WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. _ A Jupiter police detective testified Friday that he knew Orchids of Asia Day Spa was an "illegitimate" business after he watched last year as eight men got off a golf cart and went inside. One of the men came back outside, did a "Touchdown Jesus" celebration with his arms raised to the heavens then went back inside.
Later, Detective Andrew Sharp would interview one of 25 men charged with soliciting prostitution at the Jupiter spa and find out the business had an "early-bird special" that provided a discount on sex acts for men who showed up before 1 p.m.
Those were among the details revealed Friday as attorneys for New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft argued that a judge should throw out covert surveillance videos that allegedly show their client paying for sex on Jan. 19 and 20 at the spa. The search warrant that led to the cameras being installed at the business was not properly obtained, they claim.
Kraft, 77, is facing two counts of soliciting, a second-degree misdemeanor. He was caught up in a sting at the storefront business connected to a monthslong, multi-county investigation. Authorities initially said the case involved an international human trafficking operation, but no human trafficking charges have been filed.
Prosecutors have countered that the motion to suppress should be tossed because Kraft did not have a lawful expectation to privacy as a customer of the spa because he was there "engaging in criminal conduct."
Judge Leonard Hanser did not give an indication Friday when he might rule. Testimony Friday is expected to last all day.
Hanser ruled Tuesday that Kraft's right to a fair trial trumps the media's request for the surveillance videos to be released immediately. A coalition of media organizations _ including The Palm Beach Post _ filed with the court to have the videos released because they are public records.
That ruling does not impact Kraft's attempt to get the videos tossed out of a possible trial. Hanser could decide the videos cannot be admitted into evidence, but still release the footage to the public at a later time.
Court observers say it's unlikely prosecutors will move forward with their cases against Kraft and the other "johns" if video evidence is tossed.
