In a significant development, the Florida Legislature has unanimously passed a bill that would make the transcripts of a 2006 grand jury investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's sexual assaults of underage girls available to the public. The bill, which has now been sent to Governor Ron DeSantis for approval, is set to take effect on July 1.
The move comes after a lawsuit filed by the Palm Beach Post in 2019 to unseal the grand jury proceedings and shed light on why minimal charges were brought. A circuit judge's ruling in 2021 initially stated that the court lacked the authority to release the records, but a state appeals court overturned this decision last year, citing a state law that allows for the public release of grand jury records in the interest of justice.
The new bill specifies that records can be disclosed if the subject of the grand jury inquiry is deceased or if the investigation pertains to sexual activity involving a minor. Palm Beach County Court Clerk Joseph Abruzzo, who holds the records, has expressed a willingness to release the documents in the spirit of transparency.
Jeffrey Epstein, who was 66 at the time of his death by suicide in a New York City federal jail in 2019, was facing charges of sex trafficking. His case drew attention to Florida's handling of the matter, particularly following investigative reporting by the Miami Herald in 2018.
Epstein's plea deal in 2008, which saw him plead guilty to state charges related to procuring a minor for prostitution, resulted in an 18-month jail sentence followed by house arrest. During his time in custody, Epstein was granted privileges such as staying in an isolated cell and participating in a work-release program.
Epstein's former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2021 for her role in facilitating Epstein's abuse of young girls.
