Judge rules Epstein grand jury records from 2019 can be released
A federal judge in New York has ruled that the U.S. Department of Justice can publicly release grand jury records from Jeffrey Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking case.
U.S. District Judge Richard Berman’s ruling reversed his earlier decision to keep the material sealed. He cited a new law passed by Congress that requires the justice department to release files on Epstein.
In his final decision, Judge Berman stated that victims have the right to “protect their identities and privacy,” adding that “their safety and privacy are paramount.”
Esptein was charged with sex trafficking in July 2019. He died a month later in a New York prison cell while awaiting trace.
Judge Berman denied the justice department’s request in August, citing concerns about “possible threats to the safety and privacy of victims.”
But Wednesday’s decision said the materials could now be released because of the Epstein Files Transparency Act signed by US President Donald Trump last month.
The law requires the justice department to release investigative materials related to Epstein, including declassified records, documents and communications, by Dec. 19.
It also allows the department to retain files that involve active criminal investigations or raise privacy concerns.
Judge Berman became the third federal judge to grant similar requests from the justice department since the new law went into effect. Another judge on Tuesday issued a similar ruling in the case of Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 for her role in facilitating Epstein’s abuse.
During his trial, prosecutors argued that Maxwell recruited and groomed girls, some as young as 14, before they were abused by Epstein between 1994 and 2004. He is serving a 20-year sentence.
Last Friday, a judge in Florida granted a different request to unseal grand jury transcripts from another investigation into Epstein in 2005 and 2007.
