Thread by @willchamberlain

Jeffrey Epstein indictment analysis thread

Right off the bat its clear why SDNY thinks it can pick up the baton

Alleging that Epstein trafficked girls in New York as well as Florida

More of the same

The charge: sex trafficking of minors, 18 USC 1591

Note, there's both a conspiracy to commit sex trafficking count and a sex trafficking count itself

Conspiracy is a separate five-year count under 18 USC 371

Compare and contrast here

Count 1: "knowingly did combine, conspire, confederate..."

Count 2: "recruit, entice, harbor, transport..."

Also just to explain: the "interstate and foreign commerce" thing is the necessary jurisdictional hook

Remember - the federal government is one of limited and enumerated powers

There's no federal law against murder generally, it's a state issue

Anyway the indictment was pretty straightforward, the really interesting issue is how SDNY is getting around the non-prosecution agreement in Florida, I explained that here:

https://twitter.com/willchamberlain/status/1148251498272440320

FYI - this bail memorandum from SDNY is in many ways more enlightening than the indictment:

documentcloud.org/documents/6184…

Yeah that non-prosecution agreement in Florida isn't going to save Jeffrey Epstein

Second Circuit law is pretty clear on the question

Pretty compelling argument against Jeffrey Epstein getting bail

Also, when it comes to the actual laws on bail, it's not good for Epstein: bail is presumed to be inappropriate when someone is charged with a sex trafficking offense

Another fascinating tidbit - SDNY argues against bail due to a high risk of witness tampering/obstruction of justice

Evidence? Well, in the prior case, Epstein proffered a plea to precisely those charges!

This just in: Jeffrey Epstein is a monster