The Lawyer Who Brokered Jeffrey Epstein's 2008 Plea Deal Has Died — Here's What We Know
"His impact on criminal defense is beyond measure."
Published July 23 2025, 10:47 a.m. ET
Back in 2006, Jeffrey Epstein was staring down the barrel of some potentially hefty prison time. In the early 2000s, the financier had been charged with running a sex-trafficking ring that included girls as young as 14, per PBS. If convicted, he could have gotten life in prison.
The prosecutor in the case was Alex Acosta, who was eventually appointed as President Trump's Labor Secretary from 2017 to 2019. Epstein was defended by a team of lawyers, including Roy Black, a prominent Miami defense attorney. He brokered a sweetheart plea deal that resulted in the financier getting 13 months in a county jail, most of which was spent on work release. Black died in July 2025 at the age of 80. Here's what we know about his cause of death.
Here's what we know about Jeffrey Epstein defender, lawyer Roy Black's cause of death.
A cause of death has not been reported at this time, but according to The Miami Herald, the father of two died at his home in Coral Gables, Fla., on July 21, 2025. In an email to the Associated Press, Black's law partner, Howard Srebnick, described Black as his "teacher, mentor, and friend." He went on to say that the losses he feels personally and professionally are immeasurable.
When it came to his talents as a criminal defense attorney, Black was known as the GOAT. His colleague David O. Markus jokingly compared Black to Michael Jordan. "He worked harder than any lawyer I know," said Markus in an email to the AP. At the end of the day, Black "outlawyered" every prosecutor he came up against. "His impact on criminal defense is beyond measure," added Markus.
Epstein wasn't Black's only high-profile case. He defended Justin Bieber during his infamous driving under the influence case, which involved the singer's expensive Lamborghini. His other clients included people like Rush Limbaugh, "Varsity Blues" defendant Amid Khoury, and William Kennedy Smith, who was acquitted of rape in 1991.
Black is survived by his wife Lea Black, who was a juror in the Kennedy Smith trial. Lea was also an original cast member on The Real Housewives of Miami. The couple shared a son, RJ. Black had a daughter, Nora, from a previous marriage.