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Case 1:20-cr-00330-PAE Document 809 _ Filed 08/11/25 Page 22 of 31
public-record trial testimony of firsthand witnesses, and thus is not of significant historical or
public interest, there is arguably no charter for even undertaking the Jn re Craig inquiry. After
all, the “special circumstances” exception to Rule 6(e) only applies in “exceptional
circumstances,” not to “garden variety” grand jury testimony. /n re Craig, 131 F.3d at 103
(citation omitted); see also Gov’t Mem. at 3-4 (“acknowledg[ing] the extraordinary nature of
[its] request”).
Nonetheless, for completeness, the Court evaluates the Government’s motion in light of
the non-exhaustive factors listed in Jn re Craig. The Court also addresses two other factors
implicated by the motion: the perspectives of Epstein’s and Maxwell’s victims, as expressed in
letters to the Court; and the systemic interest in grand jury secrecy.
As this assessment shows, the Government has failed, by a wide margin, to carry its
burden. These factors, considered together, favor denial of its motion to unseal.
1. Identity of the Party Seeking Disclosure
This factor ordinarily carries “great weight,” and “the government’s position should be
paid considerable heed.” Jn re Craig, 131 F.3d at 106. But the Government’s position is “not
dispositive.” Jd. “Government support cannot ‘confer’ disclosure, nor can government
opposition preclude it.” /d. And courts in this District, applying the Jn re Craig factors, have
ruled against the Government’s position. See Jn re National Security Archive, 104 F. Supp. 3d
at 628-29 (ordering, over Government’s objection, disclosure of testimony of two witnesses
before grand jury that indicted Julius and Ethel Rosenberg for espionage); Jn re AHA, 49 F.
Supp. 2d at 278, 297-98 (ordering, over Government’s objection, disclosure of testimony before
grand juries that investigated and/or indicted Alger Hiss for espionage).
This factor favors disclosure. But for two reasons, the Court accords this factor limited
weight.
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| Filename | DOJ-OGR-00015154.jpg |
| File Size | 694.0 KB |
| OCR Confidence | 93.4% |
| Has Readable Text | Yes |
| Text Length | 2,041 characters |
| Indexed | 2026-02-03 18:53:23.320319 |