The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has released millions of files related to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, marking its most extensive public release since a law was enacted last year to release all relevant records.
The DOJ released millions of files related to Jeffrey Epstein’s case, raising new questions about his death. (ap file)The newly released material has reignited the debate over Epstein’s death, which occurred five years ago when he was found dead in a New York prison. The documents include emails exchanged between investigators that address Epstein’s last note, a message that says it “does not appear to be a suicide note.”
The latest tranche contains nearly three million pages of documents, at least 180,000 images and nearly 2,000 videos. The new batch also includes internal communications, memos and emails exchanged between investigators after Epstein’s death in August 2019. Some of the documents revisit the conditions of his incarceration and the flaws identified at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, where Epstein was held on federal sex-trafficking charges. Although thousands of pages related to his death were previously released, this new release provides additional details to previous releases.
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Epstein’s last notesAt the center of the resurgent interest is an email correspondence between investigators that specifically mentions Epstein’s last written note. Records show an official said the note “does not appear to be a suicide note.” The documents do not provide further details regarding the rationale for this assessment, nor do they contradict the official conclusion that Epstein’s death was a suicide. However, the phrase has given rise to inquiries into its interpretation and supporting evidence.
Investigation into Epstein’s deathSeveral investigations have determined that Jeffrey Epstein’s death was a suicide. In 2019, New York City’s chief medical examiner, after conducting an autopsy, concluded that Epstein died of suicide by hanging. According to an Associated Press report, the recently released records also include emails from December 2019 that discuss the absence of surveillance footage from a New York prison, where Epstein previously survived an apparent suicide attempt earlier that year.
