WASHINGTON, Jun 26: A federal judge has ordered the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to release additional unredacted records related to disgraced late financier and sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein, or explain by July 2 why the material cannot be disclosed, in a ruling that could increase pressure on the department over its handling of the files.
US District Judge Emmet Sullivan on Thursday granted a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit brought by media legal analyst Katie Phang, directing the DOJ to comply by July 2.
As per the lawsuit, the department allegedly failed to fully implement last year's Epstein Act, despite releasing around 3.5 million pages of documents under the legislation, reports Axios.
Phang alleged that the DOJ, under Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, improperly withheld or heavily redacted additional records that should have been made public.
In his ruling, Sullivan noted that Phang alleged that the DOJ redacted the names of senders and recipients in "at least eight email exchanges" with Epstein regarding a "torture video" and alleged sexual activity involving young women, including minors.
The lawsuit further claimed that the DOJ removed the names of alleged co-defendants and individuals identified as "co-conspirators" from a draft indictment.
In addition, Phang claimed the Justice Department withheld 36 records mentioning President Donald Trump, including FBI interview notes from a woman who claimed Epstein introduced her to Trump in the 1980s, when she was about 13 years old, and alleged that Trump assaulted her.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein and has not been charged with any crime connected to the allegations.
The DOJ argued in a court filing earlier this month that Phang lacked standing to sue because she should have pursued the records through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). However, Phang's legal team said previous FOIA requests seeking the Epstein files had already been denied.
The DOJ did not immediately comment following Thursday's ruling.
(UNI)
