Topline
Grand jury testimony transcripts from a 2006 child sex abuse investigation into Jeffrey Epstein will likely be released later this year, after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed a bill Thursday morning that allows for the sealed documents to be made public.
A new Florida law is scheduled to go into effect July 1, meaning the grand jury documents from the ... [+]
Key Facts
DeSantis, who said in a statement “the public deserves to know who participated in Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking,” signed the bill with two Epstein accusers by his side Thursday morning.
The law allows grand jury testimony to be released if the subject is dead, the investigation was about sexual activity with a minor, the testimony was previously disclosed by a court order and the prosecutor is notified—all of which apply to Epstein’s case, according to a press release from DeSantis.
In 2006, Florida officials investigated Epstein for unlawful sexual activity with a minor and lewd or lascivious molestation—though state prosecutors didn’t charge Epstein, they presented evidence to a grand jury, which allowed details to stay under seal.
Epstein eventually made a deal with prosecutors in which he avoided severe charges and instead pleaded guilty to procuring a person under 18 for prostitution and solicitation of prostitution and was sentenced to 18 months in jail, a punishment DeSantis reportedly called “wholly inadequate for the crime.”
Crucial Quote
“Nobody should be protected from facing justice due to their wealth or status, and those who harm children should be exposed and punished to the fullest extent of the law,” DeSantis said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, after the signing.
What To Watch For
The law is set to go into effect on July 1, meaning documents and testimony could be released any time after that.
Key Background
Epstein—who died while in jail—was charged with federal sex trafficking crimes in New York in 2019. Epstein faced two counts of sex trafficking and sex trafficking conspiracy, and pleaded not guilty. The federal indictment came after a Miami Herald investigation into Epstein, years after Florida investigated the now-disgraced financier for similar charges. The state received criticism for the unusually lenient plea deal he was given over a decade earlier that allowed for him and his co-conspirators to have immunity and have the documents sealed. As a result of that investigation and plea deal, Epstein served a 13-month prison sentence and registered as a sex offender. Last month, new documents about Epstein’s trafficking were released as part of a settlement between alleged victim Virginia Giuffre and one of Epstein’s main associates, Ghislaine Maxwell. Those documents made public at least 150 names of people who had relationships of some kind with Epstein—including former Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump and Prince Andrew—though all have denied any wrongdoing.
Further Reading
