14 The Virgin Islands Daily News PERVERSION OF JUSTICE Monday, March 4,2019 Alan Dershowitz suggests curbing press access to hearing on Jeffrey Epstein sex abuse MIAMI -A court hearing on whether to unseal sensitive documents itwolving the alleged sex trafficking of underage girls by Pa. B.ch muft.illionaire Jeffrey Epstein - and the pos- sible imohement of his influential frien.- will play out in a NewYork City courtroom this week. But it may hap, behind clos. doors, with the news m.ia and public barr.- at least in Part An attorney for lawyer Alan Dershowitz wrote a leuer to the US. District Court Second Circuit of Appeals onThesday, asking whether die media should be exclud. from the .oceeding because his oral arguments on behalf of his client could contain sensitive information that has been under seal. The appeals court has not responded to concem as of Friday, but if die hearing is closed during his lawyer, argument it Ariuld represent the lat.t in a long hist, of successfid efforts to k, details of Epstein, sex crimes sealed. Dershowia, a profess. emeritus at Harvard, constittaional law omen and criminal defense attor, represented Epstern who in .8 received what many consider an unusually light sentence for sexually abusing dozens of girls at his Palm Beach mans ion. TWri women - one of whom was underage - have said Epstein and his p.net British soci.ite and environmentalist Ghislaine Maxwell, directed them to have sex with Dershowitz, 80, and other wealthy, powerful men. Dershowitz and Maxwell have denied the claims. Oral arguments are scheduled Wednesday to hear an appeal by the Miami Herald and other parti. seeking to unseal a 2015 court case in- volving Epstein and Maxwell. The Herald, as part of an ongoing investigation into Epstein, , hopes to s. more light on the scope of E.case stein, crim., who else might have been involved and whether there was any undue influence that tainted die criminal justice process.