Suicide Watch Records (July 23-29, 2019)
From: MCC Psychology Services / BOPTo: Bureau of Prisons Records
Suicide WatchRemovalControversy
SUICIDE WATCH RECORDS — JEFFREY EPSTEIN
INCIDENT: July 23, 2019
- Epstein found semi-conscious on cell floor with marks on his neck
- Cellmate Nicholas Tartaglione (former police officer facing murder charges) present
- Circumstances of incident disputed (self-harm vs. assault vs. other)
- Epstein placed on suicide watch at SHU (Special Housing Unit)
SUICIDE WATCH PLACEMENT:
- 24-hour continuous observation
- Removal of all potentially harmful items
- Paper gown issued
- Frequent psychological assessments
- Documented per BOP policy
REMOVAL FROM SUICIDE WATCH: July 29, 2019
- Removed after approximately 6 days
- BOP psychologist approved removal
- Epstein reportedly complained about conditions
- Defense attorneys requested removal from suicide watch
- Decision later heavily criticized
POST-WATCH REQUIREMENTS:
- Should have had a cellmate at all times
- 30-minute checks required
- Neither requirement was met on August 9-10
The removal from suicide watch just 12 days before Epstein's death is one of the most scrutinized decisions in the case.
Source: Bureau of Prisons / DOJ IG
Available at: https://www.justice.gov/epstein
Part of a Curated Collection
The Epstein Case in 2019
The year 2019 was the most consequential in the Epstein case. In July, Epstein was arrested by the FBI on federal sex trafficking charges in the Southern District of New York. He was found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center on August 10, 2019, in a death ruled a suicide by the medical examiner but disputed by independent pathologist Dr. Michael Baden. The documents from 2019 are among the most extensive in the archive, including the indictment, bail hearing transcripts, autopsy reports, Bureau of Prisons records, and the beginning of the Maxwell investigation.
All 2019 documents in the timeline →