Jeffrey Epstein’s former lawyer said, ‘I want everything out,’ as documents release date is delayed
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
A former lawyer for the now-deceased Jeffrey Epstein, Alan Dershowitz, said he believes that the judge has not released everything related to a civil lawsuit against his former client, saying that every document should be given to the public now.
“I don’t think the judge put everything out. I think she was selective in what she put out, and that’s unfair,” Dershowitz said during NewsNation’s “On Balance with Leland Vittert.” “I want everything out — every document, every piece of paper. Half-truths are lies.”
Dershowitz, who has represented many high profile and celebrity clients, was part of the defense team for the first criminal case against Epstein. “I wanted (the names) out for personal reasons because I know that they would prove what I’ve said from Day 1, that I’ve done nothing wrong,” Dershowitz said. “I have nothing to hide.”
After U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska had previously ordered the names to be released to the public beginning Jan. 1, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York confirmed to NewsNation that the documents won’t be unsealed until at least Jan. 22.
Reports confirm that the delay approved by a judge granted a 30-day extension to a Jane Doe to consider her appeal to remain confidential.
Related
Why have the Epstein documents release been delayed?
Newsweek reported that some social media users have claimed that this delay was made after an objection was made by a woman identified in the lawsuit as “Doe 107.” However, this claim may not be the case.
The woman reportedly requested that her name not be revealed, but she was not listed among the more than 150 to be named in Preska’s order.
The DOE 107 conspiracy theory nuts are out in force tonight, even though Jane/John Doe 107 is likely an Epstein and Maxwell victim that should protected if so. When you don’t understand anything, everything is a conspiracy. pic.twitter.com/C6h61PbH1r
— Orson Rayson (@OrsonRayson) January 3, 2024
Richard Levitt, the attorney representing the woman, reportedly asked the judge for “clarification on what records related to his client could be released at a later date,” over concerns that the woman lives in a “culturally conservative country outside the U.S.” and she fears that being identified may cause threats on her life.
As it is unclear if anyone on the list actually participated in sexual encounters with any underage girls, there likely won’t be legal implications for those on the list unless there is evidence of wrongdoings.
Criminal defense attorney Janet Johnson told NewsNation, “These names were actually kept secret because the judge found that because they did not do anything wrong, there wasn’t any reason at that point to release them and embarrass them.”
Related
Why does Epstein’s lawyer want the documents released?
The Miami Herald has been working to unseal the court documents since 2018.
Dershowitz said once the court documents are released, the public can finally form an opinion about those who have interacted with Epstein or were involved in his circle.
“He was very well thought of in the beginning. None of us knew about his private life that he kept so secret,” Dershowitz said. “There is a difference between what happened after he was convicted and the nature of the relationship after he was convicted, and everybody should judge for themselves.”
Who is Jeffrey Epstein?
The New York Times described Epstein as a “disgraced financier” who “preyed” upon underaged girls, some as young as 14-years-old, and payed them for sex acts.
The Department of Justice published that the exploitation and abuse of “dozens of minor girls” took place “at his home in Manhattan, New York and Palm Beach, Florida, among other locations,” such as his island in the Caribbean.
The exact length of time Epstein got away with the abuse and the number of victims involved has been difficult to report, according to The Cut.
Epstein first faced criminal charges in 2006 after the family of a 14-year-old girl reported that “she was molested at his mansion” in 2005, according to the Associated Press.
He reportedly died by suicide in 2019 before his associate in these crimes, Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in 2021 as a result of a lawsuit brought forward by one of their victims, Virginia Giuffre.
The names set to be revealed after Jan. 22 come from the court documents and transcripts from the Giuffre v. Maxwell lawsuit already settled.
