A US federal judge on Wednesday rejected Trump administration’s to unseal transcripts of grand jury proceedings of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal investigation in Florida during the mid-2000s.
Donald Trump Faces Criticism Over Epstein Files
The Trump admistration had made a request in order to make public key investigative materials concerning Epstein, following public criticism over the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) decision to withhold certain evidence. The DOJ had previously promised to release the material, prompting backlash when it did not follow through.
The ruling issued on Wednesday does not impact two other ongoing petitions filed by the DOJ. These separate requests aim to obtain transcripts from later federal grand jury investigations into Epstein and his longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, conducted in New York. Both investigations resulted in criminal indictments.
Why Is Trump Admin Asking For Transcripts of Grand Jury Proceedings?
The Trump administration filed the petitions to unseal various grand jury proceedings last week, amid mounting criticism over the DOJ’s lack of transparency. The backlash came after the department failed to release investigative evidence related to Epstein, despite earlier assurances it would do so.
On Friday, the Justice Department filed a motion requesting that the court unseal grand jury transcripts from federal investigations into Epstein conducted in 2005 and 2007, as detailed in court documents.
What Did The Judge Robin Rosenberg Rule
However,US District Judge Robin Rosenberg in his Wednesday;s ruling said that the DOJ’s request for the transcripts did not meet any exceptions to the legal rules that require the material to remain confidential.
Judge Rosenberg said that his court has a limited authority in such matters, stating that the government had not shown that the grand jury findings were needed for a judicial proceeding which is a key criterion for unsealing testimony.
“Eleventh Circuit law does not permit this court to grant the government’s request,” Rosenberg wrote. “The court’s hands are tied, a point that the Government concedes.”
Can District Courts Unseal Grand Jury Materials?
The judge highlighted that under U.S. law, district courts generally cannot unseal grand jury testimony except under very narrow and specific circumstances, reinforcing the strong legal protections around the secrecy of grand jury proceedings.
This ruling means that, despite public interest and political pressure, the grand jury transcripts from Epstein’s federal investigations will remain sealed for the foreseeable future.
This is a developing story..
Also Read: Was Jeffrey Epstein Murdered? Brother Makes Shocking Claim
