Judge says Robert Kraft video from day spa will stay under wraps

Videos of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and others allegedly paying for sexual acts at a Florida day spa will remain sealed, a Palm Beach County judge ruled Monday.

Judge Joseph Marx issued a broad protective order to seal all videos that are part of the felony cases against two women connected to the Orchids of Asia day spa, the Jupiter massage parlor where investigators say dozens of men — including 77-year-old Kraft — paid for sex.

Monday’s hearing was meant to determine if releasing the more than 100 hours of video surveillance — from both inside and outside the spa — violated anyone’s right to privacy and a fair trial.

Earlier this month, the Palm Beach State Attorney’s Office said the law required it to release the video unless there was a court order not to do so.

Several media organizations, including the Miami Herald, took the issue to court in an effort to learn more about how the law enforcement agencies handled the case, including the decision by authorities to install cameras inside the business.

In January, Kraft was arrested as part of an investigation into a prostitution ring spanning two Florida counties. The bust led to the arrest of dozens of men and the closure of five day spas. Kraft was charged with two misdemeanor counts of soliciting prostitution.

Dana J. McElroy, the attorney representing the Herald and other news organizations, said her team argued that the videos should be put into different categories and should not all be banned from being released. She said Kraft’s video is included in the order because it is part of the criminal case against spa owner Hua Zhang and therapist Lei Wang.

“Kraft’s attorneys were there today and actually were permitted to argue in favor of the order,” she said.

Media organizations must now decide whether to appeal the order.

“At a minimum, we believe any sealing order should have been limited to video from inside the massage rooms for a limited duration,” she said.

The Miami Herald has said it has no intention of posting any explicit video.

This story was originally published April 29, 2019 at 9:01 PM.