Florida judge denies DOJ request to unseal Jeffrey Epstein grand jury transcripts
The decision represents the ongoing attempts by the Trump-era Justice Department to release sealed records tied to Epstein's sex trafficking cases.
US District Judge Robin Rosenberg ruled that the department's arguments failed to meet the stringent legal requirements to override grand jury secrecy. In her opinion, Rosenberg said that although the Justice Department claimed the public interest and lapse of time justified disclosure, those reasons do not fall within the narrow exceptions permitted by law.
'My hands are tied,' Rosenberg wrote, citing binding precedent in the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, which restricts the release of grand jury materials unless very specific criteria are met.
The transcripts in question pertain to grand juries convened in West Palm Beach in 2005 and 2007, which ultimately resulted in a controversial plea agreement. Under that deal, Epstein avoided federal charges by pleading guilty to lesser state charges related to the solicitation of underage girls and served just 13 months in jail.
The Justice Department's push to unseal the records followed mounting pressure from within President Donald Trump's political base. Many of his supporters believe that Epstein's high-profile connections to elites suggest a broader conspiracy to shield powerful individuals from prosecution.
In early July, the DOJ concluded that there was no basis to continue the Epstein probe, further fueling accusations of a cover-up. In its motion, the department acknowledged public frustration and cited the need to 'restore public trust' by releasing additional case information.
While the Florida case is now closed, similar motions are still under review in the Southern District of New York. Those requests seek to unseal grand jury records tied to Epstein's 2019 federal indictment and his former associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 of helping Epstein recruit and abuse underage girls. She is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.
Judge Rosenberg also denied a DOJ request to transfer the Florida case to New York, stating that jurisdictional rules do not permit such a move.
Epstein's case has been one of the most controversial in recent US legal history. His 2008 plea deal drew widespread criticism for its leniency and lack of transparency. The wealthy financier was arrested again in July 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges but was found dead a month later in his Manhattan jail cell. His death was ruled a suicide, though it continues to fuel widespread conspiracy theories.
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