WASHINGTON (USA) (ITALPRESS) – A federal judge authorized the U.S. Department of Justice to publicize investigative documents relating to the case of sexual traffic that involved Ghislaine Maxwell, long-time confidant of Jeffrey Epstein. The decision, taken by Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, arrives after the request made by the Department of Justice last November to unlock transcripts and documents of the grand jury, including hundreds, if not thousands, of pages so far unpublished. The release of the materials, provided within ten days, will have to take place with appropriate preparations to protect the identity of the victims. It is the second federal judge to allow the publication of documents relating to Epstein and Maxwell, after a similar decision in Florida. Documents include investigations, search warrants, interviews with survivors, financial records and correspondences, elements that could offer new information on the criminal network and any complicity. For many years, the transcripts of the grand jury were protected by strict rules of secrecy, considered essential to ensure the confidentiality of witnesses and freedom of investigation.
The recent public pressure and the vote of Congress with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, however, imposed the Department of Justice to publicize unclassified materials, favouring greater transparency on the case. The reactions were not expected. Many victims and their lawyers have expressed concerns about the protection of privacy, while groups for human rights and journalists have defined the decision a historical moment for transparency and justice, potentially able to bring out links and responsibilities so far unknown. Maxwell’s defence warned that the publication of documents could affect future appeals or revisions. The issue of documents could further clarify the operational methods of the criminal network and the dynamics that characterized the Epstein case, offering the public and the authorities new evaluation elements.
At the same time, the judge reiterated the need to balance transparency with the protection of victims, excluding from disclosure any materials still linked to ongoing investigations or containing sensitive information. This decision marks a significant precedent in the United States, demonstrating that even cases already closed can be subject to public review and underlining the importance of transparency in federal investigations on crimes of great importance and social impact.
– photo xp6/Italpress –
(ITALPRESS).
