Judge Berman Orders Release of Epstein 2019 Grand Jury Materials Under New Transparency Law
Updated (2 articles)
Judge Berman Applies Epstein Files Transparency Act to Unseal Grand Jury Files The U.S. District Court in Manhattan granted the Justice Department’s request to make public roughly 70 pages of grand‑jury records from Jeffrey Epstein’s 2019 sex‑trafficking case, invoking the Epstein Files Transparency Act that mandates disclosure by Dec. 19 and overrides traditional secrecy orders [1][2].
Unsealed Packet Contains Limited Procedural Documents The released material largely consists of a PowerPoint presentation, a call log, and testimony from an FBI agent who had no direct knowledge of the case, with the final grand‑jury session concluding in an indictment vote on July 2, 2019 [1][2].
Parallel Unsealing Actions Expand Transparency Across Related Cases Manhattan judge previously ordered the release of records from Ghislaine Maxwell’s 2021 sex‑trafficking trial, and a Florida judge recently approved unsealing transcripts from an abandoned 2000s Epstein grand‑jury investigation, reflecting a coordinated judicial effort to apply the new act across related prosecutions [1][2].
Sources (2 articles)
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[1]
Newsweek: Judge Approves Unsealing of Jeffrey Epstein Grand Jury Records: Details Judge Berman’s ruling, the 70‑page packet’s contents, DOJ redaction requirements, and concurrent releases of Maxwell and Florida transcripts, highlighting the law’s supremacy over secrecy orders .
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[2]
The Hindu: Judge grants Justice Department request to unseal records from Epstein's 2019 sex trafficking case: Emphasizes the reversal of the prior sealing order, outlines the Epstein Files Transparency Act’s narrow exception, notes the limited new information expected, and situates the decision within a broader series of transparency rulings .