Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide blamed on multiple prison errors, scathing watchdog report finds

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “The OIG’s investigation and review identified numerous and serious failures by MCC New York staff, including multiple violations of MCC New York and BOP policies and procedures,” the report states. “Additionally, we found that staff failed to undertake required measures designed to make sure that Epstein and other SHU inmates were accounted for and safe, such as conducting inmate counts and 30-minute rounds, searching inmate cells, and ensuring adequate supervision of the SHU and the functionality of the video camera surveillance system.” The damning report states that a “combination of negligence, misconduct, and outright job performance failures” all contributed to an environment where “one of the BOP’s most notorious inmates was provided with the opportunity to take his own life”. open image in gallery Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 His death resulted in “significant questions being asked about the circumstances of his death, how it could have been allowed to happen, and most importantly, depriving his numerous victims, many of whom were underage girls at the time of the alleged crimes, of their ability to seek justice through the criminal justice process,” the report states. open image in gallery The Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan, New York, where Epstein died But on 23 July, prison staff responded to his cell for an apparent suicide attempt.