US

Alan Dershowitz Defends Role In Epstein Plea Deal

Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images for Hulu

William Davis Contributor
Font Size:

Attorney and Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz spoke for the first time since the arrest of his former client, Jeffrey Epstein, in an interview Wednesday morning with CBS.

Dershowitz represented Epstein during the billionaire’s 2008 trial in Florida, and helped negotiate a much-maligned plea deal that landed the convicted sex offender in prison for just over a year on a work-release program. But, a defiant Dershowitz maintains that he has no regrets. (RELATED: Alexander Acosta Claims He Was ‘Too Aggressive’ In Jeffrey Epstein Plea Deal)

“We were shocked,” Dershowitz said of the allegations against Epstein. “That doesn’t mean I won’t defend somebody.”

Dershowitz also disputed that the plea deal from over a decade ago was too lenient.

“They cut the deal. For them it was not a bad deal,” Dershowitz said. “They got him to register as a sex offender, pay vast amounts of money to all the women and get him to plead and go to jail and expose him for the world to see as a sex offender. I think the feds thought it was the best they could do.”

Dershowitz also said he did not believe Epstein benefited from his “wealth and power.”

“I think a lot of people without the power and wealth might have gotten a better deal,” Dershowitz said. “His prominence, his fame made it clear that the prosecution would work very hard to get the best possible deal they could. Wealth is a two-edged sword. ”

Jeffrey Epstein (YouTube screen capture/MSNBC)

Earlier this year, Dershowitz was sued by one of Epstein’s accusers who alleges that the attorney was present at some of Epstein’s parties and orchestrated smear campaigns against Epstein’s victims. (RELATED: Acosta Defends His 2008 Deal With Epstein)

Dershowitz has strongly denied these allegations.

“If I had ever seen Jeffrey Epstein request any underage girl, I would have terminated my relationship with him and turned him in,” Dershowitz said.