A federal statement announcing the death of Jeffrey Epstein was dated a full day before the disgraced financier was officially found dead in his jail cell, according to documents included in the latest release of the so-called Epstein Files.
The statement, issued by the U.S. Department of Justice and attributed to then–Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman, is dated Friday, August 9, 2019. However, prison records and contemporaneous official reports show Epstein was not discovered unresponsive until the morning of Saturday, August 10, 2019, when a corrections officer entered his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in Manhattan to deliver breakfast.
Despite the discrepancy, the DOJ document describes Epstein being found unresponsive in his cell and pronounced dead shortly afterward. According to Mail online, the date mismatch has drawn renewed attention to the circumstances surrounding Epstein’s death, which occurred amid a series of acknowledged failures inside the federal detention facility.
According to subsequent investigations, guards assigned to monitor Epstein failed to conduct required overnight checks. Two scheduled rounds—at approximately 3 a.m. and 5 a.m.—were missed. An inquiry also found that two cameras positioned outside Epstein’s cell had “malfunctioned,” creating gaps in surveillance during critical hours.
Epstein was discovered around 6:30 a.m. Medical personnel attempted lifesaving measures, but he was declared deceased. No official time of death was ever established.
The New York City medical examiner later ruled Epstein’s death a suicide by hanging.
In the August 9 statement, Berman said:
“Earlier this morning, the Manhattan Correctional Centre confirmed that Jeffrey Epstein, who faced charges brought by this Office of engaging in the sex trafficking of minors, had been found unresponsive in his cell and pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
“Today’s events are disturbing, and we are deeply aware of their potential to present yet another hurdle to giving Epstein’s many victims their day in Court.
“To those brave young women who have already come forward and to the many others who have yet to do so, let me reiterate that we remain committed to standing for you, and our investigation of the conduct charged in the Indictment.”
Epstein’s death occurred before he was due to give evidence at his trial charged with counts of sex trafficking minors and conspiracy, which had already gained mass attention.
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