"the former prosecutor, who later served in the first Trump administration, described the evidentiary hurdles Epstein's federal prosecution would have faced, and why his office turned the case over to Florida state prosecutors that resulted in the disgraced financier pleading guilty to charges of soliciting sex from a minor. Ultimately, the trial was a crapshoot, and we just wanted the guy to go to jail, Acosta told members of the oversight panel."
"Acosta said it was the opinion of the government's prosecution team that a billionaire going to jail sends a strong signal to the community that this is not acceptable, that this is not right, that this cannot happen. Epstein's registering as a sex offender as part of the non-prosecution agreement, he added, puts the world on notice whether the world listened or not we can put to one side but it puts the world on notice that he was an offender and a sexual offender."
Alexander Acosta negotiated a 2008 plea deal with Jeffrey Epstein and cited victim noncooperation and evidentiary hurdles as reasons to avoid a federal trial. Acosta explained that federal prosecutors faced uncertainty about winning a 14-count case and that a failed trial would suggest Epstein 'got away with it.' The office turned elements of the case to Florida state prosecutors, producing a state guilty plea for soliciting sex from a minor and Epstein's registration as a sex offender under a non-prosecution agreement. Acosta emphasized that securing jail time and public registration would send a strong signal to the community.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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