Who is mentioned in this document?

The document mentions Jeffrey Epstein, Attorney General William Barr, Judge Richard Berman (who presided over Epstein's criminal case), and the Bureau of Prisons (BOP). The prosecutors' names are redacted, but they are identified as Assistant United States Attorneys from SDNY working at One Saint Andrew's Plaza in New York.

What does this document reveal?

The document reveals internal DOJ skepticism toward Judge Berman's public statements about the Epstein investigation. Prosecutors privately mocked Berman for speaking to the press ('Almost as though he's putting on a show for the press') and expressed concern about his courtroom conduct. This suggests tension between the judiciary and Justice Department over accountability for Epstein's death in custody.

Why is this document significant?

This document provides a rare glimpse into how federal prosecutors privately viewed judicial criticism of their agency. It shows SDNY attorneys dismissing Judge Berman's concerns about the Epstein death investigation as grandstanding, despite Berman's legitimate questions about accountability for the high-profile prisoner's death remaining unanswered.

Who is mentioned in this document?

The document mentions Jeffrey Epstein, Attorney General William Barr, Judge Richard Berman (who presided over Epstein's criminal case), and the Bureau of Prisons (BOP). The prosecutors' names are redacted, but they are identified as Assistant United States Attorneys from SDNY working at One Saint Andrew's Plaza in New York.

What does this document reveal?

The document reveals internal DOJ skepticism toward Judge Berman's public statements about the Epstein investigation. Prosecutors privately mocked Berman for speaking to the press ('Almost as though he's putting on a show for the press') and expressed concern about his courtroom conduct. This suggests tension between the judiciary and Justice Department over accountability for Epstein's death in custody.

Why is this document significant?

This document provides a rare glimpse into how federal prosecutors privately viewed judicial criticism of their agency. It shows SDNY attorneys dismissing Judge Berman's concerns about the Epstein death investigation as grandstanding, despite Berman's legitimate questions about accountability for the high-profile prisoner's death remaining unanswered.

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Internal SDNY prosecutor emails from May 2020 discussing Judge Richard Berman's public criticism of Attorney General Barr's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's death at the Metropolitan Correctional Center.

This email chain shows federal prosecutors from the Southern District of New York (SDNY) sharing a Daily News article about Judge Richard Berman—who presided over Epstein's criminal case—publicly stating that Barr had not conducted a 'satisfactory investigation' into Epstein's death and the Bureau of Prisons' handling of the case. The prosecutors comment that Berman appears to be 'putting on a show for the press' and express concern about unpredictable behavior in an upcoming court appearance, suggesting internal tensions between the judiciary and Justice Department leadership.

Key Highlights

•Judge Berman publicly criticized AG Barr's investigation into Epstein's death as unsatisfactory during a May 2020 sentencing hearing
•SDNY prosecutors privately discussed Berman's public statements, with one noting he 'just can't help himself'
•Prosecutors expressed concern about upcoming proceedings, writing 'we're worried he'll do something crazy'
•The emails reveal friction between the federal judge and DOJ leadership over the Epstein death investigation

Frequently Asked Questions

Books for Further Reading

Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story

Julie K. Brown

Investigative journalism that broke the Epstein case open

Filthy Rich: The Jeffrey Epstein Story

James Patterson

Bestselling account of Epstein's crimes and network

Relentless Pursuit: My Fight for the Victims of Jeffrey Epstein

Bradley J. Edwards

Victims' attorney's firsthand account

Document Information

Bates Range

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Pages

Document Content

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From: ' To: ' (USANYS)" < Subject: RE: Sentencing with Berman Date: Wed, 06 May 2020 23:51:30 +0000 Right like presumably the defense attorney in that random case wasn't the one who called the Daily News to get them quotes... Let me know if he does do anything fun tomorrow! And good luck to EH From: (USANYS) Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2020 19:50 To: Subject: Re: Sentencing with Berman < Almost as though he's putting on a show for the press. has something with him tomorrow morning and we're worried he'll do something crazy. Sent from my iPhone On May 6, 2020, at 7:45 PM, wrote: https://www.nydailynews.cominew-york/ny-judge-berman-epstein-barr-bop-20200506-a6p4hvI3tncpndjbz2pda2hsde- story.html From: (USANYS) Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2020 12:34 To: Subject: RE: Sentencing with Berman Omg. Amazing. He just can't help himself. From: I < Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2020 12:33 PM To: (USANYS) Subject: FW: Sentencing with Berman From: Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2020 12:32 To: Subject: Fwd: Sentencing with Berman ) EFTA00025499

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Sent from my iPhone Begin forwarded message: From: ' (USANYS)" Date: May 5, 2020 at 12:26:14 PM EDT To: " 1" c > Subject: Sentencing with Berman Sua sponte talking right now about how he thinks Barr hasn't done a satisfactory investigation about Epstein's death and BOP generally in the wake of his death. Assistant United States Attorney United States Attorney's Office Southern District of New York One Saint Andrew's Plaza New York, New York 10007 EFTA00025500