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The Latest On The Jeffrey Epstein Case, Barriers To The Ballot, And ‘Say Their Names’ Mural Honors Gun Violence Victims

'Say Their Names Mural' at the Bakehouse in Wynwood by Chire Regans, whose artist name is Vanta Black.
Courtesy of Chire Regans
'Say Their Names Mural' at the Bakehouse in Wynwood by Chire Regans, whose artist name is Vanta Black.

Testimony from one of the key figures in the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case has been made public, barriers to the ballot box and commemorating victims of gun violence through art.

This post was updated Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 4:50 p.m. to correct where Ghislaine Maxwell is being held in custody.

On this Monday, Oct. 26, episode of Sundial:

An Update On Epstein Sex Trafficking Case

Testimony from Ghislane Maxwell, one of the key players in the sex trafficking case against Jeffrey Epstein, was recently made public after her lawyer’s multiple attempts to keep it concealed.

The 465-page transcript from the former employee and partner of Epstein sheds new light on who was involved in the sex trafficking ring that started in Palm Beach County.

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“In the transcript, she mysteriously has no idea how he made his money and offered almost no detail about him, which made it one of the reasons why people found the transcript so fascinating — that she had such selective memory,” said Kevin G. Hall, a McClatchy senior investigative reporter.

He added that the documents connect several prominent public figures to the case. These include former President Bill Clinton, whose name appears 20 or more times in flight logs, although he denies ever visiting Little St. James — Epstein’s 70-acre private island in the Caribbean. And Britain's Prince Andrew, who was photographed in Maxwell's apartment with Virginia Roberts, who has accused him, Epstein and others of sexually abusing her when she was a minor.

“She's been denied bail. So she's continuing to be held in a Manhattan jail cell for her own protection (Note: Maxwell is being held in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn). It's quite a comedown for someone who is used to the life of a British socialite,” said Hall. “Barring anything unexpected, like a settlement of some sort, she's scheduled to go to trial in July.”

We spoke with Hall, who combed through the 465-page transcript, for an update on the case.

An Update On Epstein Sex Trafficking Case
Ghislaine Maxwell has been arrested on charges that she helped Jeffrey Epstein recruit underage girls for sexual abuse. The two are seen here in 2005.

Barriers To The Ballot

The election will be over in eight days and millions of voters have already cast their ballots throughout the country.

But what about the voters who didn’t or those whose votes might not be counted? A new investigative project by the Center for Public Integrity and Stateline, an initiative with the Pew Charitable Trusts, is looking into these “barriers to the ballot box.”

“Since the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in 2013 there has been a widespread amount of polling place closures across the country,” said Matt Vasilogambros, a reporter with Stateline and the Pew Charitable Trusts.

“Barriers to the ballot box can really apply to a lot of policies it could be voter ID, it could be strict witness signatures on vote-by-mail, but it can also be confusion and voter intimidation and disinformation.”

We spoke with Vasilogambros about how poll closures, the coronavirus and legal challenges are creating barriers to voting.

Barriers To The Ballot

‘Say Their Names’ Mural Honors Gun Violence Victims

When our loved ones leave us — we remember them through images and we tell their stories, sharing their names proudly.

In the same way, artist Chire Regans, whose artist name is VantaBlack, has dedicated her work to honoring those who have been affected by gun violence.

She started the Memorial Portrait Project after the 2016 killing of six-year-old King Carter. King was shot as he walked from his home in North Miami to a nearby store to buy candy.

Since then, Regans has made more than 200 portraits of gun violence victims. And she’s now working on a new mural titled “Say Their Names,” also dedicated to the victims and their families.

“I try to be that voice in these conversations with law enforcement and other members of the community. It’s a different perspective that is needed in these dialogues because there are so many families that cannot speak for themselves because they don’t trust these entities,” said Regans, who also serves on the Miami-Dade Community Relations Board’s criminal justice and law enforcement committee.

We spoke with Regans, who is being recognized by Oolite Arts as the 2020 Ellies Social Justice Award winner for her commitment to social awareness and change.

‘Say Their Names’ Mural Honors Gun Violence Victims

Leslie Ovalle Atkinson is the former lead producer behind Sundial. As a multimedia producer, she also worked on visual and digital storytelling.
Suria is Sundial's fall 2020 high school intern and a production assistant.