Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill on Thursday aimed at releasing decades-old state grand jury records linked to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, who died in his prison cell in 2019.
Despite its timing late in the legislative session, the bill stood as one of the few agenda items Governor DeSantis committed to signing, as reported by Politico.
The legislation, as outlined by Politico, permits access to investigative documents dating back over 20 years, originating from Palm Beach authorities’ initial inquiry into Epstein’s alleged sexual abuse of minors. Following a referral to a grand jury, the case culminated in a plea agreement that spared Epstein federal prosecution and lengthy imprisonment.
The plea deal was overseen by then-federal prosecutor Alex Acosta, who subsequently assumed a position in the Trump administration as labor secretary. Revelations by the Miami Herald regarding Acosta’s handling of the Epstein case triggered public outcry, leading to his resignation from the cabinet post.
Epstein’s death in 2019, while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, fueled online speculation suggesting it may not have been a suicide.
Following Epstein’s arrest in Manhattan federal court, Governor DeSantis initiated an investigation into the plea agreement. However, as per Politico, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement concluded in 2021 that investigators and prosecutors had not engaged in misconduct.
