Month: July 2025

A federal judge in Florida denied a Justice Department request to unseal grand jury records tied to federal investigations into Jeffrey Epstein,

A public order released Wednesday by district judge Robin Rosenberg stated that her “hands are tied” in releasing  transcripts related to federal grand juries which convened in West Palm Beach from 2005 and 2007 in connection with the investigation into Epstein, given an existing precedent in the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals which only permits the disclosure of such grand jury materials under narrow exceptions.

Judge Rosenberg faulted the Justice Department for failing to outline sufficient arguments to justify the unsealing of the records, which are normally protected under strict secrecy rules. The Florida ruling was separate from a request that the Justice Department has pending related to a grand jury in the Southern District of New York, where Epstein was ultimately indicted. Judge Rosenberg also denied a request to transfer the issue into the jurisdiction of the Southern District of New York.

Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial in New York. His accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in 2021 and is now serving a 20-year sentence.

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District Court Judge Steven Hippler sentenced Bryan Kohberger, 30, to four consecutive life sentences for the 2022 fatal stabbings of four University of Idaho students. The victims’ families and others involved in the case provided emotional impact statements at court, including the two surviving roommates of the victims.

Hippler acknowledged Kohberger’s motive may never be known as he sentenced him to four counts of first-degree murder and burglary in the deaths of roommates Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen and Xana Kernodle, and Kernodle’s boyfriend, Ethan Chapin. Kohberger must also pay a fine of $50,000 and a civil penalty of $5,000 payable to the family of each victim per count.

The four victims were stabbed to death at the girls’ off-campus house on Nov. 13, 2022. On July 2, weeks before the trial was set to start, Kohberger pleaded guilty to all counts and waived his right to appeal in exchange for prosecutors agreeing not to seek a death sentence. Kohberger told the judge he “respectfully” declined to speak at the sentencing hearing.

Judge Hippler vacated a gag order last week that prevented certain lawyers and members of law enforcement from speaking publicly, and will soon determine which documents may be unsealed – which could potentially disclose new evidentiary information in a case in which even the motive for the crime may never be known.

The judge called Kohberger a “coward” who “slithered through the sliding glass door at 1122 King Road” and “now stands unmasked…this unfathomable and senseless act of evil has caused immeasurable pain and loss. No parent should ever have to bury their child. This is the greatest tragedy that can be inflicted upon a person. We are now certain who committed these unspeakable acts of evil, but what we don’t know, and what we may never know, is why.”  Hipper said he wants to know the motive, but that “by continuing to focus on why, we continue to give Mr. Kohberger relevance, and the spotlight, attention and power he appears to crave.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt opened Wednesday’s press briefing by addressing the victims’ families: “We are so sorry for the grief and the pain you have experienced at the hands of such a vicious and evil killer. Our nation grieves with you, and we will never forget the precious souls who were lost in this horrific act of evil.” Leavitt also reiterated President Donald Trump’s message from earlier this week that he wants Kohberger to reveal a motive: “If it were up to the president, he would have forced this monster to publicly explain why he chose to steal these innocent souls.”

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Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that Deputy Attorney Todd Blanche will meet with Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, sometime in the “coming days.”

Blanche said Tuesday that Bond has directed him to inquire with Maxwell, the longtime friend and business associate of Epstein, to see if she is willing to meet to go over details in the case.

The Trump administration and Bondi’s Justice Department have seen backlash from Trump’s political supporters and lawmakers demanding critical details and other information in the Epstein case, which has sparked conspiracy theories over his August 2019 death in prison ruled to be suicide.

Blanche said in the statement posted by Bondi on X: “This Department of Justice does not shy away from uncomfortable truths, nor from the responsibility to pursue justice wherever the facts may lead.  The joint statement by the DOJ and FBI of July 6 remains as accurate today as it was when it was written.  Namely, that in the recent thorough review of the files maintained by the FBI in the Epstein case, no evidence was uncovered that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.  President Trump has told us to release all credible evidence. If Ghislane Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say.   Therefore, at the direction of Attorney General Bondi, I have communicated with counsel for Ms. Maxwell to determine whether she would be willing to speak with prosecutors from the Department.  I anticipate meeting with Ms. Maxwell in the coming days.  Until now, no administration on behalf of the Department had inquired about her willingness to meet with the government.  That changes now.” 

In a follow-up post, Blanche claimed that “for the first time, the Department of Justice is reaching out to Ghislaine Maxwell to ask: what do you know? I intend to meet with her soon. No one is above the law — and no lead is off-limits.”

Ghislaine Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence on sex-trafficking charges; she was convicted and sentenced in June 2022 and was denied a review by the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year. However, the Justice Department urged the high court to reject Maxwell’s appeal.

On Tuesday, Maxwell’s attorney said the Department of Justice did reach out and expressed gratitude over the announcement. Maxwell’s attorney David Oscar Markus wrote on social media: “I can confirm that we are in discussions with the government and that Ghislaine will always testify truthfully. We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case. We have no other comment at this time.”

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