Reprinted with permission from Alternet
News of Jeffrey Epstein’s death by apparent suicide on Saturday sparked a wave of conspiracy theories — including one amplified by President Donald Trump that attempted to link Epstein’s death to former President Bill Clinton (without evidence, of course).
But while the conspiracy theories are just those, legal experts — from former federal prosecutors to law scholars — are likewise “dumbfounded” by Epstein’s death, particularly after it was revealed Epstein was not on suicide watch during his apparent suicide.
Elie Honig, a CNN legal analyst who served as the assistant attorney general for the South District of New York, said he “can’t recall any suicides” at the [Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York]” during his time as a prosecutor.
I worked at SDNY for 8-plus years. Collectively the Office had thousands of defendants housed at MCC during that time. I could be overlooking one but I can’t recall any suicides in MCC during that time. @PreetBharara @Mimirocah1 or others – did you know of any? Lots of questions.
— Elie Honig (@eliehonig) August 10, 2019
Mimi Rocah, a former federal prosecutor for the SDNY, couldn’t “recall one either.”
No I don’t recall one either. Absolutely have seen defendants/targets who committed suicide but usually when at home or about to be apprehended. Important to not what @ScottHech says about suicide being common in jails vs in. Federal facility like MCC where not common.
— Mimi Rocah (@Mimirocah1) August 10, 2019
Harvard legal scholar Laurence Tribe said it’s “inexcusable that [Epstein] was taken off suicide watch.” He also demanded Attorney General Bill Barr recuse himself from the investigation into why Epstein was removed from suicide watch.
“We have to ask who stood to gain from his permanent silence?” Tribe added. “Whom could he have incriminated in an effort to win favorable treatment from the Trump Justice Department?”
#EpsteinSuicide: It’s inexcusable that #JefferyEpstein was taken off suicide watch. We have to ask who stood to gain from his permanent silence? Whom could he have incriminated in an effort to win favorable treatment from the Trump Justice Department? https://t.co/ORgCQ5rxEQ
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) August 10, 2019
Barr must recuse from the investigation into the highly suspicious decision to take #JeffreyEpstein off suicide watch. Even if he could justify his nonrecusal from Epstein’s prosecution, he can’t justify overseeing an inquiry that cuts this close to the bone. https://t.co/16W3QoA0qC
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) August 10, 2019
Lawyer Harry Litman, in an article for the Washington Post, called Epstein’s suicide “unfathomable.”
Ok sports fans, Epstein's suicide is more than mysterious; it is unfathomable. My latest op-ed for @PostOpinionshttps://t.co/aJxtDl1HpB
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 10, 2019
