Federal Judge Denies DOJ Request to Unseal Epstein Grand Jury Records

A federal judge in New York, U.S. District Judge Richard Berman, has denied the Trump administration's request to unseal grand jury transcripts and exhibits related to Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking case. The court ruled that the Justice Department failed to demonstrate any "special circumstance" that would justify releasing the materials, emphasizing the importance of maintaining grand jury secrecy to protect victims. This denial follows a similar decision by the judge in the Ghislaine Maxwell case, Epstein's associate who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking convictions. Epstein died by suicide in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The Justice Department is expected to begin sharing Epstein-related files with Congress, but the grand jury transcripts will remain sealed for now. The ruling underscores the judiciary's cautious approach to balancing transparency with victim protection in high-profile cases involving sexual abuse.