Overview

• U.S. District Judge Richard Berman rejected the Justice Department’s motion, ruling that grand jury secrecy under Rule 6(e) controls and that no exception or special circumstance applies.
• He cited possible risks to survivors’ safety and privacy and found that victims did not receive adequate notice under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act.
• Berman noted the 2019 grand jury record totals roughly 70 pages and consisted of one FBI agent’s largely hearsay testimony plus a PowerPoint and call logs.
• The judge said DOJ holds about 100,000 pages of Epstein investigative material, called its unsealing bid a “diversion,” and wrote that the department is the logical party to disclose broader files.
• The decision is DOJ’s third loss after rulings by Judges Paul Engelmayer and Robin Rosenberg, as the department prepares to begin providing non‑grand‑jury records to the House Oversight Committee under subpoena, with scope and redactions still unsettled.