Epstein lawyer Roy Black dies at age 80, firm says

Florida lawyer Roy Black, widely known for representing several high-profile clients including William Kennedy Smith in his 1991 nationally publicized rape trial as well as Jeffrey Epstein, has died at age 80, his law firm confirmed.

The renowned defense attorney died on July 21 at his home in Coral Gables, located around 5 miles west of Miami, according to the Black Srebnick firm.

“Roy Black is widely recognized as one of the greatest criminal defense attorneys in American legal history,” the law firm said in a statement shared with USA TODAY. The firm applauded Black for his decades-long career and “reputation for relentless preparation, courtroom mastery, and unwavering ethical standards.”

The New York native has represented celebrities ranging from Justin Bieber to race car driver Helio Castroneves, but is arguably best known for securing the acquittal of Kennedy Smith, a former physician and nephew of the late President John F. Kennedy. Smith was implicated but not charged in the sexual assault of a Florida woman in Palm Beach. The case received national attention largely due to its live television coverage.

“Roy’s absence will be deeply felt throughout the legal community, but his legacy — defined by fairness, diligence, compassion, and winning spirit — will continue to shine through the countless lives he impacted,” the firm added.

He is survived by his wife and “Real Housewives of Miami” alum Lea Black, with whom he shared their son RJ, as well as his daughter Nora, from a previous marriage. In 1994, he married Black, who had previously served as a juror in the Kennedy Smith case.

“Thank you for all the blessings,” Lea Black wrote on an Instagram post. “We will be announcing details for a tribute and celebration of life in a few weeks.”

Who is Roy Black?

Black was a prominent Florida defense attorney known for several high-profile clients, including Epstein and Kennedy Smith. He is also widely recognized as a legal analyst appearing on television to offer his insights.

He was born in 1945 in New York but raised in both Connecticut and the Caribbean, according to Black Srebnick.

As an adjunct professor, Black taught criminal evidence courses at his alma mater, the University of Miami School of Law, as early as 1973. He is the published author of the 1999 book “Black’s Law: A Criminal Lawyer Reveals His Defense Strategies in Four Cliffhanger Cases.”

“For more than 30 years, Roy was my teacher, mentor and friend. Roy was the greatest criminal lawyer of our generation, perhaps in American history, achieving acquittals over a span of 50 years in some of the most challenging and notorious cases of all time,” Black’s friend and law partner Howard Srebnick said in a statement.

When did Black represent Epstein?

Black was among the team of attorneys who handled the infamous Epstein case when the prominent financier was accused of sexually abusing children for more than a decade, the Associated Press reported.

While Epstein never sat for trial, he pleaded guilty to the solicitation of prostitution and solicitation of a minor for prostitution in Florida in 2008.

Following Epstein’s 2019 death in a New York jail cell, Black aimed to prevent his victims from reopening a non-prosecution agreement that allowed Epstein to plead guilty to a lesser state charge, according to AP.