Federal court may reveal trove of evidence to the public in Epstein sex trafficking case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is headed towards releasing a trove of evidence in a controversial case involving alleged sex trafficking by billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.

The Miami Herald filed the motion to unseal documents related to a settlement made in 2017 by Epstein's former partner Ghislaine Maxwell and a woman accusing Maxwell of coercing her into a prostitution operation involving Epstein.

"We're grateful that the court ruled the summary judgment papers are open and they are moving to expedite having them unsealed,'' said the Miami Herald's lawyer Sanford Bohrer.

The court will make a decision about releasing the documents after lawyers for Maxwell make their case against it.

Epstein agreed to plead guilty to two counts of prostitution under a controversial agreement made in 2008, but numerous other parties were granted immunity from federal prosecution.

The agreement was made under former Miami U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta, who is now working as the secretary for the Department of Labor in President Donald Trump's administration.

Epstein served 13 months in the Palm Beach County jail, but was allowed to leave for 12 hours a day for a work release program.

"Mr. Epstein has gone to prison and made enormous monetary settlements relying on his negotiated agreement," said his lawyers in response to the possibility of documents being unsealed. "He is entitled to finality like every other defendant."

In February a federal judge ruled that the non-prosecution agreement violated the Crime Victims' Rights Act because the victims were not informed about the plea deal.

Here's the latest in the Epstein controversy:

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