The Justice Department renewed its request to federal judges in New York to unseal grand jury transcripts associated to the investigations of Jeffrey Epstein and his confederate Ghislaine Maxwell following the regulation requiring the release of Epstein-related recordsdata that handed final week.
Judges overseeing each circumstances beforehand denied the federal government’s request this previous final summer time to unseal the data within the public’s curiosity. Last week, DOJ renewed its request before a judge in Florida to unseal grand jury data associated to an investigation by the US lawyer’s workplace within the Southern District of Florida.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act requires DOJ to release supplies inside 30 days with few exceptions, corresponding to revealing personally identifiable details about victims or if the release would jeopardize an ongoing investigation.
“The Act expressly references this specific investigation, and there can be no question that Congress was aware that this investigation included a grand jury investigation,” attorneys for the Justice Department wrote within the Monday’s filings. “Thus, the Act’s reference to ‘all … investigative materials in the possession of the Department of Justice, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Attorney’s Offices,’” is finest understood as encompassing grand jury supplies.”
DOJ beforehand stated there was one witness – an FBI agent – who testified earlier than the Epstein grand jury and two witnesses – the FBI agent and a NYPD detective – who testified earlier than the Maxwell grand jury.
In an earlier courtroom submitting, prosecutors stated some data heard by the Maxwell grand jury finally turned public throughout Maxwell’s trial.
“To the extent that any of the desired material was disclosed to Maxwell as a result of the Government’s disclosure obligations, it was disclosed pursuant to a protective order. Many of the victims whose accounts relating to Epstein and Maxwell that were the subject of grand jury testimony testified at trial consistent with the accounts described by an FBI agent and the detective from the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) within the grand jury and a few have additionally made public these factual accounts in the middle of civil litigation.”
Four lady testified they have been abused by Epstein after they have been minors.
In August, Judge Richard Berman rejected DOJ’s preliminary request partly as a result of DOJ didn’t overcome precedent of grand jury secrecy. At the time, he famous the grand jury transcripts and reveals have been a small a part of the investigations.
“The information contained in the Epstein grand jury transcripts pales in comparison to the Epstein investigation information and materials in the hand of the Department of Justice,” Berman wrote in August.
DOJ is asking for an expedited ruling given the 30 day deadline.