[caption id="attachment_27257" align="alignnone" width="371"] NEW YORK, NY - JULY 15: The exterior of the residence owned by Jeffrey Epstein on the Upper East Side is seen on July 15, 2019 in New York City. A judge is prepared to rule on Jeffrey Epstein’s bail status after it was delayed by his lawyers arguing he should be able to reside in his mansion pre-trial. Epstein is charged with sex trafficking of minors and it has been alleged that he paid underage girls for sexual acts. (Photo by Kevin Hagen/Getty Images)[/caption]

Judge Richard Berman is set to rule Thursday on whether he’ll remand Jeffrey Epstein to jail pending trial or release him on the bail package offered by his attorneys. As Preet and Anne discussed on the CAFE Insider podcast, Epstein’s attorneys are urging the court to release him, suggesting – among other things – that Epstein will pay for a private 24-hour armed security force to guard him at his Manhattan mansion. In their pretrial release motion, Epstein’s lawyers wrote:

[R]ound-the-clock, privately funded security guards will virtually guarantee – not just reasonably assure – Mr. Epstein’s presence in the circumstances of this case.

Courts are conflicted over whether wealthy defendants who can perfectly replicate a private jail in their own home have a right to do so. What do you think? Should wealthy defendants who can guarantee a controlled environment of a jail in their homes be allowed to do so while they maintain the presumption of innocence? Let us know by writing to us at letters@cafe.com or reply to this email.