Judge allows further release of grand jury materials in Epstein case
A Manhattan judge has authorized the release of sealed Epstein grand jury records after Congress passed the Epstein File Transparency Act.
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, Dec. 10, a U.S. judge in Manhattan authorized the release of records of a grand jury investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, citing the latest in a series of similar rulings recently passed by Congress.
The order by U.S. District Judge Richard Berman came a day after another judge granted a similar request in the case of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, who is imprisoned for sex trafficking of underage girls.
The ruling could lead to the release of material that further reveals Mr. Epstein’s ties to the wealthy and powerful, including President Donald Trump.
Berman had in August denied a prior Justice Department request to unseal grand jury materials, which are normally permanently sealed by law, citing “potential threats to the safety and privacy of victims.” But the judge said in Wednesday’s order that the disclosure was justified because of the Epstein File Transparency Act, which President Trump signed last month.
Many Trump supporters believe the administration covered up Epstein’s relationships with powerful figures and obscured details about his 2019 death in a Manhattan prison on federal sex trafficking charges. Epstein’s death was officially ruled a suicide.
President Trump had opposed the release of the files, saying he had ended his friendship with Epstein long before he was arrested in 2019, but reversed course just before lawmakers were to vote on the bill.
In a Nov. 24 motion, the Justice Department asked Berman to authorize the release of grand jury transcripts and investigative evidence and said he would “appropriately redact” victim-related information and other personally identifying information to the extent permitted by the new law.
Berman’s order Wednesday granted the department’s November request. He wrote that “the safety and privacy of victims is paramount” and that protections for victims are consistent with the new law.
The Justice Department has set a December 19 deadline for releasing the so-called “Epstein Files” under the new law.
This story has been updated with additional information.
Contributed by: Reuters
