Prof. David Epstein charged with incest with daughter (UPDATED)
The Daily News reports that political science professor David Epstein, 46, was charged today with having a sexual relationship with a young female relative his daughter. He faces a single felony incest count. If convicted, he’ll face up to four years in prison.
According to the Columbia Bulletin, Epstein is currently teaching a lecture class called “Scope and Methods” as well as a class called “Research Topics and Game Theory.” According to a University spokesman, Epstein is now on administrative leave.
UPDATE (8:25 p.m.): We reached Epstein on his cell phone, but he declined to comment on his court appearance today.
UPDATE (8:40 p.m.): According to NYPD, the young female relative is Epstein’s daughter, age 24. He was arrested yesterday at 11 a.m. and charged with one count of incest in the third degree. According to police, the relationship appears to have been consensual.
UPDATE (9:22 p.m.): A statement from Epstein’s defense lawyer, Matthew Galluzzo: “David is a respected member of the Columbia University and national academic communities and we think he deserves privacy and respect while the investigators are investigating. We are asking people to remember that these allegations are nothing more than allegations… We’re asking his friends in the Columbia community to support him and give him the benefit of the doubt.” Galluzzo also confirmed that Epstein is not in custody anymore—he was released, and no trial date has yet been set.
UPDATE (9:33 p.m.): Epstein is married to Columbia political science professor Sharyn O’Halloran. We reported on the pair in an Eye story two years ago.
UPDATE (9:39 p.m.): We reached O’Halloran as well, but she too declined to comment.
UPDATE (10:43 p.m.): According to a recent update to his Facebook page, Epstein is no longer married.
this just makes it too easy for fox news.
LET THE HATERADE POUR
Fox News? THAT’S the focus here? Are you insane? If this doesn’t make “it” as a leading story for any news organization, I don’t know what would. This man is a perfect example of the next thing we must come to accept if “sexual orientation” is a protected class. Question: Was Epstein’s “sexual orientation” something he was “born with”? Are we being “discriminatory” if he’s prosecuted? Wasn’t this same outrage directed toward gays at one time? Are we not “enlightened enough” yet to see that he “can’t help who he loves”? How long will we have to wait for incest fans to hold their own “Pride Festival”? Should he be given the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” pass? Buckle your seat belts, everyone.
hey idiot, incest is not a psychological condition so don’t try to be a smart-ass….this is also not a case of pedophilia as the daughter was 24 years old………this is the result of either a lunatic watching a fuck-load of porn and thinking that all daughters want to have sex with their fathers or an idiot who thinks himself so sexy that no woman(not even his daughter) can resist him or having a Narcissistic personality disorder……idiot should be punished with death if his daughter agrees
Well yeah, they are being discriminatory–against men–as a matter of fact. Under the law, his daughter is just as guilty (or not guilty) as he is.
faces 3 years for banging his sister or whatever?
i suspect more along the lines of his wife’s barely-legal niece.
Okay, I was wrong. “Consensual” my ass.
shitty week
ewwww gross
this is good for the drug dealers, right?
disgusting.
Nobody stays together anymore!
How would anyone even find out about this…
That’s a damning statement if I ever read one. How about saying your client is innocent? “Give him the benefit of the doubt”? Oy. Awful.
she’s 24, six years beyond the age of consent. 3 years for having sex with someone related to you (assuming he even did so, despite the presumption of innocence) seems harsh. should the state really regulate who fucks whom when it’s consensual, both statutorily and substantively?
Well, if you want to go along that line of reasoning, why is assisted suicide still illegal in most places? There’s consent and everything…
Becaus laws, in this country at least, tend to reflect the opinion of society on “right” and “wrong” or however you want to phrase it. If most of society has a guttaral reaction of disgust towards incest (which I’m going to guess it does), then it’s “wrong”, and therefore, it’s illegal. I’m not necessarily saying it’s “fair”, but that’s how it is, and the state should probably continue making laws this way, if it wants them to be accepted by the people it’s governing.
sup mr. jinx, how’s you’re daughter?
You sound a lot like Scalia in his dissent to Lawrence:
“A governing majority’s belief that certain sexual behavior is ‘immoral and unacceptable’ constitutes a rational basis for regulation.”
The majority of the Court saw reason. Guttural reactions are often wrong.
Whatever his wife and daughter and he and whoever decide is up to them. I just don’t think jail time is a proper response if he actually did what he’s alleged to have done.
I didn’t say I agreed with the law. I, for one, share your view that the state should stay out of people’s bedrooms; consent is consent, let’s leave it at that.
And the parallel I drew with assisted suicide? I don’t see why the state needs to regulate that as well, since it’s a highly personal decision.
I wasn’t saying whether the state should or not; I’m just saying it does, and I gave what I thought the reason why was.
On assisted suicide, while I agree that it should be permitted, there is the danger that the person has been coerced into agreeing to ending their life, or possibly being predated upon by someone with an interest in terminating their life. As for the incest, I agree. If it was consensual, what business is it of the state?
So what would a proper punishment be?
If not jail time, what, a fine? Payable to whom, his daughter? The state? If to his daughter, does that make her a whore? If to the State, does it make her his pimp?
Isn’t he potentially guilty of sexual harassment? If sexual harassment turns on the one in the relationship’s superior position to use this for their own sexual ends, then what is different between a father/daughter or a boss/subordinate ?
Another libertarian moron.
You should run for president in 2012.
Who in the world defends incest?
There are so many reasons this should be wrong.
This is not his step daughter. This is his actual daughter that he and his wife created.
see? this is why the law DOES exist. because this is the majority view, as far as i know.
@I rest my case: Fair enough.
I love how we says “so many” and then doesn’t offer any…
@You’re insane: I wasn’t defending incest. I was arguing that it shouldn’t be punished legally. You’ve been brainwashed into thinking everything needs to be dealt with juridically — and harshly — which explains perfectly today’s full prisons, harsh penalties for petty and victimless crimes, and burgeoning list of newly legislated offenses.
QED,
You’re foolish to think that because I think incest is a crime that I support locking up individuals for everything. I believe everyone in prison for posession of a controlled substance should be released today and forced into treatment. I believe everyone in jail or prison for posession of pot should not be. I believe the three strikes law is inhumane in most cases. All these changes would reduce the prison population by 25%.
Next time don’t make so many assumptions.
Well, let’s see….
You presume incest with your 20 year old daughter is a victimless crime. It is not. Even if it was “consensual” and the woman was an adult, the inherent nature of relationship between a father and a daughter mitigates most possibility for free will.
Second, if these two individuals decided to have a kid, we know for a fact that the possibility of birth defects increases by two hundred fold. This harms their child. This child is a victim.
Third, the father, in this case, is mentally ill. To allow him to continue this would be allowing him to suffer. He knows it is wrong, he wants to stop, but can’t control his urges. Allowing him to continue would be inhumane. He needs psychiatric help. Likewise for the daughter.
You sound like a typical libertarian. If you study the history of this movement, they did not want child labor laws nor any gun laws. Quite frankly, you guys are insane.
I like harsh penalties for crimes that actually violate someones rights (such as petty theft) the word CONSENSUAL, however, means that no ones rights were violated. Hence you are right, it should not be punished legally.
Anonymous: You assert that because an action is consentual, no violation of rights can exists. Does that mean that you would support someone voluntarily selling themself into slavery or involuntary servitude?13th Amendment indicates you’re wrong..
hey look I agree with you that not all crimes should be punished legally but incest sure as hell does,…..I bet that professor is even welcoming the solitude of his jail cell….i would, If I had to face my family after doing that
“I believe everyone in prison for posession of a controlled substance should be released today and forced into treatment.” See, you’re the one making assumptions here. Just because someone is in possession of a controlled substance does not mean they are abusing or dependent on that substance. I agree they should not be in jail but they should definitely not be forced into treatment.
i doubt the daughter would have given him consent…just take a frickin look at him, looks like the pig from that movie babe………I also think that is how they found out(that the daughter complained) otherwise, how else would they have?
Isn’t it against reporting ethics to publish identifying information about a sex crimes victim? It should be pretty easy to find out who his daughter is..
If it was consensual, is she a victim?
If she didn’t want to be in the news, then maybe she shouldn’t have reported an illegal activity to which she consented.
Why isn’t the daughter being arrested….? Do we only arrest the male in a consensual incestuous relationship?
Well yeah, obviously! Men are always the perpetrators of sex crimes!
We only arrest the person who was 20 years older in an incestuous relationship.
.. i mean, i see (and agree) with the 20 year gap being ‘gross’. But there is nothing wrong with a *non-related* 46 year old man dating, even marrying a 24 year old woman, In fact, it’s rather commonplace in this day and age. But once this becomes ‘incestuous,’ suddenly only the older party (not aided by the fact that it is indeed a man) is the only one at fault and taken to jail??
i agree with your moral ethics, but not your logic
this is fucked up beyond belief.
Everyone else is reporting this as a relative but the Spectator says it’s his daughter.
Can’t the Spectator discuss how it obtained this information?
UPDATE (8:40 p.m.): According to NYPD, the young female relative is Epstein’s daughter, age 24
I think the New Yorker and POST said relative as to not publicly out his daughter, as they have access to the same information as the Spectator.
Here is the video of Professori Epstein in a political debate:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM23TZxzOw8
Is the daughter hot?
Google images can’t even answer this question. The public wants the TRUTH!
such a bad week for columbia. wonder how the ED kids who just got in today feel.
Let’s put it this way, this is a big consolation package to the kids who DIDN’T get in. “Well I didn’t want to go to that drug/incest hole anyways…”
incest tag
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HOW DID NO ONE SEE THIS COMING
You’re the man now, dog!!!
WHO CARES with whom he was sleeping???
Why is the legal system and the news goning to RUIN this brilliant professor’s career!!! It would be SO different if the girl was underage or a minor but she was 24 (~21 when it started).
If you don’t see anything wrong with incest, perhaps you need therapy.
And perhaps his career should be ruined. If he is willing to sleep with his own daughter, what else is he willing to do?
What else is he willing to do? Probably sleep with about anyone, but who cares? That shouldn’t be a crime as long as it’s consensual.
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Society is harmed by the spread of sexual relations between parents and children. Even if you don’t accept the idea that families are important and needed to have this set as a standard (I shudder to think about the prevailing circumstances that led to putting this law on the books – cabin fever?), progeny from parents and children are more likely to have health problems. Why this, and not, say, smoking inside a home with kids being worthy of caring about is a better question.
The other issue, I imagine, is that children are used to listening to their parents (even when they don’t), and it sets the stage for all sorts of long-term mental abuse and manipulation with lasting consequences outside of the issue of 3rd-generation progeny.
Incest is disgusting, assuming this was “consensual,” and does not have a history, in which case it would be sexual abuse by a parent. But assuming consent, aren’t father and daughter suffering already (and always will)? What’s the sense for the NYPD to arrest him and the state to prosecute him? Aren’t there always going to be such cases? Do we need to punish these things lest we forget they’re disgusting? If such things are disgusting in and of themselves, is not that a deterrent already for most? The law in such a case merely serves the morally self-righteous by providing an outlet for their violence, i.e., public stoning for adultery being the case in point.
You agree it is wrong, disgusting, and a crime yet you believe the city should drop their case because others do this? What type of logic is this? You could apply this same logic to murder, rape, grand theft, the sale of cocaine to kids, etc.
No, the fact that is disgusting is not deterrent because some of the people engaging in these crimes do not see it as disgusting. And some do but yet they continue the behavior. To allow them to continue their behavior without intervention would be inhumane as it is likely both of them are suffering mentally. They need a catalyst to stop their behavior and to get psychiatric care.
This is not about being self righteous. This is about punishment to deter future fathers from seducing their daughters and it is also a means to get them both to realize the severity of their actions and to get medical treatment.
Not everything that some people (or even the majority of people) find disgusting should be illegal. Only those things that actually hurt society and individuals should be prohibited.
Your libertarian philosophy can’t apply to everything, sorry. It is well documented that this is harmful. The father is harming his daughter. Yes, even when she is a “consenting” adult.
In fact, he is mentally ill and for society not to help this individual would be inhumane. He has urges he can not control. He likely wants to stop but can not stop. Therapy may help to control these urges.
Also, if these two were to have a child, the child would likely be born with a genetic defect. Letting this occur would be inhumane as the child would be a victim that may suffer.
It’s amazing to me that seeminly intelligent people defend incest.
Thank the universe that you are likely a libertarian and not a liberal.
Curiously, where is this well documented? You can’t just label this mental illness and that be that. Intelligent people defend fully consenting incest (with no abuse of power) because aside from ridiculous religious views, most reasonable schools of thought would conclude this isn’t morally wrong. If they decided to have a baby then it does become questionable, but then again so is seeing out a pregnancy whilst knowing of serious genetic problems in normal relationships. Not saying I’d do it, and there are clearly lots of reasons this is not ideal, but then again that could be said about most things, but doesn’t warrant illegality.
Documented in the scientific literature. Crystal clear on this one.
@ It’s inhumane: Is it disgusting because it harms society, or does it harm society because it’s disgusting? You offer reasons for neither claim but assume both.
How do you know they’re suffering mentally? Have you evaluated them? Do you know shit about psychopathology? Is everyone who does something “disgusting” and illegal (like buying a sex toy in Alabama) mentally ill?
All you sanctimonious little shits talking about how society needs to “help” must somehow think that serving time in prison improves one’s mental condition, rather than deteriorates it.
Furthermore, she’s not fucking pregnant.
Finally, would you be assuming that the child was seduced if instead it were the case of a female parent having consensual sex with her 26 year-old son?
Most individuals who engage in incest do suffer. The scientific literature demonstrates this. The ones who engage in incest and do not struggle with whether it is right or wrong are the ones who have severe mental illness and most of these individuals suffer from symptoms of their disease; auditory hallucinations, paranoia, self-harm, etc.
One need not be a psychiatrist or psychologist to understand this.This is not hard to understand. You are so focused on your laissez-faire ideology, that you overlook common sense.
I’m thankful you are likely a libertarian and not a liberal. Good luck waiting for a candidate to vote for in an election, lol.
Have it your way.
Even if incest INVARIABLY led to or aggravated psychological trauma (which no study can show it does), would you want the state to criminalize it on that basis?
I mean, shit. I could play Halo 20 hours a day, watch torture porn the remaining four hours per day, smoke 10 packs of cigarettes a day, and eat only deep-fried lard. I’d probably fuck myself up, and the state wouldn’t given a damn.
The point is, dude, the state only gives a fuck because the behavior has to do with sex and because it’s still nostalgically obsessed with a “pure” gene pool. Look at obscenity laws (still on the books), draconian zoning laws relating to sex shops (recently enacted), sodomy laws (only recently struck down), etc. and tell me that sex isn’t irrationally over-regulated.
Since when does being right have anything to do with floating successful political candidates? Congress is largely a bunch of idiots; I’m glad not to see myself represented in it, though Feingold was pretty damn good.
PS: I’m not a libertarian, jackass.
I dont understand how 2 adults (however gross and unnatural it is) can actually spend time in Jail for something like this. So what. He fucked his daughter. His problem and hers. She wasnt a little kid. Based on the facts above, and assuming there arent anymore, she was already 3 years past the age legal age limit. I am guessing it must be a state law that rarely is reviewed or enforced that is being brought against him. I just think freedom of choice here is being infringed if he goes to jail. It’s not our business what 2 grown adults do sexually if consent is there and nobody gets hurt.
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How come Woody Allen is not in jail? Didn’t he marry his daughter?
No. He had an affair with (and then married) his wife’s adopted daughter, but Soon-Yi wasn’t his daughter.
Obviously this goes further back to when the daughter was a minor. She is only admitting recent activity. Photos or video may have been produced. The Mother may have found it. When the daughter finally admits to being raped as a child, this TYPICAL INCESTUOUS DEMOCRAT will be charged appropriately. Stop raping your children, Democrats.
Hi Punky,
Since you brought up politics, let me burst your bubble. Scientific data published in journals demonstrate that the states with the highest rates of incest are those that are solid red states that vote republican. In fact, the top ten states with the most incest are ALL republican voting states.
The two top states in the U.S. are Alaska and Alabama. Around 72 to 74% of the citizens of these states identify as republicans.
Run along now. Go back to your FOX NEWS blogs. Hard to debate with us ivy leaguers when all you got is a GED.
You just proved the repeated point of many Fox commentators: The “Ivy League” elite are so much better than “the great unwashed” who make up so much of “fly-over country” and don’t attend your same cocktail parties. Yes, “they” all just have GEDs and aren’t so enlightened. They need to be sterilized and shuffled off to camps where they can get reeducated properly. We all owe you so much, our saviors without whom our lives would have no meaning. Thank you SO much.
BTW, where are these “data”? And how high, exactly, are the “highest rates” of incest? This is a common thing somewhere that is measurable? Really? I would think it’s about as common as people born with 12 fingers. Maybe they’re in red states, too. Just sayin’.
Like a typical creationist republican conservascum, you attempt to debate a topic you know nothing about.
Incest is far more common than twelve fingers. There are statistics on it.
And yes, it is far more frequent in republican states.This is almost intuitive.
Idontgeit – GO BRUSH YOUR TOOTH. He started molesting his daughter when she was a minor. Go brush your tooth.
So now you people are defending child molestation? Not surprised. IIRC, ya’ll came to Michael Jackson’s defence. Now it all makes sense, protecting your own.
Perhaps the conservatives in the house should come up with some legislation to reward whistle blower children for turning their rapping parents over to the authorities. You lefties are depraved.
And what at the h*ll does this have to do with FOX news?
If the accusations are true, then why has the daughter not been arrested? She was an adult when this happened, so she should be held responsible for it as well. Sexist much?
IS PROF. O’HALLORAN THE DAUGHTER’S MOTHER?
OR WAS SHE A PRODUCT OF AN EARLIER, SAY, COLLEGE FLING?
I cannot believe that consensual sex between adults is a crime anymore, anywhere. This is just absurd. Also absurd that they weren’t both arrested. What a completely absurd waste of time for the police and prosecutors, as well as the destruction of two lives.
I don’t believe it was consenual. The daughter is likely saying that it was to protect her father. Clearly there is some mental and emotional issues here with both involved.
Well at least he isn’t gay!
Wonder who is bringing those charges against him? His wife? which caused marriage rupture or food 4 divorce case?
So really…the only people who should comment on this are those with psycologial and/or psychiatric training…right? Regardless of age this cannot be considered “consenual” becasuse of the power structure. What if this was a Prof and a student…wouldn’t the unnatural power balance be understood? Hasn’t that been vilified by society? Even if she agreed…at what price if she did not? There is a power that a father has over a child…even if the child is an adult. This is completely sick. As a nurse I can tell you there is no consent when a father has sex with his daugher. Regardless the age. Anyone who thinks this sexual relationship was consensual should imagine having sex with his/her own parent. Yeah. Give it to me Daddy…That’s good. Not.
Why should adulterous consensual sex or homosexual consensual sex be any more legal that incest consensual sex?
if authorities are saying its consensual, Y isn’t she being charged as well? How was it discovered by authorities?
This could be a case of delusional “recovered memory, or he could be a twisted S.O.B.
Or both,or neither. There are no facts published except that charges are being filed.
This incestous relationship goes far deeper than just a 3yr term…any bet it is going to come out later that he was molesting her from a child hence why they started up again when she turned of legal age (21). Hell, he might’ve even coerced her into it (just my speculation). I find it hard to believe that a girl growing up in a home where her dad is a professor suddenly turns 21 and decides to have sex with him…there are definitely deeper issues that we are not hearing about. I am also curious to know who found out and pressed charges? Hmmmm…
Why has this not been on any of the news stations? It should be big news. This happened late last year and I don’t remember hearing anything about this.
So let me get this right? One of your Jewish Marxist professors is
porking his own daughter? That’s classic you scumbags!!!
We don’ need any of you degenerate Ivy League Pukes running
the USA! No wonder our country is in such dire straights!
Filthy greeedy evil jewish scum run the USA Govt!
Separate out this pagan filthy anti american trash!!
We do not want you East Coast or West Coast trash running
our government anymore! PS Get the fuckkk out!
I am loading up with ammo you wont want to be here in the USA in a few years you asssssholes! Go to hell Bernie Madoff, David Epstein and filthy
Columbia and NYC trash!!!!
Uf they whereboth over 18 turno fucking head and ley them fuck
These are the reasons why the state must intervene and delve out punishment for incest. We must look beyond our own emotional reaction to the incident. Yes we see this as a disgusting thing in the majority. But people will do what they will do behind closed doors. Maybe the rest have not gone to this extreme but we are all guilty of some forbidden pleasure. On the purely scientific stand it causes defects and unwanted mutations to the babies that are born. I do understand that a single generation incestual child has low risks of these defects. But if we do not make this first generation incest act illegal then how can we say the second or third or fourth generation act should be illegal. With each act of incest in the gene pool the risk of deformity and mental retardation increases. Yes this also exists between to non-related individuals as well but the risk is severely increased with incest.
We can say that the family would have to deal the child and its physicla/mental handicaps but too often then not these children are (even by non-related individuals) placed into a living situation that is unsuitable to care for them. So then it falls back on to the community to pay for through taxes and other means to care for them.