Epstein trial would have been 'crapshoot', plea-deal prosecutor tells Congress

[AZJonnie]

12. I think the actual problem is that the most sex crimes are covered under State Law rather than Federal ones

Let me start by saying that OF COURSE Epstein's wealth and connections played a role in the decision making for Acosta and other prosecutors. And that definitely sucks, but that's the system in which Acosta had to operate. People above quoting these large numbers of "known victims" should consider there's "only" about 15 who have ever come forward with their stories

IMHO, in assessing just how wrong Acosta's decision was, I think it makes sense to consider 2022 events. The full weight of the Federal DOJ, under Biden, was brought to bear against Ghislaine Maxwell, and many more victims had become willing to testify in the interim (don't forget that in 2008 most of them were still fairly young, there was no Miami Herald story, etc).

Yet In the end, even at that late date in 2022, after Epstein was dead and 20 years had passed, only 4 women testified against Maxwell, and prosecutors only secured ONE federal trafficking charge against Maxwell, and it was for trafficking her to Epstein.

That outcome suggests to me that whole thing was a less "federal jury friendly" than a lot of people realize, even in 2022. 2008 I'm sure would've an even less friendly set of circumstances for Federal prosecutors to bring their case.

MHO, fwiw. Acosta is still a piece of shit, though.