Over 500 pages in released "Epstein files" are completely redacted - CBS News
Kyiv • UNN
The US Justice Department has released thousands of new documents in the Jeffrey Epstein case, but CBS News found that at least 550 pages are completely redacted. These documents include photos of prominent people, images from his homes, and investigation reports detailing allegations against the late sex offender.
The US Department of Justice released thousands of new documents in the Jeffrey Epstein case on Friday, but at least 550 pages in the documents are completely redacted, CBS News found, writes UNN.
Details
The newly released documents included photographs of several prominent people from Epstein's circle, images from his homes, and investigation records detailing disturbing allegations against the late sex offender. But significant redactions in many records have drawn criticism from Democrats and some Republicans, while the department defends its handling of the documents.
One series of three consecutive documents — 255 pages in total — is completely redacted, with each page covered by a black square. A fourth 119-page document marked "Grand Jury-New York" is also completely redacted. It is unclear from which proceeding this stems, but the document immediately preceding it is a transcript in which a prosecutor in 2020 asks a grand jury to consider evidence for a superseding indictment against Epstein's convicted accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell.
In documents that are mostly, but not entirely, redacted, at least 180 redacted pages appear. In some cases, a title page, a photograph of a folder, or something else not entirely redacted precedes several pages that are completely hidden by a black square.
In other cases, the redactions were "more modest." For example, a 96-page police report on the investigation into Epstein's case in Florida in the mid-2000s contains redacted names of victims and other details, but leaves many other details.
And some of the thousands of photographs included in Friday's release are partially redacted, with the faces of some people hidden by squares. Photographs depicting former US President Bill Clinton, pop star Michael Jackson, and other prominent figures are partially redacted (although Clinton and Jackson themselves are fully visible).
Some of the redactions appear to conceal the names of victims, but it is not clear in every case why the information was redacted. The government is required to provide Congress with a list of redactions within 15 days. The law explicitly prohibits the government from redacting records due to the risk of "embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity." The US Department of Justice stated on X that no politicians' names were redacted from the documents.
US Department of Justice releases new batch of Epstein files20.12.25, 04:14 • 3704 views