In December, a federal court judge ordered that names relating to Epstein’s court documents be released.  More than 150 individuals are named, including alleged abusers and those who were abused.  The release of the names comes amid continued outrage over the perception that those who abused minors are being more protected than those who were abused.  While many high-ranking and powerful individuals have been rumored to have been clients and contacts of convicted sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein who hung himself in his jail cell in late 2019, the release confirms names and provides dark details.

Famous figures on the list include: Star Wars Director George Lucas, Alan Dershowitz, King of Pop Michael Jackson, magician David Copperfield, Pope John Paul II, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Pritzker, Bill Richardson, fmr. VP Al Gore, scientist Stephen Hawking, and Fmr. President Bill Clinton.  It is important to note that names mentioned do not imply guilt, merely that they are mentioned.  For example, Fmr. President Donald Trump was mentioned, with the context being that the questioning individual asked the witness whether Trump had been seen on Epstein Island.  The witness answered no to all mentions of Donald Trump that would implicate guilt or complicitness in Mr. Epstein’s heinous crimes.

The contrary can be said about Bill Clinton.  He is mentioned 73 times in the Epstein, notably his preferences, and that Ghislane Maxwell, longtime partner, and friend of Epstein, as well as a convicted sex offender, purportedly flew Clinton around in a helicopter – although that testimony is scrutinized by the defense.  The most damning and embarrassing detail of the testimony implicating President Clinton goes as follows below.

Another huge name that was listed a whopping 76 times is Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, brother to King Charles III of England, and son of the late Queen Elizabeth II.  An individual referred to as Jane Doe #3 identifies Prince Andrew and testifies to having been forced in some cases to have engaged in sexual relations with the Duke of York, in Maxwell’s apartment, as well as engaged in a group activity at Epstein’s island in the US Virgin Islands with numerous underage girls.  Specifics and the screenshot below are taken from page 129 of the first released Epstein court documents pdf provided here.

While the internet has provided some black comedy that I’m sure many have unfortunately laughed at, regrettably, the wheelchair memes relating to Stephen Hawking rushing to Epstein Island to engage in group activities with underage minors are indeed mentioned on page 391 of that pdf, where evidence is presented in an email from Jeffrey Epstein to Ghislane Maxwell which refers to dinner with the Clintons, as well as that Stephen Hawking (misspelled as “stven”) engaged in an underage orgy.

Many celebrities have been humiliated, forced to retreat into more private lives, and shocked to find their names on this list.  Guilty or not, it is more important to have empathy not for the hundreds of celebrities who were friends with Epstein, whether they knew his guilt or not, but rather for the dozens of victims who were subjected to inappropriate, heinous, and intolerable actions at the hands of Epstein and Maxwell.  Additionally, we may find from this list, celebrities who share that same guilt and await justice. 

While President George W. Bush said this of his decision to ask Congress to declare war on Al Qaeda following the 9/11 attacks, nonetheless his quote on justice remains true in this very case.

“Whether we bring our enemies to justice, or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done.”