Roy Black is dead at 80

[Bob Juch]

https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/07/23/ ... ead-at-80/

A Florida lawyer who helped Jeffrey Epstein avoid a lengthy federal prison sentence in 2007 after the disgraced financier pleaded to prostitution charges involving a minor is dead.

Roy Black’s legal partner Howard Srebnick confirmed Wednesday the “immeasurable” death of his 80-year-old colleague, whose clients also included William Kennedy Smith, Rush Limbaugh and Justin Bieber.

Black was part of a legal team that defended Epstein after the sexual predator came under investigation in 2005, when the family of a 14-year-old girl reported she was molested by the well-connected multimillionaire in Palm Beach, Fla., according to The Daily Beast.

Other girls later alleged Epstein had approached them for inappropriate contact.

Epstein’s team cut a nonprosecution agreement with prosecutors that allowed their well-connected client to serve a little over a year in a county jail. The plea was agreed to by U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta, who was appointed to President Trump’s cabinet in 2017.

Black’s death comes as scrutiny around Trump’s association with Epstein continues to gain momentum after The Wall Street Journal unearthed last week what it called a “bawdy” 2003 correspondence between the pair. Trump denies that note’s authenticity and is suing the paper.

Black’s most high-profile legal victory was arguably the successful defense of Smith after the Kennedy family offspring was accused of rape in 1991. That assault allegedly took place at the Kennedy family compound in Palm Beach after the accuser met Smith and Sen. Ted Kennedy in an area bar and returned with the two to the compound.

A six-member jury — that included Black’s future wife, former “Real Housewives of Miami” star Lea Black (nee Haller) — acquitted Smith on all charges. The couple married in 1994. They remained together and had two children.

Defense attorney David Markus told The Associated Press that Black was the best lawyer he ever saw practice the trade.

“He worked harder than any lawyer I know and he outlawyered every prosecutor who he ever went up against,” Markus said in an email. “I will miss him. His impact on criminal defense is beyond measure.”

Black died Monday in his Miami-area home, according to the Miami Herald. He was reportedly battling an unspecified illness.