Judge keeps Ghislaine Maxwell trial records under seal

A federal judge in Manhattan on Monday rejected a request from the Department of Justice to release grand jury transcripts from the case that resulted in Maxwell’s 2022 conviction for sex trafficking. The Trump administration had sought to release testimony and exhibits from cases involving the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associate, Maxwell. In his ruling Monday, Judge Paul Engelmayer said releasing the materials from Maxwell’s case was not a matter of historical or public interest and said that much of the information was already presented during the trial. In his harsh opinion, the Obama appointee said the government’s motion to unseal the documents may have been intended to divert public attention.

What led up to the decision? The DOJ on Friday expanded its request for two New York federal judges to unseal materials related to Epstein and Maxwell. In addition to grand jury transcripts, the department also asked for the release of the testimony of two law enforcement witnesses and evidence included in the proceedings. The department asked the judges to wait until Aug. 14 to make their decision while authorities notified individuals whose names appeared in the evidence.

Some victims of the two convicted sex offenders want all alleged coconspirators to be named publicly and held accountable, according to a letter submitted by victim Annie Farmer’s lawyer. Other victims criticized the Trump administration’s decision to transfer Maxwell to a less restrictive prison after she participated in interviews with DOJ officials. She is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.

Dig deeper: Read Leo Briceno’s report about the House of Representatives' decision to subpoena the Clintons and others with connections to Epstein.