Justice Department Files Reveal Epstein Death Statement Dated Day Before Official Records
Newly released Justice Department documents have revealed a significant discrepancy in the timeline surrounding the death of financier Jeffrey Epstein. A federal statement announcing his death was dated Friday, August 9, 2019, while official prison records confirm corrections officers discovered him unresponsive in his cell on Saturday, August 10, 2019.
Official Statement Predates Discovery
The document, originating from the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, explicitly states that Epstein had already been found unresponsive and pronounced dead. This stands in stark contrast to the established account that a corrections officer discovered the 66-year-old while delivering breakfast at approximately 6:30 am on August 10 at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan.
In the statement, then-Manhattan US attorney Geoffrey S. Berman declared, "Earlier this morning, the Manhattan Correctional Center 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."
Berman further acknowledged the disturbing nature of the events, stating, "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." He reiterated the department's commitment to the victims involved in the case.
Background and Investigation Findings
Jeffrey Epstein was arrested on July 6, 2019, on federal charges of sex trafficking minors and conspiracy. He had pleaded not guilty and was awaiting trial, which followed decades of controversy stemming from a 2008 Florida plea deal. After being found unresponsive, medical personnel attempted to revive him, but the New York City medical examiner ultimately ruled his death a suicide by hanging. Notably, no precise time of death was ever officially established.
His death exposed severe operational failures at the high-security facility. The investigation revealed that guards missed mandatory overnight checks at 3 am and 5 am. Furthermore, surveillance cameras outside his cell malfunctioned, creating critical gaps in the monitoring protocol.
Surveillance Footage and Ongoing Probes
The newly released files also indicate that FBI and Justice Department inspector general investigators reviewed surveillance footage. This footage showed an unidentified orange-colored figure ascending a staircase near Epstein's housing unit overnight. Investigators documented the movement but drew no public conclusions due to the limitations and inadequacies of the prison's surveillance system.
Epstein faced the possibility of decades in prison if convicted for his alleged years-long operation that abused underage girls across multiple states and countries. While his death concluded the criminal case against him personally, it did not terminate federal investigations into possible co-conspirators involved in the extensive sex trafficking network.
The revelation of the dated statement adds another layer of complexity and raises further questions about the circumstances and timeline surrounding one of the most scrutinized prison deaths in recent history.
