Judge rules Epstein grand jury records from 2019 case can be released

A federal judge in New York has ruled the US Department of Justice can publicly release grand jury records from Jeffrey Epstein's 2019 sex trafficking case.

US District Judge Richard Berman's ruling reverses his previous decision to keep the material sealed. He cited a new law passed by Congress requiring the justice department to release files about Epstein by the end of next week.

Esptein was charged with sex trafficking in July 2019. He died in a New York prison cell a month later while awaiting trail.

The latest ruling comes a day after another judge made a similar ruling in the case of Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 for her role in facilitating Epstein's abuse.

In his ruling, Judge Berman said the victims have the right to "have their identity and privacy protected", adding that their "safety and privacy are paramount".

The Epstein Files Transparency Act was signed into law by US President Donald Trump last month. It requires the justice department to release investigative material related to Epstein by 19 December, including unclassified records, documents and communications.

The law also allows the department to withhold files that involve active criminal investigations or raise privacy concerns.