A federal judge in Florida has ordered the unsealing of grand jury transcripts related to the 2005 and 2007 investigations into Jeffrey Epstein.
Judicial Order Details
US District Judge Rodney Smith granted a request from the Justice Department for these materials. This decision follows the passage of a bill by Congress last month, which mandates the release of all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials pertaining to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. A similar request from the Department of Justice in August was previously denied due to federal rules concerning grand jury materials; however, the new legislation overrides these prior prohibitions.
In his order, Judge Smith noted that "the later-enacted and specific language of the Act trumps prohibition on disclosure." The Justice Department has also filed requests in New York to unseal documents from Epstein's 2019 sex-trafficking case and Maxwell's 2021 sex-trafficking case.
Background of the Case
The documents originate from a case investigating allegations of underage abuse by Epstein. This federal investigation concluded without federal charges being filed against Epstein. In 2008, Epstein entered into a non-prosecution agreement and subsequently pleaded guilty to state-level prostitution charges. The handling of Epstein's case and the avoidance of federal sex-trafficking charges have been subjects of public discussion.