Judge orders Jeffrey Epstein-related grand jury records in Florida to be released publicly

A federal judge in Florida has ordered the release of material from grand jury investigations into sex offender Jeffrey Epstein from 2005 and 2007

A federal judge in Florida has ordered the release of material from grand jury investigations into sex offender Jeffrey Epstein from 2005 and 2007.

A similar bid was rejected earlier this year, but U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith said he was granting the Justice Department's renewed request in light of the bill that Congress passed last month requiring the DOJ to release all of its records related to Epstein.

The newly passed Epstein Files Transparency Act calls for the release of "unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials that relate to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell," and the specific language of the law overrides the traditional secrecy of grand jury materials, Smith wrote.

It's unclear when the materials will become public. In its motion asking for the materials to be released, the Justice Department said it "will work with the relevant United States Attorney’s Offices to make appropriate redactions of victim-related and other personal identifying information."

The grand jury investigation was conducted in West Palm Beach, near Epstein's home. Federal prosecutors were investigating whether the financier was preying on scores of underage girls in his mansion.