Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is approving a new law that allows secret grand jury testimony in cases that meet specific criteria to be made public – including evidence against Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019.
The law is limited to cases in which the suspect is dead, and the crimes involve sexual misdeeds against minors. It will take effect on July 1.
Two Epstein accusers are joining the governor for the signing ceremony in Palm Beach.
Jeffrey Epstein attends Launch of Radar Magazine at Hotel QT on May 18, 2005 in New York City. (Neil Rasmus/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
Separately, a group of Epstein accusers sued the FBI earlier this month, alleging the bureau failed to properly investigate allegations against the predatory financier as far back as 1996.
Citing police documents from Epstein’s 2006 arrest in Palm Beach, it alleges that Epstein recruited girls between 14 and 16 as well as students at Palm Beach Community College for “sex-tinged sessions.”
JEFFREY EPSTEIN DOCUMENTS: FINAL FILES REVEAL TRAFFICKING ALLEGATIONS AGAINST PROMINENT FIGURES
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to supporters at LaBelle Winery on Jan. 17, 2024 in Rockingham County, New Hampshire. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Despite the allegations, Epstein got a sweetheart plea deal on federal charges in 2008 in connection with that case and was only charged with more serious crimes in 2019 after a series of Miami Herald reports unveiled the lenient terms of his initial punishment.
“Epstein served 13 months in jail, during which time he was allowed to leave for work release during the day,” the lawsuit reads. “He continued to sexually abuse victims during his work release in close proximity to those who were supposed to be monitoring him.”
REFILE – QUALITY REPEAT U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein appears in a photograph taken for the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services’ sex offender registry March 28, 2017 and obtained by Reuters July 10, 2019. (New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services/Handout via REUTERS)
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Epstein died in a federal jail cell. Officially, his death was ruled a suicide. His brother and outside experts have rejected that conclusion.