The grand jury testimony that led to the sex trafficking indictments of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell includes testimony from only two law enforcement officials, according to the Justice Department.
In a document submitted to a Manhattan federal court to support a motion to unseal the transcripts, the agency clarifies the witnesses. The memo was filed in response to a request from the judges overseeing both cases to provide additional clarifications to an earlier request. The final decision on whether to release the materials rests with the courts.
Grand jury transcripts are generally not released unless necessary to the trial. The filing cites a 1997 Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that judges have significant decision-making power and that disclosure should be made only for compelling public reasons.
According to the agency, the jury in the Epstein case heard only one FBI agent in June and July 2019. In the Maxwell case, the same agent's testimony was supplemented by testimony from a New York police detective between June 2020 and March 2021.
The document was signed by U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton, and includes the names of Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
The demand to release the materials comes after criticism from supporters of former President Donald Trump over the Justice Department's announcement in early July that it would stop releasing Epstein's archives.
The government's decision shocked some of Trump's political allies, given the administration's aggressive promotion of the upcoming publications and the spread of conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein.
The convicted sex offender financier killed himself in prison in August 2019, weeks after his arrest, officials said. His case continues to draw attention because of Maxwell’s and Epstein’s connections to elite figures, including royals, heads of state and billionaires.
Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence after pleading guilty in December 2021 to charges of orchestrating the sexual abuse of minors on behalf of Epstein.
Last week, the convicted woman gave an interview to Justice Department officials in Florida, answering questions from “about 100 different people,” her defense attorney said.
The deputy attorney general clarified that the questioning concerned compliance with Trump's demands to collect and publish evidence related to possible crimes by third parties.
The current president denies knowledge of Epstein's illegal activities, insisting on cutting off contact with him, but continues to face questions on the subject.
When recently asked by reporters about the possibility of pardoning Maxwell, Trump chose to switch to discussing his administration's accomplishments.
Former Manhattan federal prosecutors interviewed by The Associated Press said the declassified transcripts are likely to be brief and include only formal testimony from law enforcement officials that back up already known allegations.
In a filing Tuesday, the Justice Department downplayed expectations for the materials' contents, noting that key aspects of the documents had already been disclosed during Maxwell's trial.
According to the memorandum, victims' testimony presented to the jury was duplicated in court and partially made public through civil lawsuits.
Authorities stressed that there had been no requests for declassification from representatives of the Epstein or Maxwell families, although the latter said she intended to present an official position.
Under the terms of a 2008 plea deal, Epstein pleaded guilty to sexual assault and prostitution charges in Florida, avoiding a life sentence. He was given 13 months in prison, with restitution and registration on the sex offender registry.
In 2019, federal prosecutors in Manhattan brought similar charges against him.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
