The Florida prosecutor's office behind the investigation that revealed sex work happening at day spas says the surveillance video of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft will be released to the public.
Update 3:20 p.m. EDT April 17: ABC news reported that a judge in Florida is issuing a temporary protective order stopping the release of the video. The decision came hours after the prosecutor's office said it would release the footage Kraft allegedly at a day spa.
Kraft's legal team filed an emergency motion shortly after the prosecutor's announcement looking to stop the release, CNN reported.
Original report: The Florida prosecutor's office behind the investigation that revealed sex work happening at day spas says the surveillance video of Robert Kraft will be released to the public.
Prosecutors say they will not wait for a judge to rule on requests made by Kraft's attorneys to keep the video under seal.
"The State, as the custodian of the records, cannot delay the release of records to allow a person to raise a constitutional challenge to the release of the documents," prosecutors wrote in a court filing Wednesday. "It is the practice of the Office of the State Attorney to pixelate or blur depictions of obscene or pornographic images before releasing such records to the public, absent a court order."
PREVIOUS: Robert Kraft's case heads to court Friday for hearing focused on video evidence
Prosecutors say the video, which purportedly shows Patriots owner Robert Kraft paying for and receiving sex acts in a Florida spa, will be released once it has been reviewed.
An attorney for Kraft said Friday that the public release of video evidence in the prostitution solicitation case against him would invade his privacy and jeopardize his right to a fair trial.
Credit: AP Photo/Kathy Willens
Credit: AP Photo/Kathy Willens
William Burck told a Palm Beach County judge that releasing the video would only satisfy a "prurient interest," during a hearing held in part to determine whether media outlets could offer arguments in the case.
Jupiter police obtained a search warrant to secretly record at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter, Florida. Police say those cameras captured Kraft twice paying to have sex with spa employees in January. Kraft was charged with two counts of solicitation as part of a multicounty investigation that also resulted in about 300 male customers being charged, 10 massage parlors being closed and their owners charged with felony prostitution.
Investigators initially said they were targeting human traffickers. But Assistant State Attorney Greg Kridos told the judge Friday that there was no evidence of human trafficking at the Jupiter spa.
Burck said the previously highly publicized allegations of human trafficking by both police and State Attorney Dave Aronberg had amounted to "politicking" and that they added to potential harm to Kraft's privacy in releasing video evidence.
MORE: Robert Kraft charged with soliciting prostitution
Attorneys for media outlets say redacted versions of the video evidence should be released on public interest grounds, and Judge Leonard Hanser said Friday that he would grant their motion to intervene in the case.
He gave parties a deadline of Tuesday to submit additional documents.
Kraft's attorneys say the videos are an illegal invasion of privacy and are not necessary to be released publicly because the affidavits describe the acts that took place. They are seeking a motion to suppress the videos, arguing they also would mar chances for a fair trial.
MORE: Kraft attorneys motion to suppress video again, file to bring in NY attorney
