US EditionJudge denies Justice Department request to unseal Epstein grand jury transcripts
A federal judge ruled that the grand jury transcripts are minimal, mostly hearsay, and releasing them risks victim privacy, emphasizing existing extensive DOJ files on Epstein.
- U.S. District Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan rejected the Justice Department's motion to unseal 70 pages of grand jury transcripts in United States v. Epstein, finding eight of nine legal factors unmet and ordering continued sealing.
- Judge Berman noted the only grand jury witness was an FBI agent whose testimony was hearsay, no Epstein victims testified, and he cited protecting victims' safety, privacy, and dignity as reasons to keep records sealed.
- Speaking to CNN, legal analyst Elliot Williams told Brianna Keilar, `It is quite a response`, as the Department of Justice has gone 0-for-3 in requests and three federal judges have denied motions to release Epstein-related grand jury materials.
- The Justice Department is expected to begin turning over files to Congress on Friday, excluding grand jury transcripts, as Rep. James Comer and the House Oversight Committee prepare to review the bulk of investigative materials.
- The decisions underscore a clash between transparency demands and legal limits, as Judge Richard Berman rebuked the Trump administration's refusal to release 100,000 pages, intensifying scrutiny from public, online sleuths and conspiracy theorists.
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330 Articles
Trump admin better-placed than courts to release Epstein files: judge
A US judge said on Wednesday that the Trump administration is in a better position than federal courts to release materials that would satisfy public curiosity about the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking case.
A federal judge in New York denied the Trump administration's request to publish Jeffrey Epstein's grand jury documents this Wednesday.]]>
Lawrence: Federal judge publicly calls out Trump Justice Dept. out for its Epstein case 'diversion'
MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell details how, while Trump held no public events, a federal judge found that Donald Trump and his attorney general were “just playing their diversion game” by asking for the Epstein grand jury transcripts.
US judge rejects Trump administration bid to unseal Jeffrey Epstein grand jury records
NEW YORK, Aug 21 — A federal judge yesterday rejected the Trump administration’s request to unseal grand jury transcripts from the criminal case against sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.District Judge Richard Berman said the government had failed to prove there were any special circumstances that would justify releasing what are normally secret records.The Justice Department has been seeking the release of the grand jury transcripts to help defuse s…
The US President, under pressure from his supporters, had requested the release of Epstein protocols. Judge Richard Berman sees this as a diversion and refused.
A federal judge in New York has rejected the request of the Department of Justice to declassify the testimony and evidence presented to the grand jury in the case against paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Judge Richard Berman has considered that, although there are precedents for publishing such documents, on this occasion it has not been shown that there is a “special circumstance” to recommend it and its disclosure would not provide new information.…
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