Numerous victims of Jeffrey Epstein took aim at the “public legitimization” of his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell as they urged a federal judge considering unsealing grand jury transcripts to take their privacy into account when making his decision.
Lawyers Brad Edwards and Paul Cassell, who represent numerous victims, including a woman who testified at Maxwell’s criminal trial, also questioned the motives of the Justice Department as the Trump administration tries to tamp down criticism from some of his most ardent supporters after deciding not to release a trove of investigative files.
In a letter filed Tuesday to the judge overseeing the Maxwell case, the lawyers said Maxwell’s meeting with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche last month and her transfer to a lower security prison was “jarring” for victims.
“For survivors who bravely testified, the perception that Ms. Maxwell is being legitimized in public discourse has already resulted in re-traumatization,” they wrote.
The letter offered the most critical reaction to date from victims of Epstein and Maxwell, some of whom have long-standing distrust of the federal government’s history investigating Epstein.
