MIAMI (BN24) — Roy Black, the influential criminal defense attorney who helped negotiate Jeffrey Epstein’s controversial 2008 plea deal, has died at the age of 80, his law partner confirmed Monday.
Black died at his Coral Gables home following an illness, ending a legal career that spanned more than five decades and placed him at the center of some of the most high-profile trials in the United States.
“For more than 30 years, Roy was my teacher, mentor, and friend,” said fellow attorney Howard Srebnick in a statement to The Associated Press. “The personal and professional loss I feel is immeasurable.”
Black gained national attention in 1991 after winning an acquittal in the televised rape trial of William Kennedy Smith, a member of the Kennedy family. The case was groundbreaking, not just for its courtroom drama, but for its unprecedented media exposure, as much of the trial aired live with the accuser’s identity concealed.
Yet Black’s legacy remains inseparable from his role in defending Epstein, the disgraced financier later charged with sex trafficking of minors. In 2006, Black was part of the legal team that defended Epstein against state charges in Florida for soliciting sex from underage girls. Two years later, Epstein struck a secretive plea deal with federal prosecutors, allowing him to avoid more serious federal charges by pleading guilty to lesser state offenses. He was sentenced to 18 months in jail but served just 13 months, much of it on work release.
The plea agreement later came under intense public scrutiny. Two victims filed a lawsuit claiming that the deal violated the Crime Victims’ Rights Act because they were never notified or consulted. In response, Black defended the legality of the agreement, insisting in court filings that it was not a “sweetheart deal,” as critics alleged, and denied any effort to conceal facts from victims or the public.
In 2015, Black and attorney Martin Weinberg filed motions seeking to block the release of private communications between Epstein’s legal team and federal prosecutors during the plea negotiations, arguing such disclosures would cause “irreparable harm” to Epstein. The financier died by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on new federal charges.
Beyond the Epstein case, Black’s client list included a mix of celebrities and high-profile figures. He represented pop star Justin Bieber, who was arrested in Miami in 2014 for drag racing and DUI; Bieber ultimately pleaded guilty to lesser charges. Black also successfully defended IndyCar champion Helio Castroneves in a high-profile federal tax evasion case.
Colleagues and fellow attorneys praised Black’s legal brilliance and commitment to criminal defense. David O. Markus, a fellow Miami defense lawyer, described Black as “the GOAT” — the greatest of all time — and likened his courtroom prowess to Michael Jordan’s dominance on the basketball court.
“He worked harder than any lawyer I know,” Markus told the AP. “And he outlawyered every prosecutor he ever went up against. His impact on criminal defense is beyond measure.”
Jackie Perczek, another of Black’s law partners, said he taught her the importance of standing up for the vulnerable. “It’s a lawyer’s duty to fiercely battle the oppressors and support the underdog,” she said. “This generation and many to come stand on his shoulders.”
His wife, Lea Black, told the Miami Herald that her husband always fought for civil rights and second chances. “He understood that we all have our flaws,” she said. “He was able to separate people’s behavior from their character. He wanted the best for everyone.”
Roy Black is survived by Lea, their son RJ, and daughter Nora. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
