Roy Black, a criminal defense attorney who defended notable clients, including disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, died Monday at 80 years old, his law firm confirmed.
Black’s partner, Howard Srebnick, who joined his law firm 30 years ago, confirmed his death in a press release to The Hill, calling him the “greatest criminal lawyer of our generation, perhaps in American history.” Srebnick also noted Black’s ability to achieve acquittals “over a span of 50 years in some of the most challenging and notorious cases of all time.” He described him as “my teacher, mentor and friend.”
Black died at his home in Coral Gables, Fla., after battling an illness.
“For more than 30 years, Roy was my teacher, mentor and friend,” Srebnick said in an email to The Associated Press. “The loss(es) I feel personally and professionally are immeasurable.”
The Hill has reached out to their law firm, Black Srebnick, for comment.
Black’s wife, “The Real Housewives of Miami” alum Lea Black, also confirmed his death to People magazine.
“Thank you all for your blessings,” she told the magazine. “We will be announcing details for a tribute and celebration of life in a few weeks.”
Black represented a wide array of star-studded clients, including singer Justin Bieber, race car driver Hélio Castroneves and political commentator Rush Limbaugh.
He also won the acquittal of William Kennedy Smith in 1991. Smith was nephew of former president John F. Kennedy, former Attorney General and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy (D-Mass.) and former Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), who was accused of assaulting a woman in Palm Beach after a night of heavy drinking, according to the AP.
Arguably, his most notable client was Epstein, whom he won a 2008 plea agreement in which the billionaire was given just 13 months in prison. Accused of leading a sex trafficking operation involving underage girls, Epstein avoided significant prison time under the agreement — pleading guilty to two prostitution charges and serving just more than one year in jail while having work-release privileges.
Epstein’s case has taken the spotlight in the past few weeks as the Trump administration has faced criticism over its handling of the case files. While the president has repeatedly attempted to tamper down speculation, Americans — including Trump’s crucial MAGA base — are calling for more transparency on the issue.
This story was updated at 12:20 p.m.
