with an additional misdemeanor of resisting and obstructing officers, the state police said.

Earlier in the afternoon, Bryan Bowermaster, 33 of Boise, was removed from the statehouse after he violated assigned seating guidelines and took the spot reserved for credentialed journalists, according to the state police. Bowermaster was charged with misdemeanor trespassing, according to the police.

Attorney information for Bundy and the other defendants wasn’t immediately available.

Idaho state leaders have been meeting for a special session this week to discuss and vote on several bills, including one that would end Gov. Brad Little’s state of emergency over the coronavirus.

Idaho currently has 30,475 confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases and 326 confirmed and probable deaths, according to the state’s Health Department. There have been 9,361 new coronavirus diagnoses between Aug. 1 and Aug. 25, according to state data.

On Aug. 19, the state recorded 12 COVID-19 deaths, which broke the previous record of 10 set on July 27, the health data showed.

On Monday, the statehouse was the scene of a chaotic protest where several people, including Bundy, ignored rules requiring social distancing.

Protesters shattering a glass door, rushed into the House chambers, which was supposed to have limited seating, and shoved their way past state police officers, according to local reports. Some of the protesters were armed with rifles and the majority didn’t wear face coverings.

Republican House Speaker Scott Bedke allowed the gallery to fully open as long as the crowd stopped chanting and was respectful, and there were no arrests.

A spokeswoman for the Idaho State Police said in a statement an investigation is underway into any criminal behavior that may have occurred during the Monday protest.

“Troopers very aware that their own actions may escalate or deescalate a situation with immediate impact on the safety of all involved. The situation outside the House Chambers Monday broke out in a matter of moments,” the spokeswoman said in a statement.

“Troopers acted in such a way as to ensure the important business of the Legislature could continue under these extraordinary circumstances,” she added.

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August 26, 2020 • No Comments • National News

Courtesy Kristiina ArrasmithBy KIARA BRANTLEY-JONES, ABC News

(NEW YORK) — Devon Conley, a mom and trustee of the Mountain View Whisman School Board in California, said she typically spends the last few days of summer preparing to send her son back to school. This year, however, that process looks very different — an entirely new set of challenges.

Her 7-year-old son will be distance learning because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s still going to be hard, it’s going to be very different,” said Conley. “The broader issue is the quality of internet access even in my house … we’re getting Zoom meetings that are dropped or the connection is bad.”

Conley said that among the students who qualify for reduced tuition in California’s Mountain View school district, most don’t have reliable internet access.

“It’s astonishing to be in the heart of Silicon Valley and there are so many people who don’t have internet access,” Conley added. “We’ve reached a point in our daily existence where the internet is like water.”

Conley said Google and other technology firms started a program to assist low-income students in her school district before the pandemic by providing hotspots and devices, but the digital divide still persists.

“There are big organizations that are stepping in some, but the problem is so large,” she said. “It’s a moment of panic, a realization that it wasn’t just that kids couldn’t do distance learning, but that whole families were going to be without access to the many different resources they need right now.”

With so many school districts planning to begin the fall term only using remote learning, many students are at a distinct disadvantage.

Lack of digital equity in urban communities

“So many families are having trouble logging on, links weren’t working,” said Kristiina Arrasmith, a teacher at Willow Glen Elementary School in San Jose, California. There are “parents who are frustrated because technology wasn’t working, kids who are frustrated, teachers who are frustrated.”

The teacher said a major issue in her district is the lack of access to devices and high-speed internet for virtual learning. And a lack of tech support to help with troubleshooting has only compounded those difficulties.

“The people at the district office and the teachers, I think we’re working more than we ever have before,” Arrasmith said. “There’s not enough tech support for families or for teachers.”

Students and their families were told to reach out over email for help navigating digital devices, but issues of technological literacy and language barriers remain.

A lack of infrastructure persists.

“Hotspots ran out very quickly, and so many districts, including mine, are using cellphones, like iPhones, as hotspots — and so they’re giving those out for families,” said Arrasmith.

It’s an even bigger issue for students in more rural areas. According to a 2019 Pew Research Center report, 75% of American adults in urban areas had at-home broadband, compared with just 63% in rural areas.

The report also highlighted disparities among racial minorities, adults with lower levels of education and those with lower incomes, all of whom were less likely to have broadband.

Lorena Chavez, a member of the Digital Equity Coalition and a trustee at East Side Union High School District in California, is working to bridge this gap.

“Education equity is legit my life’s work,” Chavez said. “It’s what I fight for day in and day out.”

Chavez, a first-generation college graduate, said her twin sister was “left behind” by the education system and that this inspired her to fight for all students to have access to educational resources.

Thousands of children throughout Santa Clara County, especially within her school district, need both devices and internet access, she added.

“We acknowledge that there’s 15,000 families or more without devices, without internet access, and so we’re fighting to make sure that they have access to that,” Chavez said. “We’re thinking both short term and long term.”

Prior to the pandemic, the East Side district began a community wireless project to help build the infrastructure for wireless technology in the highest-need communities. The Digital Equity Coalition collaborated with the city and the county to expedite the project, the goal of which was to provide more students in San Jose with internet access by December.

“We’re pushing this infrastructure, this digital access beyond the short term with the hotspots,” Chavez continued, “so that you can just turn on your computer and have internet in the highest-need areas in the East Side of San Jose.”

Chavez said she hopes to expand the program beyond her district.

“This digital divide is not new, but it’s been amplified to another degree with COVID-19,” she added.

Digital divide in rural communities

Other states, including Georgia, also are scrambling to provide for students in suburban or rural areas.

“There’s a lot of adult facilitation and assistance that has to happen to ensure that digital learning is happening,” said Angela Orange, vice chair of the board of education for Marietta City Schools. “And for many of our low-income families that’s just not possible because they’re out working … that is a real barrier that many of our families are facing.”

Orange estimates that about two-thirds of the students in her district are on free or reduced-price lunch programs. Many of those children, the school board anticipated, could have issues with distance learning as well.

“We immediately sprang into action and sent out a technology survey to our parents, to understand what were the technology needs,” Orange said. “We actually learned that many of our families either didn’t have enough computers for all the school-age children in their household or did not have reliable access to the internet.”

The school board purchased 819 hotspots from cellular providers such as Verizon and T-Mobile and roughly 3,500 Chromebooks.

“We purchased over 4,000 devices to distribute to our families in need to access the digital learning,” she added.

Most of the students in her district live in the suburbs, where it’s easier to set up a hotspot than in rural areas. Students who live farther out were sent educational packets because the internet just couldn’t reach them. Orange and her colleagues said they’re committed to improving at-home learning for all students.

“We’ve spent almost a million dollars to ensure equity of access to technology in our district,” Orange said. “We’re really putting our money where our mouth is in terms of equity of access.”

In Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, students are also preparing for a virtual fall semester due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, remote learning presents a challenge for many students who live in rural areas with a lack of infrastructure to support proper internet access.

“94% of our students live in poverty,” said Hafedh Azaiez, the superintendent of Donna Independent School District. “Due to the poverty, that’s creating other challenges, even more for our students because of the digital divide. A lot of our students do not have access to a technology device.”

The school district sent out a survey in June to approximately 10,000 students, which revealed that 52% of students do not have any type of internet connection at home, according to Azaiez.

To address this, the school district worked to provide all students with devices.

“We invested almost $5.7 million on getting Chromebooks and iPads for our students,” Azaiez said. “We [also] purchased brand new laptop computers for every one of our teachers, so they can have adequate technology equipment.”

Azaiez said short-term solutions such as hotspots were ineffective due to a limited range of coverage and high maintenance costs. As an alternative, he proposed a plan to the school board to install 12 internet towers, each providing a strong signal to cover large areas.

The school board approved the project and construction on the towers is expected to begin next week. The towers will be built on school property to provide long-term coverage for students living in rural communities.

“The digital divide is real, it’s been real for years now,” Azaiez said. “[It is] putting our students at a disadvantage and so, we want to make sure that’s fixed once and for all.”

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