Most of us realize that the prosecution of Jeane Palfrey, the accused DC Madam, had roots in the political arena, and was not solely based on the pursuit of forfeiture funds by the feds. The forfeiture was used to make sure she had no money to defend herself and would seek a plea deal. Then came the telephone records listing too many prominent names for the persecutors to feel comfortable. Jeane had to be silenced first and subsequently tossed in a federal prison for long enough to kill her credibility and ensure that no one was listening by the time she was released.
Having met with Jeane on several occasions prior to her trial, I can confidently assert that the lady had no intention of being taken easily. Jeane was a fighter. I think that this is why so many people couldn't believe that this was a suicide. Well, she had no defense in trial and few points were preserved for any appeal. Her appointed attorney in the criminal case, Preston Burton (of Monica Lewinsky fame) actually had the audacity to not present any defense witnesses and then offered-up a speech about how prosecutors did not prove Jeane's guilt. Even a non-attorney, such as myself, could see that this was no defense at all. I didn't need to wait for the jury verdict – I already knew the outcome.
Jeane's longtime civil attorney and friend, Montgomery Blair Sibley, advised her as best he could as prosecutors and the judge worked to discredit his motions, strategies, and intent to follow his client's directions. Let's face it – their strategy worked to disadvantage the defendant, ultimately resulting in her suicide. They got exactly what they wanted, except for the book, Why Just Her. If you really want to understand what happened to the DC Madam and develop an understanding of how Washington politics can work to bury damaging coverage, then read it. Montgomery Blair Sibley exposes the truth.
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