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A federal judge in Florida has denied a request by former President Donald Trump’s Justice Department to unseal grand jury records related to Jeffrey Epstein’s early sex crime investigations in West Palm Beach.
In an order issued on July 23, Judge Robin L. Rosenberg stated she lacks the authority to release the grand jury transcripts from 2005 and 2007, citing binding precedent from the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The ruling emphasized that such records can only be unsealed under strict legal exceptions, such as for judicial proceedings or foreign criminal cases.
“The Court’s hands are tied,” Rosenberg wrote in her decision.
The sealed materials relate to a federal investigation into Epstein that was effectively sidelined when Epstein secured a controversial plea deal in 2008. Often referred to as the “deal of the century,” the agreement saw Epstein plead guilty to state-level prostitution charges in exchange for avoiding federal prosecution—despite a draft indictment that included over 60 counts of sex trafficking and abuse involving minors.
That deal was struck by a Florida federal prosecutor after concerns were raised by Palm Beach Police Chief Michael Reiter, who had called for the removal of Palm Beach County State Attorney Barry Krischer from the case due to the unusual and questionable direction the prosecution had taken.
In a stunning revelation, a 2024 release of the state grand jury transcripts—made public following a legal battle by The Palm Beach Post—showed that Krischer’s office had discredited child victims during their testimony, even suggesting to a 14-year-old that she had committed a crime.
“You’re aware that you’ve committed a crime?” the prosecutor asked.
“Now I am,” she replied. “I didn’t know it was a crime when I was doing it.”
This latest federal court ruling does not affect ongoing efforts by the Justice Department to unseal similar grand jury materials in Manhattan federal court, related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of sex trafficking in a separate case.
The battle over sealed documents continues to shine a spotlight on the long-standing mishandling of Epstein’s case and the systemic failures that allowed a powerful predator to evade meaningful justice for years.
