Judge Berman Orders Release of Epstein Grand Jury Records by December 19
Updated (4 articles)
Federal Judge Berman lifts seal on 2019 Epstein grand jury files U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman reversed his earlier August order, directing the Justice Department to make the 2019 sex‑trafficking grand jury transcripts public under the newly enacted Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandates release by Dec. 19 [1][2][3].
Limited documents disclosed, no new perpetrators identified The unsealed portion consists of an FBI agent’s testimony, a NYPD detective’s interview, a PowerPoint slide deck and four pages of call logs; the materials do not name anyone besides Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell as having sexual contact with a minor [1][4].
Redactions protect victims while enabling transparency The Act requires extensive redactions to shield victims’ identities and sensitive details; judges emphasized privacy safeguards, and several victims expressed support for the release provided their safety is maintained [1][2][3].
Parallel unsealing actions expand the Epstein‑Maxwell record pool A Manhattan judge recently ordered Maxwell‑related grand jury records unsealed, and a Florida judge approved similar releases; the DOJ plans to disclose 18 categories of investigative material—including search warrants, financial data and device extracts—by the Dec. 19 deadline, complementing earlier releases of flight logs and other documents [2][4][1].
Sources (4 articles)
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[1]
AP: Justice Department can unseal records from Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking case, judge says: Details Berman’s reversal, the law’s deadline, victim‑privacy provisions, and the narrow scope of the released documents .
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[2]
BBC: Judge rules Epstein grand jury records from 2019 case can be released: Highlights the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the Dec. 19 deadline, prior Trump‑administration releases, and political context surrounding the files .
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[3]
CNN: Third federal judge grants request to unseal Jeffrey Epstein‑related court records: Focuses on the legal basis, required redactions, related Maxwell and Florida rulings, and the limited nature of the grand‑jury transcripts .
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[4]
AP: Federal judge allows public release of Maxwell‑Epstein case records under Epstein Files Transparency Act: Explains the DOJ’s plan to release 18 categories of material, the act’s deadline, and concerns about prejudice in Maxwell’s habeas petition .