A federal judge in New York who presided over the sex trafficking case against the late financier Jeffrey Epstein has rejected the government’s request to unseal grand jury transcripts. The ruling Wednesday by federal Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan came after the judge presiding over the case against British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell also turned down the government’s request.

Judge Richard Berman who presided over the N.Y. sex trafficking trial for Epstein calls the attempt to get the transcripts unsealed a "diversion."