Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier accused of orchestrating a sex-trafficking ring involving girls, died by suicide and not foul play, according to a watchdog report released nearly four years after his death that highlighted negligence, misconduct and other failures at the New York jail.
Epstein, 66, was able to kill himself amid lax oversight at the Metropolitan Correctional Center a little over a month after federal authorities took him into custody, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said in a report released Tuesday.
“Numerous and serious” instances of misconduct and dereliction of duty contributed to a setting that allowed “arguably one of the most notorious inmates” in the Federal Bureau of Prison’s custody the opportunity to take his own life, Horowitz said.
Epstein was found hanging by a bedsheet in his cell on Aug. 10, 2019. At the time, he had pleaded not guilty to numerous charges and was facing up to 45 years in prison involving allegations of sex trafficking that dated to the early 2000s. The wealthy hedge fund manager, who once counted as friends former presidents Clinton and Trump, Great Britain’s Prince Andrew and Alan Dershowitz, died while in custody.
He was placed in a special housing unit on July 23, 2019, after an apparent suicide attempt, according to reporting from the Associated Press. In the special unit, staff were required to observe all inmates; conduct rounds and inmate counts; and search inmate cells, according to the inspector general’s report.
Epstein was on suicide watch while in the unit, but then that status was removed. He also was housed with a cellmate, but the day before he died, his cellmate was transferred out of the detention center. The staff was aware that Epstein was alone but did not take steps to assign him a new cellmate. And staff did not carry out their responsibilities in the hours before Epstein’s death, according to the report.
Only one cell in the unit was searched on Aug. 9 and it was not Epstein’s. The report said that none of the required inmate counts were done after 4 p.m and staff did not conduct their 30-minute rounds after about 10:40 p.m.
“Had Epstein’s cell been searched as required, the search would have revealed that Epstein had excess prison blankets, linens, and clothing in his cell,” according to the report.
The staff also “falsified count slips and round sheets to show that they had been performed when they were not, leaving Epstein unobserved for hours before his death,” according to the report.
Two Metropolitan Correctional Center employees were criminally charged with falsifying records, but those charges were later dismissed when the employees complied with terms of deferred prosecution agreements entered with the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, according to the report.
The report also noted that the video camera surveillance system in the special unit did not work — a longstanding issue in the detention center. While cameras provided live feeds to the staff’s monitoring stations, nearly all of the cameras in and around the special unit where Epstein was being housed stopped recording video in late July 2019 and were not working at the time of Epstein’s death, according to the report.
There is also no evidence in the inspector general’s report that contradicts the previous findings from the FBI that Epstein’s death was not result of foul play. The New York City Chief Medical Examiner also determined that Epstein died by suicide.
“While the [Office of the Inspector General] determined [Metropolitan Correctional Center] New York staff engaged in significant misconduct and dereliction of their duties, we did not uncover evidence contradicting the FBI’s determination regarding the absence of criminality in connection with Epstein’s death,” the report said.
Horowitz called the Bureau of Prison’s failures troubling not only because staff did not keep watch over a person in their custody, but also because Epstein’s death prematurely ended the process of criminal justice. The staff’s failures “effectively deprived Epstein’s numerous victims of the opportunity to seek justice through the criminal justice process,” the report said.
Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier accused of orchestrating a sex-trafficking ring involving girls, died by suicide and not foul play, according to a watchdog report released nearly four years after his death that highlighted negligence, misconduct and other failures at the New York jail.
Epstein, 66, was able to kill himself amid lax oversight at the Metropolitan Correctional Center a little over a month after federal authorities took him into custody, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said in a report released Tuesday.
“Numerous and serious” instances of misconduct and dereliction of duty contributed to a setting that allowed “arguably one of the most notorious inmates” in the Federal Bureau of Prison’s custody the opportunity to take his own life, Horowitz said.
Epstein was found hanging by a bedsheet in his cell on Aug. 10, 2019. At the time, he had pleaded not guilty to numerous charges and was facing up to 45 years in prison involving allegations of sex trafficking that dated to the early 2000s. The wealthy hedge fund manager, who once counted as friends former presidents Clinton and Trump, Great Britain’s Prince Andrew and Alan Dershowitz, died while in custody.
He was placed in a special housing unit on July 23, 2019, after an apparent suicide attempt, according to reporting from the Associated Press. In the special unit, staff were required to observe all inmates; conduct rounds and inmate counts; and search inmate cells, according to the inspector general’s report.
Epstein was on suicide watch while in the unit, but then that status was removed. He also was housed with a cellmate, but the day before he died, his cellmate was transferred out of the detention center. The staff was aware that Epstein was alone but did not take steps to assign him a new cellmate. And staff did not carry out their responsibilities in the hours before Epstein’s death, according to the report.
Only one cell in the unit was searched on Aug. 9 and it was not Epstein’s. The report said that none of the required inmate counts were done after 4 p.m and staff did not conduct their 30-minute rounds after about 10:40 p.m.
“Had Epstein’s cell been searched as required, the search would have revealed that Epstein had excess prison blankets, linens, and clothing in his cell,” according to the report.
The staff also “falsified count slips and round sheets to show that they had been performed when they were not, leaving Epstein unobserved for hours before his death,” according to the report.
Two Metropolitan Correctional Center employees were criminally charged with falsifying records, but those charges were later dismissed when the employees complied with terms of deferred prosecution agreements entered with the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, according to the report.
The report also noted that the video camera surveillance system in the special unit did not work — a longstanding issue in the detention center. While cameras provided live feeds to the staff’s monitoring stations, nearly all of the cameras in and around the special unit where Epstein was being housed stopped recording video in late July 2019 and were not working at the time of Epstein’s death, according to the report.
There is also no evidence in the inspector general’s report that contradicts the previous findings from the FBI that Epstein’s death was not result of foul play. The New York City Chief Medical Examiner also determined that Epstein died by suicide.
“While the [Office of the Inspector General] determined [Metropolitan Correctional Center] New York staff engaged in significant misconduct and dereliction of their duties, we did not uncover evidence contradicting the FBI’s determination regarding the absence of criminality in connection with Epstein’s death,” the report said.
Horowitz called the Bureau of Prison’s failures troubling not only because staff did not keep watch over a person in their custody, but also because Epstein’s death prematurely ended the process of criminal justice. The staff’s failures “effectively deprived Epstein’s numerous victims of the opportunity to seek justice through the criminal justice process,” the report said.
Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier accused of orchestrating a sex-trafficking ring involving girls, died by suicide and not foul play, according to a watchdog report released nearly four years after his death that highlighted negligence, misconduct and other failures at the New York jail.
Epstein, 66, was able to kill himself amid lax oversight at the Metropolitan Correctional Center a little over a month after federal authorities took him into custody, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said in a report released Tuesday.
“Numerous and serious” instances of misconduct and dereliction of duty contributed to a setting that allowed “arguably one of the most notorious inmates” in the Federal Bureau of Prison’s custody the opportunity to take his own life, Horowitz said.
Epstein was found hanging by a bedsheet in his cell on Aug. 10, 2019. At the time, he had pleaded not guilty to numerous charges and was facing up to 45 years in prison involving allegations of sex trafficking that dated to the early 2000s. The wealthy hedge fund manager, who once counted as friends former presidents Clinton and Trump, Great Britain’s Prince Andrew and Alan Dershowitz, died while in custody.
He was placed in a special housing unit on July 23, 2019, after an apparent suicide attempt, according to reporting from the Associated Press. In the special unit, staff were required to observe all inmates; conduct rounds and inmate counts; and search inmate cells, according to the inspector general’s report.
Epstein was on suicide watch while in the unit, but then that status was removed. He also was housed with a cellmate, but the day before he died, his cellmate was transferred out of the detention center. The staff was aware that Epstein was alone but did not take steps to assign him a new cellmate. And staff did not carry out their responsibilities in the hours before Epstein’s death, according to the report.
Only one cell in the unit was searched on Aug. 9 and it was not Epstein’s. The report said that none of the required inmate counts were done after 4 p.m and staff did not conduct their 30-minute rounds after about 10:40 p.m.
“Had Epstein’s cell been searched as required, the search would have revealed that Epstein had excess prison blankets, linens, and clothing in his cell,” according to the report.
The staff also “falsified count slips and round sheets to show that they had been performed when they were not, leaving Epstein unobserved for hours before his death,” according to the report.
Two Metropolitan Correctional Center employees were criminally charged with falsifying records, but those charges were later dismissed when the employees complied with terms of deferred prosecution agreements entered with the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, according to the report.
The report also noted that the video camera surveillance system in the special unit did not work — a longstanding issue in the detention center. While cameras provided live feeds to the staff’s monitoring stations, nearly all of the cameras in and around the special unit where Epstein was being housed stopped recording video in late July 2019 and were not working at the time of Epstein’s death, according to the report.
There is also no evidence in the inspector general’s report that contradicts the previous findings from the FBI that Epstein’s death was not result of foul play. The New York City Chief Medical Examiner also determined that Epstein died by suicide.
“While the [Office of the Inspector General] determined [Metropolitan Correctional Center] New York staff engaged in significant misconduct and dereliction of their duties, we did not uncover evidence contradicting the FBI’s determination regarding the absence of criminality in connection with Epstein’s death,” the report said.
Horowitz called the Bureau of Prison’s failures troubling not only because staff did not keep watch over a person in their custody, but also because Epstein’s death prematurely ended the process of criminal justice. The staff’s failures “effectively deprived Epstein’s numerous victims of the opportunity to seek justice through the criminal justice process,” the report said.
Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier accused of orchestrating a sex-trafficking ring involving girls, died by suicide and not foul play, according to a watchdog report released nearly four years after his death that highlighted negligence, misconduct and other failures at the New York jail.
Epstein, 66, was able to kill himself amid lax oversight at the Metropolitan Correctional Center a little over a month after federal authorities took him into custody, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said in a report released Tuesday.
“Numerous and serious” instances of misconduct and dereliction of duty contributed to a setting that allowed “arguably one of the most notorious inmates” in the Federal Bureau of Prison’s custody the opportunity to take his own life, Horowitz said.
Epstein was found hanging by a bedsheet in his cell on Aug. 10, 2019. At the time, he had pleaded not guilty to numerous charges and was facing up to 45 years in prison involving allegations of sex trafficking that dated to the early 2000s. The wealthy hedge fund manager, who once counted as friends former presidents Clinton and Trump, Great Britain’s Prince Andrew and Alan Dershowitz, died while in custody.
He was placed in a special housing unit on July 23, 2019, after an apparent suicide attempt, according to reporting from the Associated Press. In the special unit, staff were required to observe all inmates; conduct rounds and inmate counts; and search inmate cells, according to the inspector general’s report.
Epstein was on suicide watch while in the unit, but then that status was removed. He also was housed with a cellmate, but the day before he died, his cellmate was transferred out of the detention center. The staff was aware that Epstein was alone but did not take steps to assign him a new cellmate. And staff did not carry out their responsibilities in the hours before Epstein’s death, according to the report.
Only one cell in the unit was searched on Aug. 9 and it was not Epstein’s. The report said that none of the required inmate counts were done after 4 p.m and staff did not conduct their 30-minute rounds after about 10:40 p.m.
“Had Epstein’s cell been searched as required, the search would have revealed that Epstein had excess prison blankets, linens, and clothing in his cell,” according to the report.
The staff also “falsified count slips and round sheets to show that they had been performed when they were not, leaving Epstein unobserved for hours before his death,” according to the report.
Two Metropolitan Correctional Center employees were criminally charged with falsifying records, but those charges were later dismissed when the employees complied with terms of deferred prosecution agreements entered with the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, according to the report.
The report also noted that the video camera surveillance system in the special unit did not work — a longstanding issue in the detention center. While cameras provided live feeds to the staff’s monitoring stations, nearly all of the cameras in and around the special unit where Epstein was being housed stopped recording video in late July 2019 and were not working at the time of Epstein’s death, according to the report.
There is also no evidence in the inspector general’s report that contradicts the previous findings from the FBI that Epstein’s death was not result of foul play. The New York City Chief Medical Examiner also determined that Epstein died by suicide.
“While the [Office of the Inspector General] determined [Metropolitan Correctional Center] New York staff engaged in significant misconduct and dereliction of their duties, we did not uncover evidence contradicting the FBI’s determination regarding the absence of criminality in connection with Epstein’s death,” the report said.
Horowitz called the Bureau of Prison’s failures troubling not only because staff did not keep watch over a person in their custody, but also because Epstein’s death prematurely ended the process of criminal justice. The staff’s failures “effectively deprived Epstein’s numerous victims of the opportunity to seek justice through the criminal justice process,” the report said.
Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier accused of orchestrating a sex-trafficking ring involving girls, died by suicide and not foul play, according to a watchdog report released nearly four years after his death that highlighted negligence, misconduct and other failures at the New York jail.
Epstein, 66, was able to kill himself amid lax oversight at the Metropolitan Correctional Center a little over a month after federal authorities took him into custody, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said in a report released Tuesday.
“Numerous and serious” instances of misconduct and dereliction of duty contributed to a setting that allowed “arguably one of the most notorious inmates” in the Federal Bureau of Prison’s custody the opportunity to take his own life, Horowitz said.
Epstein was found hanging by a bedsheet in his cell on Aug. 10, 2019. At the time, he had pleaded not guilty to numerous charges and was facing up to 45 years in prison involving allegations of sex trafficking that dated to the early 2000s. The wealthy hedge fund manager, who once counted as friends former presidents Clinton and Trump, Great Britain’s Prince Andrew and Alan Dershowitz, died while in custody.
He was placed in a special housing unit on July 23, 2019, after an apparent suicide attempt, according to reporting from the Associated Press. In the special unit, staff were required to observe all inmates; conduct rounds and inmate counts; and search inmate cells, according to the inspector general’s report.
Epstein was on suicide watch while in the unit, but then that status was removed. He also was housed with a cellmate, but the day before he died, his cellmate was transferred out of the detention center. The staff was aware that Epstein was alone but did not take steps to assign him a new cellmate. And staff did not carry out their responsibilities in the hours before Epstein’s death, according to the report.
Only one cell in the unit was searched on Aug. 9 and it was not Epstein’s. The report said that none of the required inmate counts were done after 4 p.m and staff did not conduct their 30-minute rounds after about 10:40 p.m.
“Had Epstein’s cell been searched as required, the search would have revealed that Epstein had excess prison blankets, linens, and clothing in his cell,” according to the report.
The staff also “falsified count slips and round sheets to show that they had been performed when they were not, leaving Epstein unobserved for hours before his death,” according to the report.
Two Metropolitan Correctional Center employees were criminally charged with falsifying records, but those charges were later dismissed when the employees complied with terms of deferred prosecution agreements entered with the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, according to the report.
The report also noted that the video camera surveillance system in the special unit did not work — a longstanding issue in the detention center. While cameras provided live feeds to the staff’s monitoring stations, nearly all of the cameras in and around the special unit where Epstein was being housed stopped recording video in late July 2019 and were not working at the time of Epstein’s death, according to the report.
There is also no evidence in the inspector general’s report that contradicts the previous findings from the FBI that Epstein’s death was not result of foul play. The New York City Chief Medical Examiner also determined that Epstein died by suicide.
“While the [Office of the Inspector General] determined [Metropolitan Correctional Center] New York staff engaged in significant misconduct and dereliction of their duties, we did not uncover evidence contradicting the FBI’s determination regarding the absence of criminality in connection with Epstein’s death,” the report said.
Horowitz called the Bureau of Prison’s failures troubling not only because staff did not keep watch over a person in their custody, but also because Epstein’s death prematurely ended the process of criminal justice. The staff’s failures “effectively deprived Epstein’s numerous victims of the opportunity to seek justice through the criminal justice process,” the report said.
Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier accused of orchestrating a sex-trafficking ring involving girls, died by suicide and not foul play, according to a watchdog report released nearly four years after his death that highlighted negligence, misconduct and other failures at the New York jail.
Epstein, 66, was able to kill himself amid lax oversight at the Metropolitan Correctional Center a little over a month after federal authorities took him into custody, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said in a report released Tuesday.
“Numerous and serious” instances of misconduct and dereliction of duty contributed to a setting that allowed “arguably one of the most notorious inmates” in the Federal Bureau of Prison’s custody the opportunity to take his own life, Horowitz said.
Epstein was found hanging by a bedsheet in his cell on Aug. 10, 2019. At the time, he had pleaded not guilty to numerous charges and was facing up to 45 years in prison involving allegations of sex trafficking that dated to the early 2000s. The wealthy hedge fund manager, who once counted as friends former presidents Clinton and Trump, Great Britain’s Prince Andrew and Alan Dershowitz, died while in custody.
He was placed in a special housing unit on July 23, 2019, after an apparent suicide attempt, according to reporting from the Associated Press. In the special unit, staff were required to observe all inmates; conduct rounds and inmate counts; and search inmate cells, according to the inspector general’s report.
Epstein was on suicide watch while in the unit, but then that status was removed. He also was housed with a cellmate, but the day before he died, his cellmate was transferred out of the detention center. The staff was aware that Epstein was alone but did not take steps to assign him a new cellmate. And staff did not carry out their responsibilities in the hours before Epstein’s death, according to the report.
Only one cell in the unit was searched on Aug. 9 and it was not Epstein’s. The report said that none of the required inmate counts were done after 4 p.m and staff did not conduct their 30-minute rounds after about 10:40 p.m.
“Had Epstein’s cell been searched as required, the search would have revealed that Epstein had excess prison blankets, linens, and clothing in his cell,” according to the report.
The staff also “falsified count slips and round sheets to show that they had been performed when they were not, leaving Epstein unobserved for hours before his death,” according to the report.
Two Metropolitan Correctional Center employees were criminally charged with falsifying records, but those charges were later dismissed when the employees complied with terms of deferred prosecution agreements entered with the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, according to the report.
The report also noted that the video camera surveillance system in the special unit did not work — a longstanding issue in the detention center. While cameras provided live feeds to the staff’s monitoring stations, nearly all of the cameras in and around the special unit where Epstein was being housed stopped recording video in late July 2019 and were not working at the time of Epstein’s death, according to the report.
There is also no evidence in the inspector general’s report that contradicts the previous findings from the FBI that Epstein’s death was not result of foul play. The New York City Chief Medical Examiner also determined that Epstein died by suicide.
“While the [Office of the Inspector General] determined [Metropolitan Correctional Center] New York staff engaged in significant misconduct and dereliction of their duties, we did not uncover evidence contradicting the FBI’s determination regarding the absence of criminality in connection with Epstein’s death,” the report said.
Horowitz called the Bureau of Prison’s failures troubling not only because staff did not keep watch over a person in their custody, but also because Epstein’s death prematurely ended the process of criminal justice. The staff’s failures “effectively deprived Epstein’s numerous victims of the opportunity to seek justice through the criminal justice process,” the report said.
Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier accused of orchestrating a sex-trafficking ring involving girls, died by suicide and not foul play, according to a watchdog report released nearly four years after his death that highlighted negligence, misconduct and other failures at the New York jail.
Epstein, 66, was able to kill himself amid lax oversight at the Metropolitan Correctional Center a little over a month after federal authorities took him into custody, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said in a report released Tuesday.
“Numerous and serious” instances of misconduct and dereliction of duty contributed to a setting that allowed “arguably one of the most notorious inmates” in the Federal Bureau of Prison’s custody the opportunity to take his own life, Horowitz said.
Epstein was found hanging by a bedsheet in his cell on Aug. 10, 2019. At the time, he had pleaded not guilty to numerous charges and was facing up to 45 years in prison involving allegations of sex trafficking that dated to the early 2000s. The wealthy hedge fund manager, who once counted as friends former presidents Clinton and Trump, Great Britain’s Prince Andrew and Alan Dershowitz, died while in custody.
He was placed in a special housing unit on July 23, 2019, after an apparent suicide attempt, according to reporting from the Associated Press. In the special unit, staff were required to observe all inmates; conduct rounds and inmate counts; and search inmate cells, according to the inspector general’s report.
Epstein was on suicide watch while in the unit, but then that status was removed. He also was housed with a cellmate, but the day before he died, his cellmate was transferred out of the detention center. The staff was aware that Epstein was alone but did not take steps to assign him a new cellmate. And staff did not carry out their responsibilities in the hours before Epstein’s death, according to the report.
Only one cell in the unit was searched on Aug. 9 and it was not Epstein’s. The report said that none of the required inmate counts were done after 4 p.m and staff did not conduct their 30-minute rounds after about 10:40 p.m.
“Had Epstein’s cell been searched as required, the search would have revealed that Epstein had excess prison blankets, linens, and clothing in his cell,” according to the report.
The staff also “falsified count slips and round sheets to show that they had been performed when they were not, leaving Epstein unobserved for hours before his death,” according to the report.
Two Metropolitan Correctional Center employees were criminally charged with falsifying records, but those charges were later dismissed when the employees complied with terms of deferred prosecution agreements entered with the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, according to the report.
The report also noted that the video camera surveillance system in the special unit did not work — a longstanding issue in the detention center. While cameras provided live feeds to the staff’s monitoring stations, nearly all of the cameras in and around the special unit where Epstein was being housed stopped recording video in late July 2019 and were not working at the time of Epstein’s death, according to the report.
There is also no evidence in the inspector general’s report that contradicts the previous findings from the FBI that Epstein’s death was not result of foul play. The New York City Chief Medical Examiner also determined that Epstein died by suicide.
“While the [Office of the Inspector General] determined [Metropolitan Correctional Center] New York staff engaged in significant misconduct and dereliction of their duties, we did not uncover evidence contradicting the FBI’s determination regarding the absence of criminality in connection with Epstein’s death,” the report said.
Horowitz called the Bureau of Prison’s failures troubling not only because staff did not keep watch over a person in their custody, but also because Epstein’s death prematurely ended the process of criminal justice. The staff’s failures “effectively deprived Epstein’s numerous victims of the opportunity to seek justice through the criminal justice process,” the report said.
Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier accused of orchestrating a sex-trafficking ring involving girls, died by suicide and not foul play, according to a watchdog report released nearly four years after his death that highlighted negligence, misconduct and other failures at the New York jail.
Epstein, 66, was able to kill himself amid lax oversight at the Metropolitan Correctional Center a little over a month after federal authorities took him into custody, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said in a report released Tuesday.
“Numerous and serious” instances of misconduct and dereliction of duty contributed to a setting that allowed “arguably one of the most notorious inmates” in the Federal Bureau of Prison’s custody the opportunity to take his own life, Horowitz said.
Epstein was found hanging by a bedsheet in his cell on Aug. 10, 2019. At the time, he had pleaded not guilty to numerous charges and was facing up to 45 years in prison involving allegations of sex trafficking that dated to the early 2000s. The wealthy hedge fund manager, who once counted as friends former presidents Clinton and Trump, Great Britain’s Prince Andrew and Alan Dershowitz, died while in custody.
He was placed in a special housing unit on July 23, 2019, after an apparent suicide attempt, according to reporting from the Associated Press. In the special unit, staff were required to observe all inmates; conduct rounds and inmate counts; and search inmate cells, according to the inspector general’s report.
Epstein was on suicide watch while in the unit, but then that status was removed. He also was housed with a cellmate, but the day before he died, his cellmate was transferred out of the detention center. The staff was aware that Epstein was alone but did not take steps to assign him a new cellmate. And staff did not carry out their responsibilities in the hours before Epstein’s death, according to the report.
Only one cell in the unit was searched on Aug. 9 and it was not Epstein’s. The report said that none of the required inmate counts were done after 4 p.m and staff did not conduct their 30-minute rounds after about 10:40 p.m.
“Had Epstein’s cell been searched as required, the search would have revealed that Epstein had excess prison blankets, linens, and clothing in his cell,” according to the report.
The staff also “falsified count slips and round sheets to show that they had been performed when they were not, leaving Epstein unobserved for hours before his death,” according to the report.
Two Metropolitan Correctional Center employees were criminally charged with falsifying records, but those charges were later dismissed when the employees complied with terms of deferred prosecution agreements entered with the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, according to the report.
The report also noted that the video camera surveillance system in the special unit did not work — a longstanding issue in the detention center. While cameras provided live feeds to the staff’s monitoring stations, nearly all of the cameras in and around the special unit where Epstein was being housed stopped recording video in late July 2019 and were not working at the time of Epstein’s death, according to the report.
There is also no evidence in the inspector general’s report that contradicts the previous findings from the FBI that Epstein’s death was not result of foul play. The New York City Chief Medical Examiner also determined that Epstein died by suicide.
“While the [Office of the Inspector General] determined [Metropolitan Correctional Center] New York staff engaged in significant misconduct and dereliction of their duties, we did not uncover evidence contradicting the FBI’s determination regarding the absence of criminality in connection with Epstein’s death,” the report said.
Horowitz called the Bureau of Prison’s failures troubling not only because staff did not keep watch over a person in their custody, but also because Epstein’s death prematurely ended the process of criminal justice. The staff’s failures “effectively deprived Epstein’s numerous victims of the opportunity to seek justice through the criminal justice process,” the report said.
Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier accused of orchestrating a sex-trafficking ring involving girls, died by suicide and not foul play, according to a watchdog report released nearly four years after his death that highlighted negligence, misconduct and other failures at the New York jail.
Epstein, 66, was able to kill himself amid lax oversight at the Metropolitan Correctional Center a little over a month after federal authorities took him into custody, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said in a report released Tuesday.
“Numerous and serious” instances of misconduct and dereliction of duty contributed to a setting that allowed “arguably one of the most notorious inmates” in the Federal Bureau of Prison’s custody the opportunity to take his own life, Horowitz said.
Epstein was found hanging by a bedsheet in his cell on Aug. 10, 2019. At the time, he had pleaded not guilty to numerous charges and was facing up to 45 years in prison involving allegations of sex trafficking that dated to the early 2000s. The wealthy hedge fund manager, who once counted as friends former presidents Clinton and Trump, Great Britain’s Prince Andrew and Alan Dershowitz, died while in custody.
He was placed in a special housing unit on July 23, 2019, after an apparent suicide attempt, according to reporting from the Associated Press. In the special unit, staff were required to observe all inmates; conduct rounds and inmate counts; and search inmate cells, according to the inspector general’s report.
Epstein was on suicide watch while in the unit, but then that status was removed. He also was housed with a cellmate, but the day before he died, his cellmate was transferred out of the detention center. The staff was aware that Epstein was alone but did not take steps to assign him a new cellmate. And staff did not carry out their responsibilities in the hours before Epstein’s death, according to the report.
Only one cell in the unit was searched on Aug. 9 and it was not Epstein’s. The report said that none of the required inmate counts were done after 4 p.m and staff did not conduct their 30-minute rounds after about 10:40 p.m.
“Had Epstein’s cell been searched as required, the search would have revealed that Epstein had excess prison blankets, linens, and clothing in his cell,” according to the report.
The staff also “falsified count slips and round sheets to show that they had been performed when they were not, leaving Epstein unobserved for hours before his death,” according to the report.
Two Metropolitan Correctional Center employees were criminally charged with falsifying records, but those charges were later dismissed when the employees complied with terms of deferred prosecution agreements entered with the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, according to the report.
The report also noted that the video camera surveillance system in the special unit did not work — a longstanding issue in the detention center. While cameras provided live feeds to the staff’s monitoring stations, nearly all of the cameras in and around the special unit where Epstein was being housed stopped recording video in late July 2019 and were not working at the time of Epstein’s death, according to the report.
There is also no evidence in the inspector general’s report that contradicts the previous findings from the FBI that Epstein’s death was not result of foul play. The New York City Chief Medical Examiner also determined that Epstein died by suicide.
“While the [Office of the Inspector General] determined [Metropolitan Correctional Center] New York staff engaged in significant misconduct and dereliction of their duties, we did not uncover evidence contradicting the FBI’s determination regarding the absence of criminality in connection with Epstein’s death,” the report said.
Horowitz called the Bureau of Prison’s failures troubling not only because staff did not keep watch over a person in their custody, but also because Epstein’s death prematurely ended the process of criminal justice. The staff’s failures “effectively deprived Epstein’s numerous victims of the opportunity to seek justice through the criminal justice process,” the report said.
Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier accused of orchestrating a sex-trafficking ring involving girls, died by suicide and not foul play, according to a watchdog report released nearly four years after his death that highlighted negligence, misconduct and other failures at the New York jail.
Epstein, 66, was able to kill himself amid lax oversight at the Metropolitan Correctional Center a little over a month after federal authorities took him into custody, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said in a report released Tuesday.
“Numerous and serious” instances of misconduct and dereliction of duty contributed to a setting that allowed “arguably one of the most notorious inmates” in the Federal Bureau of Prison’s custody the opportunity to take his own life, Horowitz said.
Epstein was found hanging by a bedsheet in his cell on Aug. 10, 2019. At the time, he had pleaded not guilty to numerous charges and was facing up to 45 years in prison involving allegations of sex trafficking that dated to the early 2000s. The wealthy hedge fund manager, who once counted as friends former presidents Clinton and Trump, Great Britain’s Prince Andrew and Alan Dershowitz, died while in custody.
He was placed in a special housing unit on July 23, 2019, after an apparent suicide attempt, according to reporting from the Associated Press. In the special unit, staff were required to observe all inmates; conduct rounds and inmate counts; and search inmate cells, according to the inspector general’s report.
Epstein was on suicide watch while in the unit, but then that status was removed. He also was housed with a cellmate, but the day before he died, his cellmate was transferred out of the detention center. The staff was aware that Epstein was alone but did not take steps to assign him a new cellmate. And staff did not carry out their responsibilities in the hours before Epstein’s death, according to the report.
Only one cell in the unit was searched on Aug. 9 and it was not Epstein’s. The report said that none of the required inmate counts were done after 4 p.m and staff did not conduct their 30-minute rounds after about 10:40 p.m.
“Had Epstein’s cell been searched as required, the search would have revealed that Epstein had excess prison blankets, linens, and clothing in his cell,” according to the report.
The staff also “falsified count slips and round sheets to show that they had been performed when they were not, leaving Epstein unobserved for hours before his death,” according to the report.
Two Metropolitan Correctional Center employees were criminally charged with falsifying records, but those charges were later dismissed when the employees complied with terms of deferred prosecution agreements entered with the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, according to the report.
The report also noted that the video camera surveillance system in the special unit did not work — a longstanding issue in the detention center. While cameras provided live feeds to the staff’s monitoring stations, nearly all of the cameras in and around the special unit where Epstein was being housed stopped recording video in late July 2019 and were not working at the time of Epstein’s death, according to the report.
There is also no evidence in the inspector general’s report that contradicts the previous findings from the FBI that Epstein’s death was not result of foul play. The New York City Chief Medical Examiner also determined that Epstein died by suicide.
“While the [Office of the Inspector General] determined [Metropolitan Correctional Center] New York staff engaged in significant misconduct and dereliction of their duties, we did not uncover evidence contradicting the FBI’s determination regarding the absence of criminality in connection with Epstein’s death,” the report said.
Horowitz called the Bureau of Prison’s failures troubling not only because staff did not keep watch over a person in their custody, but also because Epstein’s death prematurely ended the process of criminal justice. The staff’s failures “effectively deprived Epstein’s numerous victims of the opportunity to seek justice through the criminal justice process,” the report said.
Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier accused of orchestrating a sex-trafficking ring involving girls, died by suicide and not foul play, according to a watchdog report released nearly four years after his death that highlighted negligence, misconduct and other failures at the New York jail.
Epstein, 66, was able to kill himself amid lax oversight at the Metropolitan Correctional Center a little over a month after federal authorities took him into custody, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said in a report released Tuesday.
“Numerous and serious” instances of misconduct and dereliction of duty contributed to a setting that allowed “arguably one of the most notorious inmates” in the Federal Bureau of Prison’s custody the opportunity to take his own life, Horowitz said.
Epstein was found hanging by a bedsheet in his cell on Aug. 10, 2019. At the time, he had pleaded not guilty to numerous charges and was facing up to 45 years in prison involving allegations of sex trafficking that dated to the early 2000s. The wealthy hedge fund manager, who once counted as friends former presidents Clinton and Trump, Great Britain’s Prince Andrew and Alan Dershowitz, died while in custody.
He was placed in a special housing unit on July 23, 2019, after an apparent suicide attempt, according to reporting from the Associated Press. In the special unit, staff were required to observe all inmates; conduct rounds and inmate counts; and search inmate cells, according to the inspector general’s report.
Epstein was on suicide watch while in the unit, but then that status was removed. He also was housed with a cellmate, but the day before he died, his cellmate was transferred out of the detention center. The staff was aware that Epstein was alone but did not take steps to assign him a new cellmate. And staff did not carry out their responsibilities in the hours before Epstein’s death, according to the report.
Only one cell in the unit was searched on Aug. 9 and it was not Epstein’s. The report said that none of the required inmate counts were done after 4 p.m and staff did not conduct their 30-minute rounds after about 10:40 p.m.
“Had Epstein’s cell been searched as required, the search would have revealed that Epstein had excess prison blankets, linens, and clothing in his cell,” according to the report.
The staff also “falsified count slips and round sheets to show that they had been performed when they were not, leaving Epstein unobserved for hours before his death,” according to the report.
Two Metropolitan Correctional Center employees were criminally charged with falsifying records, but those charges were later dismissed when the employees complied with terms of deferred prosecution agreements entered with the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, according to the report.
The report also noted that the video camera surveillance system in the special unit did not work — a longstanding issue in the detention center. While cameras provided live feeds to the staff’s monitoring stations, nearly all of the cameras in and around the special unit where Epstein was being housed stopped recording video in late July 2019 and were not working at the time of Epstein’s death, according to the report.
There is also no evidence in the inspector general’s report that contradicts the previous findings from the FBI that Epstein’s death was not result of foul play. The New York City Chief Medical Examiner also determined that Epstein died by suicide.
“While the [Office of the Inspector General] determined [Metropolitan Correctional Center] New York staff engaged in significant misconduct and dereliction of their duties, we did not uncover evidence contradicting the FBI’s determination regarding the absence of criminality in connection with Epstein’s death,” the report said.
Horowitz called the Bureau of Prison’s failures troubling not only because staff did not keep watch over a person in their custody, but also because Epstein’s death prematurely ended the process of criminal justice. The staff’s failures “effectively deprived Epstein’s numerous victims of the opportunity to seek justice through the criminal justice process,” the report said.
Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier accused of orchestrating a sex-trafficking ring involving girls, died by suicide and not foul play, according to a watchdog report released nearly four years after his death that highlighted negligence, misconduct and other failures at the New York jail.
Epstein, 66, was able to kill himself amid lax oversight at the Metropolitan Correctional Center a little over a month after federal authorities took him into custody, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said in a report released Tuesday.
“Numerous and serious” instances of misconduct and dereliction of duty contributed to a setting that allowed “arguably one of the most notorious inmates” in the Federal Bureau of Prison’s custody the opportunity to take his own life, Horowitz said.
Epstein was found hanging by a bedsheet in his cell on Aug. 10, 2019. At the time, he had pleaded not guilty to numerous charges and was facing up to 45 years in prison involving allegations of sex trafficking that dated to the early 2000s. The wealthy hedge fund manager, who once counted as friends former presidents Clinton and Trump, Great Britain’s Prince Andrew and Alan Dershowitz, died while in custody.
He was placed in a special housing unit on July 23, 2019, after an apparent suicide attempt, according to reporting from the Associated Press. In the special unit, staff were required to observe all inmates; conduct rounds and inmate counts; and search inmate cells, according to the inspector general’s report.
Epstein was on suicide watch while in the unit, but then that status was removed. He also was housed with a cellmate, but the day before he died, his cellmate was transferred out of the detention center. The staff was aware that Epstein was alone but did not take steps to assign him a new cellmate. And staff did not carry out their responsibilities in the hours before Epstein’s death, according to the report.
Only one cell in the unit was searched on Aug. 9 and it was not Epstein’s. The report said that none of the required inmate counts were done after 4 p.m and staff did not conduct their 30-minute rounds after about 10:40 p.m.
“Had Epstein’s cell been searched as required, the search would have revealed that Epstein had excess prison blankets, linens, and clothing in his cell,” according to the report.
The staff also “falsified count slips and round sheets to show that they had been performed when they were not, leaving Epstein unobserved for hours before his death,” according to the report.
Two Metropolitan Correctional Center employees were criminally charged with falsifying records, but those charges were later dismissed when the employees complied with terms of deferred prosecution agreements entered with the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, according to the report.
The report also noted that the video camera surveillance system in the special unit did not work — a longstanding issue in the detention center. While cameras provided live feeds to the staff’s monitoring stations, nearly all of the cameras in and around the special unit where Epstein was being housed stopped recording video in late July 2019 and were not working at the time of Epstein’s death, according to the report.
There is also no evidence in the inspector general’s report that contradicts the previous findings from the FBI that Epstein’s death was not result of foul play. The New York City Chief Medical Examiner also determined that Epstein died by suicide.
“While the [Office of the Inspector General] determined [Metropolitan Correctional Center] New York staff engaged in significant misconduct and dereliction of their duties, we did not uncover evidence contradicting the FBI’s determination regarding the absence of criminality in connection with Epstein’s death,” the report said.
Horowitz called the Bureau of Prison’s failures troubling not only because staff did not keep watch over a person in their custody, but also because Epstein’s death prematurely ended the process of criminal justice. The staff’s failures “effectively deprived Epstein’s numerous victims of the opportunity to seek justice through the criminal justice process,” the report said.
Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier accused of orchestrating a sex-trafficking ring involving girls, died by suicide and not foul play, according to a watchdog report released nearly four years after his death that highlighted negligence, misconduct and other failures at the New York jail.
Epstein, 66, was able to kill himself amid lax oversight at the Metropolitan Correctional Center a little over a month after federal authorities took him into custody, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said in a report released Tuesday.
“Numerous and serious” instances of misconduct and dereliction of duty contributed to a setting that allowed “arguably one of the most notorious inmates” in the Federal Bureau of Prison’s custody the opportunity to take his own life, Horowitz said.
Epstein was found hanging by a bedsheet in his cell on Aug. 10, 2019. At the time, he had pleaded not guilty to numerous charges and was facing up to 45 years in prison involving allegations of sex trafficking that dated to the early 2000s. The wealthy hedge fund manager, who once counted as friends former presidents Clinton and Trump, Great Britain’s Prince Andrew and Alan Dershowitz, died while in custody.
He was placed in a special housing unit on July 23, 2019, after an apparent suicide attempt, according to reporting from the Associated Press. In the special unit, staff were required to observe all inmates; conduct rounds and inmate counts; and search inmate cells, according to the inspector general’s report.
Epstein was on suicide watch while in the unit, but then that status was removed. He also was housed with a cellmate, but the day before he died, his cellmate was transferred out of the detention center. The staff was aware that Epstein was alone but did not take steps to assign him a new cellmate. And staff did not carry out their responsibilities in the hours before Epstein’s death, according to the report.
Only one cell in the unit was searched on Aug. 9 and it was not Epstein’s. The report said that none of the required inmate counts were done after 4 p.m and staff did not conduct their 30-minute rounds after about 10:40 p.m.
“Had Epstein’s cell been searched as required, the search would have revealed that Epstein had excess prison blankets, linens, and clothing in his cell,” according to the report.
The staff also “falsified count slips and round sheets to show that they had been performed when they were not, leaving Epstein unobserved for hours before his death,” according to the report.
Two Metropolitan Correctional Center employees were criminally charged with falsifying records, but those charges were later dismissed when the employees complied with terms of deferred prosecution agreements entered with the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, according to the report.
The report also noted that the video camera surveillance system in the special unit did not work — a longstanding issue in the detention center. While cameras provided live feeds to the staff’s monitoring stations, nearly all of the cameras in and around the special unit where Epstein was being housed stopped recording video in late July 2019 and were not working at the time of Epstein’s death, according to the report.
There is also no evidence in the inspector general’s report that contradicts the previous findings from the FBI that Epstein’s death was not result of foul play. The New York City Chief Medical Examiner also determined that Epstein died by suicide.
“While the [Office of the Inspector General] determined [Metropolitan Correctional Center] New York staff engaged in significant misconduct and dereliction of their duties, we did not uncover evidence contradicting the FBI’s determination regarding the absence of criminality in connection with Epstein’s death,” the report said.
Horowitz called the Bureau of Prison’s failures troubling not only because staff did not keep watch over a person in their custody, but also because Epstein’s death prematurely ended the process of criminal justice. The staff’s failures “effectively deprived Epstein’s numerous victims of the opportunity to seek justice through the criminal justice process,” the report said.
Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier accused of orchestrating a sex-trafficking ring involving girls, died by suicide and not foul play, according to a watchdog report released nearly four years after his death that highlighted negligence, misconduct and other failures at the New York jail.
Epstein, 66, was able to kill himself amid lax oversight at the Metropolitan Correctional Center a little over a month after federal authorities took him into custody, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said in a report released Tuesday.
“Numerous and serious” instances of misconduct and dereliction of duty contributed to a setting that allowed “arguably one of the most notorious inmates” in the Federal Bureau of Prison’s custody the opportunity to take his own life, Horowitz said.
Epstein was found hanging by a bedsheet in his cell on Aug. 10, 2019. At the time, he had pleaded not guilty to numerous charges and was facing up to 45 years in prison involving allegations of sex trafficking that dated to the early 2000s. The wealthy hedge fund manager, who once counted as friends former presidents Clinton and Trump, Great Britain’s Prince Andrew and Alan Dershowitz, died while in custody.
He was placed in a special housing unit on July 23, 2019, after an apparent suicide attempt, according to reporting from the Associated Press. In the special unit, staff were required to observe all inmates; conduct rounds and inmate counts; and search inmate cells, according to the inspector general’s report.
Epstein was on suicide watch while in the unit, but then that status was removed. He also was housed with a cellmate, but the day before he died, his cellmate was transferred out of the detention center. The staff was aware that Epstein was alone but did not take steps to assign him a new cellmate. And staff did not carry out their responsibilities in the hours before Epstein’s death, according to the report.
Only one cell in the unit was searched on Aug. 9 and it was not Epstein’s. The report said that none of the required inmate counts were done after 4 p.m and staff did not conduct their 30-minute rounds after about 10:40 p.m.
“Had Epstein’s cell been searched as required, the search would have revealed that Epstein had excess prison blankets, linens, and clothing in his cell,” according to the report.
The staff also “falsified count slips and round sheets to show that they had been performed when they were not, leaving Epstein unobserved for hours before his death,” according to the report.
Two Metropolitan Correctional Center employees were criminally charged with falsifying records, but those charges were later dismissed when the employees complied with terms of deferred prosecution agreements entered with the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, according to the report.
The report also noted that the video camera surveillance system in the special unit did not work — a longstanding issue in the detention center. While cameras provided live feeds to the staff’s monitoring stations, nearly all of the cameras in and around the special unit where Epstein was being housed stopped recording video in late July 2019 and were not working at the time of Epstein’s death, according to the report.
There is also no evidence in the inspector general’s report that contradicts the previous findings from the FBI that Epstein’s death was not result of foul play. The New York City Chief Medical Examiner also determined that Epstein died by suicide.
“While the [Office of the Inspector General] determined [Metropolitan Correctional Center] New York staff engaged in significant misconduct and dereliction of their duties, we did not uncover evidence contradicting the FBI’s determination regarding the absence of criminality in connection with Epstein’s death,” the report said.
Horowitz called the Bureau of Prison’s failures troubling not only because staff did not keep watch over a person in their custody, but also because Epstein’s death prematurely ended the process of criminal justice. The staff’s failures “effectively deprived Epstein’s numerous victims of the opportunity to seek justice through the criminal justice process,” the report said.
Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier accused of orchestrating a sex-trafficking ring involving girls, died by suicide and not foul play, according to a watchdog report released nearly four years after his death that highlighted negligence, misconduct and other failures at the New York jail.
Epstein, 66, was able to kill himself amid lax oversight at the Metropolitan Correctional Center a little over a month after federal authorities took him into custody, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said in a report released Tuesday.
“Numerous and serious” instances of misconduct and dereliction of duty contributed to a setting that allowed “arguably one of the most notorious inmates” in the Federal Bureau of Prison’s custody the opportunity to take his own life, Horowitz said.
Epstein was found hanging by a bedsheet in his cell on Aug. 10, 2019. At the time, he had pleaded not guilty to numerous charges and was facing up to 45 years in prison involving allegations of sex trafficking that dated to the early 2000s. The wealthy hedge fund manager, who once counted as friends former presidents Clinton and Trump, Great Britain’s Prince Andrew and Alan Dershowitz, died while in custody.
He was placed in a special housing unit on July 23, 2019, after an apparent suicide attempt, according to reporting from the Associated Press. In the special unit, staff were required to observe all inmates; conduct rounds and inmate counts; and search inmate cells, according to the inspector general’s report.
Epstein was on suicide watch while in the unit, but then that status was removed. He also was housed with a cellmate, but the day before he died, his cellmate was transferred out of the detention center. The staff was aware that Epstein was alone but did not take steps to assign him a new cellmate. And staff did not carry out their responsibilities in the hours before Epstein’s death, according to the report.
Only one cell in the unit was searched on Aug. 9 and it was not Epstein’s. The report said that none of the required inmate counts were done after 4 p.m and staff did not conduct their 30-minute rounds after about 10:40 p.m.
“Had Epstein’s cell been searched as required, the search would have revealed that Epstein had excess prison blankets, linens, and clothing in his cell,” according to the report.
The staff also “falsified count slips and round sheets to show that they had been performed when they were not, leaving Epstein unobserved for hours before his death,” according to the report.
Two Metropolitan Correctional Center employees were criminally charged with falsifying records, but those charges were later dismissed when the employees complied with terms of deferred prosecution agreements entered with the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, according to the report.
The report also noted that the video camera surveillance system in the special unit did not work — a longstanding issue in the detention center. While cameras provided live feeds to the staff’s monitoring stations, nearly all of the cameras in and around the special unit where Epstein was being housed stopped recording video in late July 2019 and were not working at the time of Epstein’s death, according to the report.
There is also no evidence in the inspector general’s report that contradicts the previous findings from the FBI that Epstein’s death was not result of foul play. The New York City Chief Medical Examiner also determined that Epstein died by suicide.
“While the [Office of the Inspector General] determined [Metropolitan Correctional Center] New York staff engaged in significant misconduct and dereliction of their duties, we did not uncover evidence contradicting the FBI’s determination regarding the absence of criminality in connection with Epstein’s death,” the report said.
Horowitz called the Bureau of Prison’s failures troubling not only because staff did not keep watch over a person in their custody, but also because Epstein’s death prematurely ended the process of criminal justice. The staff’s failures “effectively deprived Epstein’s numerous victims of the opportunity to seek justice through the criminal justice process,” the report said.
Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier accused of orchestrating a sex-trafficking ring involving girls, died by suicide and not foul play, according to a watchdog report released nearly four years after his death that highlighted negligence, misconduct and other failures at the New York jail.
Epstein, 66, was able to kill himself amid lax oversight at the Metropolitan Correctional Center a little over a month after federal authorities took him into custody, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said in a report released Tuesday.
“Numerous and serious” instances of misconduct and dereliction of duty contributed to a setting that allowed “arguably one of the most notorious inmates” in the Federal Bureau of Prison’s custody the opportunity to take his own life, Horowitz said.
Epstein was found hanging by a bedsheet in his cell on Aug. 10, 2019. At the time, he had pleaded not guilty to numerous charges and was facing up to 45 years in prison involving allegations of sex trafficking that dated to the early 2000s. The wealthy hedge fund manager, who once counted as friends former presidents Clinton and Trump, Great Britain’s Prince Andrew and Alan Dershowitz, died while in custody.
He was placed in a special housing unit on July 23, 2019, after an apparent suicide attempt, according to reporting from the Associated Press. In the special unit, staff were required to observe all inmates; conduct rounds and inmate counts; and search inmate cells, according to the inspector general’s report.
Epstein was on suicide watch while in the unit, but then that status was removed. He also was housed with a cellmate, but the day before he died, his cellmate was transferred out of the detention center. The staff was aware that Epstein was alone but did not take steps to assign him a new cellmate. And staff did not carry out their responsibilities in the hours before Epstein’s death, according to the report.
Only one cell in the unit was searched on Aug. 9 and it was not Epstein’s. The report said that none of the required inmate counts were done after 4 p.m and staff did not conduct their 30-minute rounds after about 10:40 p.m.
“Had Epstein’s cell been searched as required, the search would have revealed that Epstein had excess prison blankets, linens, and clothing in his cell,” according to the report.
The staff also “falsified count slips and round sheets to show that they had been performed when they were not, leaving Epstein unobserved for hours before his death,” according to the report.
Two Metropolitan Correctional Center employees were criminally charged with falsifying records, but those charges were later dismissed when the employees complied with terms of deferred prosecution agreements entered with the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, according to the report.
The report also noted that the video camera surveillance system in the special unit did not work — a longstanding issue in the detention center. While cameras provided live feeds to the staff’s monitoring stations, nearly all of the cameras in and around the special unit where Epstein was being housed stopped recording video in late July 2019 and were not working at the time of Epstein’s death, according to the report.
There is also no evidence in the inspector general’s report that contradicts the previous findings from the FBI that Epstein’s death was not result of foul play. The New York City Chief Medical Examiner also determined that Epstein died by suicide.
“While the [Office of the Inspector General] determined [Metropolitan Correctional Center] New York staff engaged in significant misconduct and dereliction of their duties, we did not uncover evidence contradicting the FBI’s determination regarding the absence of criminality in connection with Epstein’s death,” the report said.
Horowitz called the Bureau of Prison’s failures troubling not only because staff did not keep watch over a person in their custody, but also because Epstein’s death prematurely ended the process of criminal justice. The staff’s failures “effectively deprived Epstein’s numerous victims of the opportunity to seek justice through the criminal justice process,” the report said.
