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

Alex Acosta, the former US attorney for the southern district of Florida who negotiated a plea deal in 2008 with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has revealed that pursuing a trial would have been a gamble. In a recent testimony before the House oversight committee, Acosta described the evidentiary hurdles that a federal prosecution of Epstein would have faced and why his office ultimately turned the case over to Florida state prosecutors.

According to Acosta, going to trial with victims who had changing stories and issues in their background would have been extremely challenging. Defense attorneys could have used these inconsistencies against the victims during cross-examination, potentially undermining their credibility. Moreover, many victims had priors that could have been used against them by defense counsel, further complicating the prosecution's case.

The government's non-prosecution agreement with Epstein has long been a topic of controversy, and Acosta acknowledged that the evidentiary hurdles were significant. However, he argued that the trial would have sent an important signal: that a billionaire sex offender could not get away with his crimes. By negotiating a plea deal, prosecutors aimed to demonstrate that justice would be served.

Acosta also addressed criticisms about the non-prosecution agreement, including allegations of corruption and obstruction by Donald Trump, who had a friendship with Epstein until they fell out over a property dispute. Acosta denied that Trump was consulted on the plea deal, stating that he operated in different social circles than Trump.

The testimony comes as Prince Andrew has agreed to give up his royal title and other honors after it emerged that he continued his friendship with Epstein despite claiming it had ended. A posthumously published memoir by Virginia Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked to Andrew by Epstein's co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell on three occasions when she was 17, is also set to be released soon.

In the testimony, Acosta highlighted the importance of sending a strong signal that justice would be served. He acknowledged that the defense team for Epstein, which included constitutional lawyer Alan Dershowitz and former independent counsel Kenneth Starr, came close to crossing ethical boundaries but did not think they crossed any lines.

The House oversight committee's investigation into Epstein has been ongoing, with Democrats demanding that Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi comply with a congressional subpoena to release the full Epstein files. The committee has accused Bondi of obstructing the investigation and refusing to cooperate with its inquiry into what was described as a corrupt quid pro quo between the Department of Justice and Ghislaine Maxwell.

omg can you believe alex acosta's testimony? he's right, going to trial would've been a total gamble especially considering the changing stories from the victims and their priors... it's crazy how defense attorneys could've used that against them

but at the same time, i get why they didn't want to pursue it - justice would've definitely sent a strong signal, but it's not like they could've guaranteed a conviction

and now prince andrew is losing his royal title? that's wild also, can't wait for virginia giuffre's memoir

man, thinkin' about this whole Epstein thing is like tryin' to grasp a handful of sand - it's slippery . Acosta's testimony makes sense, i guess, but what really gets me is how much emphasis we put on 'winning' the case vs just doin' what's right. Like, yeah, sendin' a signal that justice will be served, but at what cost? These victims were already so traumatized, and you gotta wonder if they were even prepared for the drama that would've unfolded in court.

And don't even get me started on the politics around this whole thing... it's like we're so used to thinkin' of power struggles as a zero-sum game - someone wins, someone loses, but what about when both sides just want to keep their heads down and pretend nothin's happenin'?

this whole thing is just so messed up i mean think about it, Alex Acosta was the one who basically took a plea deal that would've looked super shady on paper but he knew it'd send a stronger message that Epstein wouldn't get away with his crimes what's wild is how many people are still questioning this non-prosecution agreement and whether Trump had any involvement meanwhile Prince Andrew just gave up his royal title over the friendship thing, like who even cares anymore

I'm still not convinced about Alex Acosta's version of events here... He claims the trial would've been super tough due to inconsistent victim stories and priors, but how do we know he wasn't just saying that to avoid taking responsibility? Sources on this would be super helpful. Also, what's with all these "we aimed to send a signal" platitudes? What exactly was the signal again? That justice is served for billionaires who commit crimes?

And btw, how much did Epstein pay Acosta's office to drop the charges? Was it just a coincidence that he chose Florida prosecutors to take over the case? There are some serious fishy smells here.

This whole thing is so messed up I mean, can you believe Epstein got away with all that? It's crazy to think about how Acosta had to weigh the risks of going to trial against the potential benefits of sending a message about accountability . And now Prince Andrew is giving up his title like, what even is the point of that? The whole thing just feels so complicated and messy . I feel for the victims who had to go through all this trauma . It's like, justice was supposed to be served but it didn't seem like that at all .

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole Epstein situation . I mean, Alex Acosta's testimony just made it clear that pursuing a trial would've been super tricky . I can imagine how hard it'd be to deal with victims having different stories and stuff like that. And the fact that some of them had priors too... it's just not fair .

But what really gets me is that there are still so many questions unanswered . Like, did Trump even know about this plea deal? Acosta said he didn't, but who knows, right?

And can we talk about how Prince Andrew's situation just got a lot more complicated ? Giving up his title and honors is one thing, but I feel like that's still not enough considering what happened with Virginia Giuffre .

I'm also kinda curious to see how the full Epstein files are gonna come out . Will they be released soon? And what exactly did Florida AG Pam Bondi have to hide?

I'm just thinking, if you got a rich friend who's got some sketchy issues, you know, like Epstein, maybe it's better not to take them down in court? I mean, Acosta's right, it'd be like trying to build a house on shifting sand . And those victims' stories changing like the weather? Forget about it! It's like they're trying to prove a negative . But hey, at least Acosta's willing to have a chat about it now . Maybe we'll get to the bottom of this Epstein saga and figure out what really went down... or maybe not

I'm still trying to wrap my head around all this ... I mean, it's crazy that Acosta is saying they didn't want to risk losing credibility because the victims had changing stories. It sounds like a lot of potential for mistakes on both sides. But at the same time, can you blame them? The thought of taking down Epstein in a trial with so many shaky claims from his victims is pretty daunting. I guess what's interesting is that Acosta is still sticking to their guns about not being influenced by Trump. Fingers crossed they're right!

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole Epstein saga. Acosta's testimony just dropped and it's like, wow. The dude is saying that going to trial would've been super tricky due to inconsistent victim testimonies and priors . It makes sense why they went for a plea deal - justice would be served but also wouldn't risk embarrassing the victims in court.

And I'm curious about Acosta's take on Trump's involvement. Like, did he really have nothing to do with the plea deal? The more I hear, the more I think there's some shady stuff going down . But hey, at least Acosta is holding up and saying they didn't consult with Trump.

This whole Prince Andrew thing is just wild . He thought he could keep on truckin' with Epstein after claiming their friendship had ended? And a posthumously published memoir from Virginia Giuffre? That's gonna be juicy .

The House oversight committee is really on it, demanding that Florida AG Pam Bondi release the full files . It's time to get some answers and make sure justice is served. We need transparency here!

This whole thing just feels like a mess, you know? Like, what even is the point of having a non-prosecution agreement if it's just gonna be this convoluted web of excuses and excuses for excuses. I mean, Alex Acosta thinks he was trying to send a message that justice would be served, but really all he did was sweep some of the evidence under the rug and let Epstein off with a slap on the wrist.

And don't even get me started on Prince Andrew ‍. Like, what kind of guy continues to hang out with someone who's known for his sick and twisted behavior? It just shows you that some people are more concerned about appearances than actual doing right by their friends and acquaintances.

I'm also kinda disappointed in Acosta himself . I mean, he acknowledges all these issues with the prosecution but still doesn't seem to take full responsibility for his actions. And what's with this business about Trump not being consulted on the plea deal? Really? It just sounds like a bunch of spin trying to deflect attention from the fact that there were some pretty serious problems with how this whole thing went down.

It's like, we're supposed to believe that justice was served here, but really it just feels like more of the same old game-playing and backroom deals. And now we've got Virginia Giuffre's memoir coming out, which is bound to bring up even more questions and controversy. Can't we just get some real answers around here?

omg did u know that pineapple pizza is still kinda a thing in some parts of the usa? i mean, i get it, pineapple can be a nice addition to ham and cheese on toast but come on... anyway, back to epstein... what's up with prince andrew? he sounds like a total creep .