New York (AP) – Federal judge who primarily sided with sex trafficking cases against financial operators Jeffrey Epstein It rejected the government’s request to unravel the transcript of the Great Ju Court.
Wednesday’s ruling by Manhattan federal judge Richard Berman came after a judge who principally sided the UK socialite case Ghislaine MaxwellEpstein’s ex-girlfriend also declined the government’s request.
Maxwell is sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted of sex trafficking charges for supporting Epstein’s sexually abusive girl and young women. Epstein died in prison awaiting trial.
A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment.
Berman said the information contained in the transcript of the Epstein Grand Jue was “different in comparison to Epstein’s investigation information and materials in the hands of the Department of Justice.”
According to Berman’s ruling, the victims did not testify before the Epstein Grand Jue. The only witness the judge wrote was FBI agents, “having no direct knowledge of the facts of the case, and his testimony was mostly hearsay.” Agents testified over two days on June 18th and July 2nd, 2019. The remainder of the Great Jue’s presentation consisted of the PowerPoint slideshow presented during the June 18th session and the call logs announced during the July 2nd session. Berman ruled, both remained sealed.
Maxwell’s case is the subject of a growing public focus Since the protest He said he would not release any additional documents from Epstein’s sex trafficking investigation over a Justice Department statement last month. The decision infuriated online detectives, conspiracy theorists and elements of President Donald Trump’s base who wanted to see evidence of government cover-up.
Since then, Trump administration officials have sought to cast themselves as promoting transparency in cases, including removing large juice transcripts from the court.
“The government is a logic party for making comprehensive disclosures of the Epstein Files to the public,” Berman revealed that the Justice Department refused to release additional records and at the same time refused to move to the transcripts of the Great Jury Court.
“In comparison, the immediate large ju review motion appears to be a “repurpose” from the width and scope of the Epstein File in government possession. The testimony of the Great Jue is merely a hearsay affirmation of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged conduct. ”
meanwhile, Maxwell was interviewed A few weeks ago, in a Florida courthouse, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, the House Oversight Committee said they wanted to speak to Maxwell. Her attorneys said they were open to interviews, but only if the panel secures an exemption from prosecution.
In a letter to Maxwell’s lawyer, Committee Chairperson Rep. James Commer wrote that the committee was willing to delay the deposit until after Maxwell’s appeal was resolved to the Supreme Court. The appeal is expected to be resolved in late September.
Comer wrote that Maxwell’s testimony is “essential” to the Republican-led Epstein investigation, but the committee would not provide immunity or questions before her testimony, as her team requested.
