In this 2005 photo, infamous pedophile Jeffrey Epstein poses with his arm around longtime confidante and co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell. (Joe Schildhorn/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
While the department maintains it stands by the memo’s findings, the filing emphasizes that "transparency to the American public is of the utmost importance to this Administration." Given the intense public interest, the DOJ told the court it is moving to unseal the underlying grand jury transcripts to shed light on its investigative work in the Epstein matter.
The DOJ said it will work with prosecutors to redact all victim names and personal identifying information from the transcripts before any release.
"Transparency in this process will not be at the expense of our obligation under the law to protect victims," the motion assured.
Epstein, 66, was indicted by a New York grand jury July 2, 2019, on sex trafficking charges. Just over a month later, on Aug. 10, 2019, he died by suicide in his jail cell while awaiting trial, and the case was dismissed.
LEGAL PATHWAY CLEARLY EXISTS FOR TRUMP'S REQUEST TO MAKE EPSTEIN GRAND JURY TESTIMONY PUBLIC
The Department of Justice moved Friday to release evidence and testimony from the grand juries of both Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein. (U.S. Department of Justice/Mega)
The DOJ argues Epstein’s case is exactly such a special circumstance given its unparalleled notoriety.
"Public officials, lawmakers, pundits, and ordinary citizens remain deeply interested and concerned about the Epstein matter," the motion notes.
The motion points out that a Florida judge last year ordered the release of some Epstein grand jury records after concluding the financier was "the most infamous pedophile in American history" and that the facts of Epstein’s case "tell a tale of national disgrace."
By the DOJ’s account, the sealed grand jury transcripts are "critical pieces of an important moment in our nation’s history," and "[t]he time for the public to guess what they contain should end."
The motion stresses that Epstein’s death means any privacy interests on his side are now "substantially diminished." And even though Maxwell is still fighting her conviction, prosecutors said the extraordinary public scrutiny around the Epstein saga justifies pressing ahead with unsealing now.
For these reasons, the DOJ is urging the court to conclude that the Epstein and Maxwell cases qualify as matters of public interest and to grant the unsealing of the grand jury transcripts while lifting any protective orders.
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The unsealing would shine unprecedented light on one of America’s most notorious criminal cases, a move the department says is legally justified and necessary in the name of public accountability.
The DOJ did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Fox News' Mike Ruiz contributed to this report.
Jasmine is a writer at Fox News Digital and a military spouse. Stories can be sent to jasmine.baehr@fox.com or to @JasmineSBaehr via X.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/justice-department-moves-unseal-epstein-maxwell-grand-jury-transcripts-amid-calls-transparency