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The OIG Report Into Jeffrey Epstein's Death: The Timeline (Chapter 3) · The Vault: The Epstein Files

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Speaker 1: What's up everyone, and welcome back to the Epstein Chronicles.
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In this episode, we're going to continue with the Office
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of Inspector General's report into the death of Jeffrey Epstein
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and the circumstances surrounding it. We left off with chapter two,
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and in this episode we're going to pick right back
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up with chapter three. So let's get to it. Chapter
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three timeline of key events, except as otherwise noted, The
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following information is derived from the Federal Bureau of Prisons
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records and the Office of the Inspector General's interviews. September
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twenty first through the twenty fourth, twenty eighteen, The BOP
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awards contracts to two companies, Company one and two to
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upgrade the security camera system at Metropolitan Correctional Center in
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New York, New York MCC New York at the time
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image from the MCC New York's analog video cameras are
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recorded to a digital video recorder system, which is divided
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into two DVR systems. Cameras assigned to the DVR one
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system record only to the DVR one hard drives, and
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cameras assigned to DVR two system record only to the
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DVR two hard drives. March seventeen, twenty nineteen, in connection
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with the MCC's New York upgrade of its security camera system,
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the BOP's Northeast Regional Office begins arranging for technicians from
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other BOP institutions to perform temporary duty assignments to MCC
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New York to perform necessary mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and wiring work. However,
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during the course of the TDY rotations, work is not
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consistently conducted on the camera upgrade because tde U personnel
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are sometimes used to cover shortages at MCC's New York
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custody posts. July second, twenty nineteen, according to court records,
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a federal grand jury of the U. S. District Court
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for the Southern District of New York returns an indictment
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charging Epstein with sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
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July six, twenty nineteen, Epstein is arrested at an airport,
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New Jersey and transported for detention pending his initial court
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appearance to the MCC New York. As a pretrial detainee.
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Epstein is placed in the general inmate population and is
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medically screened an MCC New York Facilities assistant asks the
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Psychology Department to evaluate Epstein because he appears distraught, sad,
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and a little confused. Epstein is assigned to the MCC
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New York Special Housing Unit because of significant media attention
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and his notoriety among other MCC new York inmates. July eighth,
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twenty nineteen, according to court records, Epstein is arigned in
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federal court and enters a plea of not guilty to
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all charges. The court sets a detention hearing for July
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fifteen of two thousand nineteen. MCC New York staff conducts
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a routine intake screening of Epstein, the records of which
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indicate that Epstein denies the history of any mental health problems.
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After the Chief Psychologist consults with a National Suicide Prevention
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Coordinator from BOP Central Office, the Psychology Department conducts a
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further evaluation of Epstein after his return from court. Record
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show that Epstein denies any suicidal thoughts, but was placed
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on psychological observation due to the presence of risk factors,
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high profile case nature of the charges, pre trial status,
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and ongoing proceedings. July ninth, twenty nineteen, the Psychology Department
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administers a formal in person suicide risk assessment for Epstein.
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The Psychology Department continues psychological observation for another day, pending
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a suitable housing placement. July tenth, twenty nineteen, the Psychology
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Department administers a formal in person suicide risk assessment for Epstein.
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The Psychology Department continues psychological observation for another day, pending
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a suitable housing placement. July tenth, twenty nineteen, the Psychology
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Department removes Epstein from psychological observation and returns him to
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the Shoe with a recommendation that he has a cellmate.
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Epstein is housed with another inmate. Inmate one July eleventh,
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twenty nineteen, an MCC New York psychologist meets with Epstein
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briefly and recommends follow up visit to occur the next week.
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July fifteenth, twenty nineteen, according to court records, Epstein appears
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in court for his detention hearing July sixteenth, twenty nineteen.
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At Epstein's request, an mcc New York psychologist meets with
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him during a legal visit. July eighteenth, twenty nineteen. According
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to court records, Epstein appears in court for a ruling
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on the issue of detention. The court orders at Epstein
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be detained pending trial because he presents a danger to
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the community and he is a flight risk. The psychology
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department conducts a thirty day psychology review for the entire
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shoe population. Epstein is not in the shoe at the time,
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and therefore his review is not conducted. July twenty second,
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twenty nineteen, according to court records, Epstein files an appeal
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of the court's order denying Epstein pre trial release. July
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twenty third, twenty nineteen, at approximately one twenty seven, a
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m shoe staff hears noises coming from Epstein's cell Epstein's
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cell mate, inmate number one says that Epstein has attempted
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to hang himself. Shoe staff observes Epstein lying on the
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floor with a piece of orange cloth around his neck.
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Epstein initially tells emcc new York staff that his cell
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mate tried to kill him. Epstein's cell mate inmate one
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tells emcc new York staff that while he was asleep,
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he felt something hit his legs and when he turns
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on the light, he saw Epstein with a string around
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his neck and call the guards. Epstein is transferred out
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of the shoe and placed on suicide watch in a
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cell near the Psychology Department and Health Services unit. Later
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that morning, Health Service's unit personnel conduct a medical assessment
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and observed that Epstein has red marks two thirds of
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the way around the front and sides of his neck.
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The BOP assesses Epstein for risk of suicide and determines
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that he should remain on suicide watch. July twenty fourth,
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twenty nineteen, at approximately eight forty five am, Epstein is
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removed from suicide watch, but remains under psychological observation in
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the same cell near the Psychology Department and Health Services unit.
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Medical staff examine Epstein at one o eight pm, and
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Psychological services staff complete oppost suicide watch report. In contrast
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to his prior statement that his cellmate tried to kill him,
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Epstein does not remember how he sustained the injuries to
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his neck. July twenty fifth through July twenty ninth, twenty nineteen,
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Epstein is seen by the Psychology department daily, and on
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each date adamantly denies being suicidal or having any memory
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of what occurred. On July twenty third, twenty nineteen. July
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twenty ninth, twenty nineteen, Psychology Department staff determine that Epstein
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can be released from psychological observation and transferred back to
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the Shoe. Disc failures occur in DVR two of mcc
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New York security camera system, which result in the system
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being unable to record, although the cameras continue to work
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and broadcast live video feed, MCC New York personnel do
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not learn of the DVR two recording failure until August eighth,
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two days before Epstein's death. Roughly half of MCC's New
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York security cameras, including those located in the Shoe, are
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assigned to record to the DVR two system. July thirtieth,
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twenty nineteen, Epstein is transferred back to the Shoe. An
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mcc New York staff psychologist from the Psychology Department sends
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an email to over seventy BOP staff members stating that
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Epstein needs to be housed with an appro oropriate cell mate.
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Epstein and his new cell mate in May three are
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placed in a cell within the Shoe that can accommodate
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the electrical needs of Epstein's medical device. MCC new York
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conducts disciplinary proceedings against Epstein for alleged self mutilation and
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ultimately concludes that there is insufficient evidence to find that
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Epstein engaged in a prohibited act. When Epstein is psychologically
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evaluated in connection with the disciplinary proceedings, he said he
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does not remember how he sustained the marks around his neck.
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Mcc new York personnel attempt to obtain an estimate from
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Company one to run the wiring and conduit for the
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new camera system, which would eliminate the need for BOP
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technicians to perform the work. July thirty, first, twenty nineteen,
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according to court records, Epstein appears in court for a
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status conference, at which time the court set's deadlines for
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emotions and responses. Upon his return to mcc New York,
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the US Martial Service provide paperwork to BOP that indicates
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Epstein had suicidal tendencies. The Psychology Department conducts a clinical
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visit with Epstein, who denies any suicidal thoughts. August first,
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twenty nineteen, mcc new York Receiving and Discharge staff notify
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the Psychology Department of the rotation of suicidal tendencies on
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US Marshall Service paperwork relating to Ebstein. The Psychology department
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conducts a suicide risk assessment of Epstein, who denies that
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he is suicidal and determines that suicide watch is not warranted.
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Psychological staff recommend a follow up in one week August two,
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twenty nineteen. Mcc new York Special Investigative Services completes its
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investigation into the incident on July twenty three, twenty nineteen,
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and finds that there is insufficient evidence to determine that
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Epstein harmed himself or that he was harmed by his cellmate.
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August eighth, twenty nineteen, Epstein is seen in the Psychology
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department and denies suicidal ideation, intention, or plan. Epstein meets
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with his attorneys and, unbeknownst to the mcc new York personnel,
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changes his last will and testament. During the meeting, mcc
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new York staff received notice that Epstein's cellmate will be
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transferred out of the institution the following day, August ninth,
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mcc new York staff discover the disc failures that occurred
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in the DVR two system on July twenty ninth that
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resulted in approximately one half of the institution security cameras
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not recording, although the cameras continued to broadcast a live
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video feed. Mcc new York staff do not perform the
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work necessary to restore recording functionality of the DVR two
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system or address long standing performance failures with the institution's
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camera system. August ninth, twenty nineteen, at approximately a thirty am,
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Epstein's cellmate in May three is transferred out of mcc
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new York. Two mcc new York staff members said they
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notified supervisory staff of Epstein's cellmate transfer and Epstein's need
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for a new cell mate. Other witnesses did not corroborate
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these statements. Epstein is not assigned to new cellmate as
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required by the Psychology Department. Some time between eight am
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and nine AM, Epstein meets with his attorneys in the
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Shoe Attorney conference room. Sometime prior to one pm, Epstein's
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attorneys asked mcc new York staff members if Epstein could
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be moved to a different housing unit or housed with
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the cellmate. Mcc new York staff obtain the replacement hard
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drives to repair the institution security camera system, but do
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not complete the repairs necessary to restore the recording functionality.
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And address long standing performance failures within the institutions DVR
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two system. The US Court of Appeals for the Second
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Circuit unseals approximately two thousand pages of documents in civil
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litigation involving Glaine Maxwell, who was later convicted in December
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of twenty twenty one of conspiring with Epstein to sexually
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abuse minors over the course of a decade. Some of
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these documents contain information that may relate to the criminal
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charges pending against Epstein. There is extensive media coverage of
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information in the unsealed documents. At approximately six forty five pm,
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Epstein leaves the attorney conference room. At approximately seven pm,
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contrary to GOP policy, but with the permit miss of
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a unit manager, Epstein is permitted to place an unmonitored
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telephone call to a number with a New York City
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area code, purportedly to speak with his mother. In actuality,
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Epstein speaks with somebody whom he allegedly has a personal relationship.
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After the call, Epstein is returned to his cell, where
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he remains without a cell mate. Mcc New York Shoe
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staff members do not conduct the four pm or ten
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pm inmate counts. After approximately ten forty PM, shoe staff
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members do not conduct their required thirty minute rounds. August tenth,
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twenty nineteen, mcc New York Shoe staff members do not
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conduct the twelve am, three am or five am inmate counts,
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or any of the thirty minute rounds from twelve am
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until approximately six thirty am. At approximately six thirty am,
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shoe staff begins to delu of her breakfast to inmates
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in the shoe through the foot slots in the lock
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cell doors. When shoe staff attempt to deliver breakfast to Epstein,
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shoe staff unlocked the door to the tier in which
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Epstein's cell was located and then knock on the door
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to Epstein's cell. Epstein, who is housed a loan in
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the cell, does not respond to the shoe staff. Shoe
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staff unlocked the cell door and find Epstein hanged in
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his cell with one end of a piece of orange
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cloth around his neck and the other end tied to
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the top portion of a bunk bed in Epstein's cell.
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Epstein is suspended from the top bunk in a near
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seated position, with his buttocks approximately one inch to one
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inch and a half off the floor and his legs
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extended straight out on the floor in front of him.
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Shoe staff immediately activate a body alarm, which notified all
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mcc new York staff of a medical emergency and prompted
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mcc new York staff in the control center to call
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for nine to one to one emergency services. Shoe staff
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then rip the orange cloth away from the bunk bed,
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which causes Ebstein's buttocks to drop to the ground. Shoe
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staff lay Abstein on the ground and immediately initiate CPR.
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At approximately six thirty three am, BP medical staff respond
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to the shoe continue CPR, apply the automated external defibrillator,
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and move Ebstein to mcc new York's Health Services Unit.
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Minutes after arriving in the Health Services Unit, an ambulance arrives,
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and paramedics continue CPR in debate Epstein, and administer medications
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and fluids. At approximately seven ten am, the ambulance takes
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Abstein to New York Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital, where he's
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pronounced dead at seven thirty six a m by the
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emergency room physician. Mcc new York staff unsuccessfully attempts to
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recover or video from the DVR two system of the
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shoe and the BOP begins repairing the DVR two system.
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The FBI seizes all hard drives contained in the DVR
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two system as evidence. August eleventh, twenty nineteen, the Office
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of the Chief Medical Examiner, City of New York conducts
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an autopsy of Epstein. August fourteenth. August fifteenth, twenty nineteen,
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the FBI returns to mcc New York and sees the
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additional components of the DVR two system and the entire
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DVR one system. The FBI's Digital Forensic Analysis Unit in Quantico,
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Virginia begins to conduct a forensic analysis of mcc New
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York's DVR systems and determined that there were catastrophic disc
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failures in the DVR two system disc array, and no
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recordings were available on the DVR system after July twenty ninth,
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twenty nineteen. August sixteenth, twenty nineteen, the Office of the
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Chief Medical Examiner, City of New York releases its findings
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publicly that the cause of Epstein's death was hanging and
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that the manner of death was suicide. All right, folks,
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that's going to do it. For Chapter three. The timeline
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of key events, all of the information that goes with
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the episode can be found in the description box.