A judge ruled on Monday that the transcripts of secret grand jury testimony from Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking case won’t be released.
The Department of Justice has sought to release the testimony from the ex-girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein after being under fire from critics who believe the government is not releasing information about Epstein.
Judge Paul A. Engelmayer said in a written ruling that the government had suggested the materials could be released publicly “casually or promiscuously,” which would risk “unraveling the foundations of secrecy upon which the grand jury is premised” and eroding confidence by persons called to testify before future grand juries.”
“And it is no answer to argue that releasing the grand jury materials, because they are redundant of the evidence at Maxwell’s trial, would be innocuous. The same could be said for almost any grand jury testimony, by summary witnesses or others, given in support of charges that later proceeded to trial,” he added.
The DOJ said in a memo in July only law enforcement testified during grand jury proceedings.
Maxwell was recently interviewed by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and reportedly told officials that former President Donald Trump “never did anything concerning” around her, according to an ABC News report.
The DOJ is considering making the interview public, with some officials questioning how truthful she was being. Shortly after the interview, Maxwell was moved from Florida to a minimum security facility for women in Texas.
Another federal judge is weighing whether to release the transcripts from the grand jury testimony that led to Epstein’s indictment.
Maxwell, who’s appealing her conviction, opposed unsealing the documents. Her lawyers said she hasn’t seen them but believed they were full of questionable statements her defense had no opportunity to challenge.
Editor’s note: The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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