Justice Department renews request for NY judges to release Epstein-related grand jury transcripts

By Kara Scannell, CNN

(CNN) — The Justice Department renewed its request to federal judges in New York to unseal grand jury transcripts related to the investigations of Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell following the law requiring the release of Epstein-related files that passed last week.

Judges overseeing both cases previously denied the government’s request this past last summer to unseal the records in the public’s interest. Last week, DOJ renewed its request before a judge in Florida to unseal grand jury records related to an investigation by the US attorney’s office in the Southern District of Florida.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act requires DOJ to release materials within 30 days with few exceptions, such as revealing personally identifiable information 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,” lawyers for the Justice Department wrote in 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 best understood as encompassing grand jury materials.”

DOJ previously said there was one witness – an FBI agent – who testified before the Epstein grand jury and two witnesses – the FBI agent and a NYPD detective – who testified before the Maxwell grand jury.

In an earlier court filing, prosecutors said some information heard by the Maxwell grand jury ultimately became public during 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”) in the grand jury and some have also made public those factual accounts in the course of civil litigation.”

Four woman testified they were abused by Epstein when they were minors.

In August, Judge Richard Berman rejected DOJ’s initial request in part because DOJ didn’t overcome precedent of grand jury secrecy. At the time, he noted the grand jury transcripts and exhibits were a small 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.

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