Latest / The Epstein Chronicles / Mega Edition: Michael Thomas And The OIG Witness Statement (Part 4-6) (5/16/26)
Transcript
- 0:00Speaker 1: What's up, everyone, and welcome to another episode of the
- 0:03Epstein Chronicles. In this episode, we're going to pick up
- 0:06where we left off with Michael Thomas interview with the
- 0:11OIG Inspectors. Question and are you aware that Epstein was
- 0:16assigned any cell mate when he was assigned to the Shoe. Thomas,
- 0:20I'm sure he was. Maybe he was. I don't really recall. Question.
- 0:25So you don't recall if he had a cell mate
- 0:27or not? Thomas. I know one time he had a
- 0:30cell mate. I don't recall, like if he was assigned
- 0:33a specific cell mate or not, or for his case,
- 0:38whatever the case. But I'm sure he had a cell
- 0:41mate unless he was sell or wrecked alone. Question Okay,
- 0:45do you know if Epstein was required to have a
- 0:48cellmate when he was assigned to the Shoe? Thomas, no question.
- 0:53No one provided any instruction. Was there a sign posted
- 0:58within the shoe saying that Epstein was required to have
- 1:01a cell mate? Thomas, I don't know. I don't know,
- 1:04I don't think so. Question do you ever recall there
- 1:07being a sign posted on his door saying he was
- 1:10required to have a cell mate? Thomas, no question. Do
- 1:14you ever remember a sign being posted on the officer
- 1:17in charges desk area or a computer saying that he
- 1:21was required to have a cell mate. Thomas, I don't
- 1:24go to his office, the officer in charge, I don't. Question.
- 1:28So is that different than where you would sit in
- 1:31the shoe area Thomas, the officer in charge or the
- 1:34lieutenant office? Question? Not the lieutenant, the OIC, Thomas, the
- 1:40o C. Well, the o C has a desk. I
- 1:43didn't see a sign. I don't remember or recall ever
- 1:47seeing a sign that was specific to Epstein. No question. Okay,
- 1:52So no one ever talked to you about the fact
- 1:54that Epstein needed a cell mate Thomas, No, I don't
- 1:57recall anybody specifically talking about he needs a cell mate
- 2:01or not. Question. Okay, do you know who Nicholas Tartaglioni is? Thomas? Yes?
- 2:08Question and who is he? Thomas? An inmate at MCC question.
- 2:14Do you know if he was ever assigned as Epstein
- 2:16cellmate in July of twenty nineteen. Thomas, yeah, I remember
- 2:21he was a cell mate when that incident happened. He
- 2:25was actually a cell mat of his question. So from
- 2:28July twenty third, twenty nineteen, Thomas, Yeah, that's the twenty
- 2:32third question, So he was his cellmate up until that date? Thomas,
- 2:39I don't know if it was up until that date.
- 2:41I just remember that particular day TARTAGLIONI was his cellmate
- 2:45that day. Question all right, and are you aware of
- 2:49any issues that took place between Epstein and TARTAGLIONI answer Thomas,
- 2:56no question, So you don't know what transpired at all?
- 3:00For that gets cut off by Thomas for them no question, okay.
- 3:05And you didn't respond to any kind of incident? Did
- 3:08you respond on July twenty third Thomas to that incident? Yes,
- 3:12me and another officer responded at the time, and by
- 3:15the time we got there, because I got there after
- 3:19the other officer got there and we just took him out.
- 3:22Question what other officer got there? Thomas? Who was it?
- 3:26I don't remember the two officers that were on duty
- 3:29that day, but the other officer that was there, it
- 3:32was redacted. Question and he worked in the shoe Thomas, No,
- 3:36he didn't. I don't remember if redacted was working in
- 3:39the shoe or not. But I remember when we responded.
- 3:43I remember it was me and redacted. I honestly couldn't
- 3:48tell you who the other two officers on duty up
- 3:50there were maybe redacted was one of the officers, But
- 3:54I know when we responded when we go there, I
- 3:56remember seeing redacted. Question were you working at the shoe
- 4:01at the time, Thomas, No, I was internal that day.
- 4:05Question all right, so I'm assuming that you weren't the
- 4:07first to arrive, Thomas. No, I wasn't the first to arrive. No,
- 4:11absolutely not. Question. Okay, So that's what I thought you
- 4:15meant by being the second one there. So can you
- 4:19just explain what you meant by that, Thomas? From what
- 4:23I can remember, I wasn't the first to respond. I
- 4:26wasn't the first person on site, but I did eventually
- 4:30get there. Question. Okay, so you were one of the
- 4:33first responders, Thomas, I was one of the responding. Yes.
- 4:37Question and when you go there, what did you see, Thomas.
- 4:42By the time I got there, they were actually they
- 4:44were actually just bringing them out. Question bringing who out Thomas,
- 4:49mister Epstein? They were bringing out mister Epstein. Question out
- 4:53of his cell? Thomas out of his cell? Yeah? Question
- 4:56where were they bringing him to? Thomas? We was taking
- 5:01him to the suicide which is down to the second floor.
- 5:04Question Okay, so they were moving him from the shoe
- 5:07to the suicide watch area, Thomas, to the suicide watch
- 5:10area on the second floor. Question and do you know
- 5:15why he was removed Thomas. I guess they say he
- 5:19tried to commit suicide or whatever. Redacted. Okay. Did you
- 5:22hear anything about Tartaglioni attempting to harm Epstein? Thomas. I
- 5:27can't recall what he would say. I think he said
- 5:30he tried to beat him up or something like that.
- 5:33I think he said he tried to beat him up.
- 5:35I really don't remember the exact details of what he
- 5:38was saying. Question Okay, Thomas, but I think he said
- 5:42he was trying to beat me up or something like that. Redacted.
- 5:46So Epstein was claiming that Thomas trying to beat him
- 5:49up or something like that. Question was he saying that
- 5:53he didn't try to commit suicide, but rather that tartag
- 5:55Leoni was trying to harm him? Thomas. I remember him saying,
- 6:00that's our tag leone was trying to beat him up.
- 6:02I remember him saying that. Redacted. Okay, and did he
- 6:05tell you that, Thomas? He was just saying that, Well,
- 6:10we were talking, so yes, he did tell me that
- 6:13when we were talking. Question was that when you responded
- 6:17or during your psychological observation or suicide watch observation. Thomas,
- 6:22It was just when we were in observation together. Question. Okay, Thomas,
- 6:29When I say he was really incoherent, he was just
- 6:32saying because actually me and redacted was there for a while.
- 6:36It wasn't just me by myself for maybe ten fifteen minutes.
- 6:40When we got him let's say half an hour, got
- 6:43him there, got him to clothed, got him into the
- 6:45suicide room, and then the lieutenant was there. Who was
- 6:48a lieutenant there? I can't remember who was a lieutenant there?
- 6:52And because I don't have keys and stuff for that
- 6:54for the suicide room. Question what is redacted's first name?
- 6:59Are you a Thomas? I really don't know. Question you
- 7:03don't know, Thomas, I really don't know. Question that's fine.
- 7:07Did you when you responded, did you see any kind
- 7:09of like orange homemade rope or anything like that? Thomas, No,
- 7:14I didn't notice. Question that was used to try to
- 7:18he gets cut off by Thomas. I don't remember seeing
- 7:21any of that stuff. Question No. So, but you did
- 7:25have a conversation with Epstein about Tartag Leoni trying to
- 7:28harm them Thomas, He said that tartag Leoni tried. I
- 7:32remember him saying he was trying to harm him and
- 7:34that was it. Yeah, question okay? And did you believe
- 7:38that to be true? Thomas, I didn't question. No answer,
- 7:43I don't. I really didn't. Question. So do you think
- 7:46he was using it? Why do you think he said it? Question?
- 7:49He just wanted to get out of the cell. I
- 7:51don't know. I really don't. I really don't know. Question okay,
- 7:55But you didn't believe it, you believe that he was
- 7:57actually trying to harm himself rather than the other cell
- 7:59mate try to harm him. Thomas. Inmates say things, I
- 8:03really don't know if he was. I really don't know.
- 8:05I really don't know. Just me at the time, I
- 8:09was just sitting there. He wanted to talk. I'm there,
- 8:11why not talk? Question? Absolutely, But it didn't cause you
- 8:16concern when he was saying that another inmate was trying
- 8:19to harm him, Thomas, Well, it was passed up and
- 8:22everything like that, because when he came out he said
- 8:25it was said it to the lieutenant and everything like that.
- 8:28So everybody was known. But as far as anything any concerned, No,
- 8:32inmates harm each other all the time. Question sure, do
- 8:36you know if at that time Tartaglioni Thomas, It's all right,
- 8:41I can't pronounce his name either, redacted Tartaglioni was moved
- 8:45and no longer Epstein's cell mate. Thomas. I'm sure if
- 8:48they said he tried to harm, I'm sure he was
- 8:50no longer his cell mate after that, I'm sure. Question Okay,
- 8:54do you know around how long he was on suicide
- 8:57watch and then psychological observation outside of the Shoe Thomas? No? Question,
- 9:02all right, So does July twenty third to approximately July
- 9:06thirtieth sound to be about right? Thomas, I don't know.
- 9:10Question sure, Thomas, I don't work in that area. Question No,
- 9:14that's fine. So if Epstein came back to the Shoe
- 9:18on July thirtieth, twenty nineteen, do you know if he
- 9:21was assigned another cell mate? Thomas. I'm sure they wouldn't
- 9:24put him back in the same one, So I would say, yes,
- 9:27I don't know specifically, but he gets cut off, but
- 9:31he added another cell mate, Thomas. Maybe he could have
- 9:34been solo. I don't know. I really don't know. Question
- 9:38do you recall checking being that he's such a high
- 9:41profile inmate. You know in the shoe, do you remember
- 9:43ever you know when you were in the shoe, you
- 9:46remember seeing two people in his cell? Thomas, I really
- 9:49don't recall. Question. You don't know, Thomas. I mean it
- 9:53could have been two people. It could have been him
- 9:55by himself. I really don't remember, mister addacted. Do you
- 10:00know what inmate Thomas exactor counts? Question? Sure, I'll try
- 10:05to help your recollection. Do you recall an inmate named
- 10:08ephrin Reyus Thomas? No question. So you don't remember that name? Thomas,
- 10:14no question? So he was Epstein's cellmate from July thirtieth
- 10:18through August ninth, twenty nineteen. Thomas, okay, redacted. Are you
- 10:25not familiar with that? Thomas? No, I don't know who
- 10:28that is? Question? Okay? Were you there at all when
- 10:32Epstein was returned from Suicide Watch Psychological Observation area back
- 10:37to the shoe Thomas, no question. No, So you're not
- 10:41sure if Reys was already in the cell or not. Thomas,
- 10:44I'm not sure. Like I said, if you could look
- 10:47at that thing morning watch. So they're all in their
- 10:51cells tucked in at that time. So I couldn't tell
- 10:54you who was in there gets cut off, okay. And
- 10:57do you know anything about Reys being removed from the
- 10:59MC on August ninth, twenty nineteen, Thomas, No, I don't question.
- 11:06You don't know that. So on August ninth, when you
- 11:09probably got there, and through August tenth, when you worked there,
- 11:13that wasn't discussed at all that Reyes was removed and
- 11:16Epstein was without a cell mat Thomas, no question. No,
- 11:20you didn't have that discussion with you didn't work with
- 11:23that night. Thomas. Well, I know the tenth, I know
- 11:26who I work with. The ninth, I don't know who
- 11:29I was up there with redacted in the shoe. Thomas, Yeah, question,
- 11:34you're not familiar with who you were with in the
- 11:36shoe Thomas on the ninth question, No on the tenth,
- 11:40Thomas on the tenth, Yeah, miss noel question. So I'm sorry.
- 11:46When I said the ninth, I meant you probably arrived
- 11:49at the institution prior to twelve am. Thomas. Yeah, I
- 11:53arrived to it, but I didn't go straight up there.
- 11:56I went down to the office four. I didn't go
- 11:58straight up to the shoe redacted. Okay, right, So that's
- 12:02what I'm saying, you arrived there on the night of
- 12:04August ninth, and then worked in the shoe from midnight
- 12:07August tenth to eight pm or eight am. Excuse me,
- 12:11mister Thomas. Oh see, okay, now I see what you're saying. Yeah,
- 12:15I got there, let's say at eleven fifty or ten
- 12:18minutes prior to try to be there a little early.
- 12:21But I thought when you keep saying the ninth as
- 12:24it shows I worked on the ninth, That's why. But
- 12:26if I got there on the ninth at ten fifty,
- 12:29miss Noel was up there, I can't remember who the
- 12:32other person was because it's usually two people. It had
- 12:35to be two people. I can't remember who the other
- 12:38person was. Question sure, And so I'll just ask that
- 12:42last question to make sure that we're on the same page.
- 12:45When you arrived prior to your August tenth shift on
- 12:48August ninth, at approximately eleven fifty pm, was Reyess discussed
- 12:53inmate Reyes or the fact that Epstein was without a
- 12:56cell mate, mister Thomas, no question, okay. And do you
- 13:01know if Epstein should have been assigned to cell mate
- 13:04mister Thomas, I don't know. Well, usually if you're committed.
- 13:09If someone commits, they usually try to not put them
- 13:12by themselves. Question right, So if you come back from
- 13:15suicide Watch or Psychological Observation, you're supposed to have a
- 13:19cell mate, mister Thomas. Uh huh. Question correct, mister Thomas.
- 13:26But that would have been done prior to my shift.
- 13:29That wouldn't have been done on the morning watch shift.
- 13:32No movement happens on the morning Watch. That happens prior
- 13:36to my shift. Question. Absolutely, but just my point being
- 13:41that people that come off the Psychological Observation or Suicide Watch,
- 13:45they're required to have a cell mate, correct, mister Thomas. Yes,
- 13:50question okay, And is there some kind of like hot
- 13:54list that's in there? Thomas? It is. I do recall
- 13:57you're saying hot list. There's something called the hot list.
- 14:00I don't know where it's at or anything like that,
- 14:02but I'm sure they do have something called the hot list.
- 14:06Question what is the hot list, mister Thomas. The MCC
- 14:09definition of it, I don't know. I know it's just
- 14:12inmates that are It could be inmates that are selli's.
- 14:16It could be that means that they're in the cell
- 14:19wreck alone. It could be the inmates suicide watch. It
- 14:22could be the inmates mental instability question. Okay, mister Thomas.
- 14:28Hot list, it's a culmination of a bunch of different things.
- 14:32Redacted question. Why are people placed on the hot list?
- 14:36Mister Thomas, I don't place people on the hot list.
- 14:39I don't know that psychology question. Yes, So if it's
- 14:43up there though for people to see that this is
- 14:46the hot list, is there like a reason? Is it
- 14:48something like these people all need cellmates, these people need
- 14:52special attention these people Thomas, I really don't know. I
- 14:56couldn't tell you that it's just like a hot list.
- 14:59I know it's a hot list, the psychology put. I
- 15:03don't know if it's particularly that all these people need
- 15:05cell mates or the hot list or I know that
- 15:08there's something called the hot list at MCC. I don't
- 15:11know where they or where you get on the hot
- 15:14list question so not what it takes to get on it,
- 15:18but why it's posted there, Like, if you're on the
- 15:20hot list, what does that mean? Thomas? Like I said,
- 15:23it could have been he gets cut off. So if
- 15:26there is a description next to a name, does it
- 15:28say you're on the hot list because of this reason?
- 15:31Thomas I really can't remember. Question Okay, but there's a
- 15:36hot list within the shoe Thomas, Yeah, there is a
- 15:39hot list. All right, folks, We're gonna wrap up right here,
- 15:42and in the next episode, we're gonna pick up where
- 15:44we left off. All of the information that goes with
- 15:47this episode can be found in the description box. What's up, everyone,
- 15:52and welcome to another episode of the Epstein Chronicles. In
- 15:56this episode, we're gonna dive right back in and pick
- 15:59up where we left off off with the Michael Thomas
- 16:01interview with the OIG Inspectors. Question, so you recall a
- 16:09hot list? You don't remember seeing it? Thomas. I don't
- 16:12remember seeing it, no question. Okay, So you never like,
- 16:15reviewed it or anything? Thomas, I don't remember reviewing it. No,
- 16:19I don't question. Were you supposed to if you were
- 16:23assigned to the shoe, were you supposed to say, Oh,
- 16:26these people are on the hot list, I need to
- 16:29take special care of these people. Thomas. I don't think so,
- 16:33no question. No, Thomas, I don't think so. I don't
- 16:37think it was anything special care about these people or not?
- 16:40Absolutely not. Question. So what would be the purpose of
- 16:44posting a hot list? Then? Who would it be for Thomas?
- 16:48It's for the staff in the shoe. Question, right, Thomas,
- 16:51it's for the staff in the shoe. Question. So if
- 16:55your staff in the shoe, doesn't that mean that you're
- 16:57supposed to look at it? Thomas, supposed to for the staff. Yeah,
- 17:02you're supposed to look at it? Question? All right, but
- 17:06you didn't, Thomas, I would say no, I didn't look
- 17:09at it that night. No question, fair enough? So do
- 17:12you know if Epstein was on the hot list? Thomas?
- 17:14I don't know if he was on the hot list? Question?
- 17:18But do you know he was on suicide watch and
- 17:20that he should have had a cell mate? Thomas? Yes,
- 17:24I knew that he was a suicide person. Yes. Question Okay. Now,
- 17:29could shoe staff have assigned Epstein a new cell mate? Thomas?
- 17:32Could shoe staff do it? I don't know if shoe
- 17:35staff could do it. I know the shoe lieutenant or
- 17:38something like that could do it, But I don't know
- 17:40if shoe staff could just give him I don't know. Question.
- 17:44So who would be responsible for assigning Epstein a new
- 17:47cell mate? So let me restate that if it wasn't
- 17:51clear Reyes was his cell mate, he was required to
- 17:54have a cell mate because he was on suicide Watch. Thomas, yeah. Question,
- 17:59and psycho ology made sure or was supposed to make
- 18:02sure that everyone knew that he was supposed to have
- 18:05a cell mate. Thomas, okay. Question, So, if Reus leaves
- 18:10as his cellmate on August ninth, twenty nineteen, who would
- 18:13be responsible for placing a new cell mate with Epstein? Thomas? Honestly,
- 18:18I don't know. I'm sure it has to come from
- 18:21somebody up high, obviously a lieutenant, or it could have
- 18:24sometimes high profile, could come from administration. Question okay, answer,
- 18:32whatever the case may be. So specifically, I really don't know,
- 18:35but I know it's somebody higher up. Has to give
- 18:38them higher up than me. Question okay, answer. I don't
- 18:42think an officer would just put somebody in there with them.
- 18:45Question Okay, Now, is that discussed at all, like during
- 18:49any of those trainings or the suicide prevention training. Is
- 18:53it discussed like, hey, if you know this guy is
- 18:55on suicide Watch, make sure he's got a cell mate? Thomas,
- 18:59I don't think so. Oh, I don't think it's discussed
- 19:02like that. No, I don't. Question all right, So, how
- 19:06do you know that if you're on suicide watch, they
- 19:10should the inmate should have a cell mate. Thomas. I
- 19:13mean we were told. You're told before that if an
- 19:16inmate's previously been on suicide that he has a cell mate. Question.
- 19:21So I guess what I'm asking is when were you
- 19:23told that? And where? Thomas, I've been there for fourteen
- 19:27I mean I can't remember exactly. Question. So possibly training, Thomas,
- 19:33possibly training word of mouth like but I don't know. Question.
- 19:38You knew it, but you just don't remember where you
- 19:40learned it from. Thomas. Yeah, that's correct. But then you
- 19:43have inmates that go on suicide Watch and come back
- 19:46that don't have a cell mate. So I've seen that
- 19:48also have inmates go there, come off suicide and not
- 19:53have a cell mate. Question. Would there be a reason
- 19:56for a person who came off suicide watch not to
- 19:59have a cell mate, Mister Thomas, I don't know the
- 20:02reason or anything. Like I said, that's also the psychology
- 20:05personnel that handle that. But I've seen also with inmates
- 20:09come up and they go into a cell by themselves. Question. Okay,
- 20:15and again I don't know that this was clear. If
- 20:19you're working in the shoe and you know someone is
- 20:21supposed to have a cell mate. Are you authorized to
- 20:24provide them with a new cell mate? Mister Thomas, I
- 20:28don't know. Question you don't know, Thomas, I don't know.
- 20:31Question have you ever done it? Thomas? No, I've never
- 20:35done it. Question You've never done that? Thomas. No, I've
- 20:39never just put somebody inside. Are we talking about suicide?
- 20:42I've never just put somebody in a cell with somebody else. Question?
- 20:46Okay Thomas, especially not at morning watch, absolutely not. Question,
- 20:54as someone in the shoe working in there and knowing
- 20:57someone without a cell mate that should have a cell mate,
- 21:00should you report it to the lieutenant? Thomas, if they
- 21:02don't have a cell mate, should you report it to
- 21:04the lieutenant? I don't know. I mean usually if that happens,
- 21:08the lieutenant because with certain inmates you can't just put
- 21:11somebody in with them like that. It could be a
- 21:14racial thing, it could have been a previous incident, he
- 21:17could be whatever the case may be. So I know
- 21:20officers don't want to just do it because when they
- 21:23say that the person can't be with them. And also
- 21:26before you put an inmate inside, you have to check
- 21:29their background as far as steps. So this person can't
- 21:32be with this person or this one is affiliated with
- 21:35this and this person. So for an officer, because some
- 21:39officers don't have the programming, I mean, don't have the
- 21:42thing just to say, oh, well, I'm going to see
- 21:44inmate this and I'm going to put him into that.
- 21:48So that's why an officer wouldn't just put an inmate
- 21:51inside with another you know what I mean, It has
- 21:54to come down from up top. Question all right, from
- 21:57your knowledge being that rais left and Epstein is required
- 22:01to have a cell mate and didn't have one, do
- 22:03you believe shoe staff should have assigned Epstein a new
- 22:06cell mate? Answer? I don't know. Question So, per your
- 22:12training and your work experience, Thomas, should shoe staff have
- 22:18assigned him? No? I believe that should have come from
- 22:20somebody else above them. Question Okay, Thomas, somebody above the
- 22:26shoe staff. Question, So, if the shoe staff doesn't inform
- 22:30anyone about an inmate required to have a cell mate,
- 22:33that they don't, how do people hire above them learn
- 22:36that there is no cell mate with someone like Epstein? Thomas, Well,
- 22:40whoever is on shift at the time. It's a process
- 22:44like if someone leaves and goes from R and D.
- 22:47A staff member can't just let somebody leave, you know,
- 22:51I can't just let somebody walk just because he walk
- 22:54in and then he walks out. He has to come
- 22:57from R and D. Oh this person was released, and
- 22:59then because then the base count changes and then so
- 23:03it's notified before it gets to the shoe staff that
- 23:06somebody left. Now, if it wasn't you know that specific
- 23:10that ray is left. You know what I mean that,
- 23:13Jeffrey Epstein, I know before it gets to the shoe staff,
- 23:16happened to put somebody in there. It has to come
- 23:19from someone else to know that inmates left from a
- 23:22particular housing unit or Shoe have to tell them the
- 23:26inmate left from a particular Now, whether they know that
- 23:30it was Epstein's cell mate that left, I don't know.
- 23:32That's above me. But it comes from way up. It
- 23:35comes from before it gets to the shoe staff that
- 23:37somebody left. The only thing that shoe staff is going
- 23:40to get is a call saying that oh, base count
- 23:44changed such and such is not their question. So if
- 23:47the people that are calling Shoe and saying, hey, this
- 23:50inmate is leaving, so is this instance. It would be
- 23:53August ninth, shoe staff. You weren't there, but shoe staff
- 23:58gets the call and hey, inmate is leaving. Do those
- 24:01people know that Reyes was assigned to Epstein? Thomas? I mean,
- 24:05I'm sure they should have. Question or would the shoe
- 24:09staff be responsible for saying he's leaving? But Epstein is
- 24:13required to have a cell mate, that's Epstein's cell mate.
- 24:16How does that information get passed along? Thomas? I don't know?
- 24:20Question Okay, Thomas, I don't know when that particular, when
- 24:24that will happen. I really couldn't tell you when that
- 24:27call would actually go down. Question Okay, and this is
- 24:33specific to you. If you said you didn't, but you
- 24:36would been authorized to assign Epstein a new cell mate
- 24:39during your shift on August tenth, twenty nineteen, Thomas, would
- 24:43I have been authorized to do it? Question? Right? So,
- 24:46if you knew that Epstein was required to have a
- 24:48cell mate, Thomas, if somebody would have told me to
- 24:51give him, I would have just taken it upon myself
- 24:54to take an inmate out from X and put him
- 24:56in there with Epstein. No, if somebody authorized me to
- 24:59put in there, then I would have put him in there. Question.
- 25:04But you wouldn't have that authorization to do it independently. Thomas, independently,
- 25:08no question. So you couldn't on your own make the decision. Hey,
- 25:14he's without an inmate, he's without a cell mate. I
- 25:16need to get a new inmate in there. Thomas. I'm
- 25:21going to say, no question. Okay, Thomas, I'm going to
- 25:25say no, not especially with a high profile. You're not
- 25:28just going to put somebody in with somebody else. Absolutely,
- 25:31not question. All right. And obviously, since you didn't know,
- 25:35I believe I already know the answer to this. But
- 25:38did you notify anyone during your shift on August tenth
- 25:42that Epstein did not have a cell mate? Thomas, no question? No,
- 25:46all right. Now we're going to talk a little bit
- 25:49about staff psychologists because you mentioned them. Do you know
- 25:53who the MCC staff psychologists were in August of twenty nineteen,
- 25:58Thomas doctor redacted? Is doctor redacted? The chief? Thomas? Yeah,
- 26:03the chief or whatever it's called. Are you aware of
- 26:07Epstein meeting with any of the staff psychologists during his
- 26:11stay at the MCC Thomas no question. No, Thomas, No,
- 26:15I'm not question. So would have Thomas cuts them off?
- 26:21I'm sure if you went on suicide I'm sure he
- 26:23met with them, but I don't know specifically that they
- 26:25go on this date and he mel with them. If
- 26:28he was on suicide Watch, I'm sure he met with someone. Question. Now,
- 26:33who places someone on suicide watch? Thomas? Psychology? Question Okay,
- 26:37So if Epstein, like you said, was on suicide Watch,
- 26:40would psychology then place him there? Thomas, Well, a psychology
- 26:45will say that he has to go there, and then
- 26:47the staff, the custody staff would actually take him to
- 26:50the suicide area. Question okay, and just briefly, what is
- 26:54suicide watch? Answer? It's a place where you watch somebody
- 26:59on suicide question. Like you said, did you say the
- 27:02second floor? Thomas, It's on the second floor. Question. So
- 27:07the second floor is a separate area. Thomas, It's a
- 27:10separate area. Four cells and in the pack you can
- 27:13I've seen suicide watch be in the shoes sometimes. Question
- 27:17And just on that note, where is the shoe? What floor? Thomas?
- 27:21Ninth question? Ninth floor? All right, so he was on
- 27:25the ninth floor, went down to the second floor, Epstein,
- 27:28that is on suicide Watch. So it's the second floor,
- 27:31and like how long are they there? Like who makes
- 27:33the determination? I guess is what I'm saying. Who's in there?
- 27:37Is psychology like co located with it? Or how is it?
- 27:41You know, the suicide watch area? How is that set up? Thomas?
- 27:45It's a room on the second floor. It's four rooms
- 27:48on the second floor, single rooms, big glass door, food slot.
- 27:52Same on the other side. There are two adjoining doors.
- 27:55It has a shower there, so like if you have
- 27:57to shower then there is a clock. Question is psychology
- 28:02near there? Thomas? The psychology is down the hall? Question
- 28:06also on the second floor Thomas, also on the second floor. Question,
- 28:12so would they do you believe that they would meet
- 28:14with people that are on suicide watch? Answer? I'm sure yes. Question. Okay,
- 28:21all right, folks, We're gonna wrap up right there, and
- 28:23in the next episode dealing with the topic, we're gonna
- 28:26pick up where we left off. All of the information
- 28:29that goes with this episode can be found in the
- 28:32description box. What's up, everyone, and welcome to another episode
- 28:36of the Epstein Chronicles. In this episode, we're gonna get
- 28:39right back to the Michael Thomas investigation with the OIG investigators. Question, So,
- 28:48when you're watching Epstein on July twenty third, did you
- 28:50see a psychologist talk with them at all. Thomas, that
- 28:54was on the morning watch, but no psychologists is on duty? Question? Oh, okay,
- 29:01so you were there from eight You were watching them
- 29:06Thomas from midnight to eight am Thomas, while I was
- 29:09watching them until well, exactly from one point thirty to
- 29:13eight am. Question. Now, when inmates though, like Epstein, he's
- 29:19on suicide watch and then placed back into the shoe,
- 29:22how soon after are they typically provided a cell mate,
- 29:26mister Thomas, I don't know. Question is it right away? Thomas?
- 29:30I'm sure it's right away? Question, So it's like you typically, like,
- 29:37is the cell mate already in there when they place
- 29:39him in with someone? Thomas? I don't know. It could
- 29:42be either or I'm sure that they made certain provisions
- 29:45and stuff to make sure that he was with somebody
- 29:48that he felt comfortable with, or whatever the case. Question
- 29:52to inmates that are on suicide watch and psychological observation,
- 29:56do they always go from there to the shoe or
- 29:59ever into somewhere else? Thomas? What do you mean? Question? So,
- 30:03if someone's on suicide watch or psychological observation Thomas on
- 30:08the second floor. Question on the second floor, when they're
- 30:11released from that. Do they always get placed into the
- 30:14shoe Thomas, No, it can be either. Or if they
- 30:18have some more shoe time that they have to serve
- 30:21or anything like that, they can go back to the shoe.
- 30:24But their shoe time is up. I'm assuming I'll say
- 30:28it's whatever the psychologists say. If they say that they're
- 30:31clear to go to population, they'll take them to population.
- 30:34Question Okay, what's the difference between Suicide Watch and Psychological
- 30:39Observation Thomas, Suicide Watch one has a smock and a
- 30:44blanket an observation, they have clothes. Question. That's the only difference, Thomas,
- 30:50That's the only difference. We still just watching them out there.
- 30:54There's no difference, Thomas, or anything like that. Yeah, no difference.
- 30:59You watch them. Question same area, same cell, Just what
- 31:04they're wearing. Thomas. Yeah, same area, same cells, and what
- 31:09they're wearing. Absolutely. Question okay, and is it your understanding
- 31:14the Epstein was both on Suicide Watch and Psychological Observation Thomas.
- 31:19I don't know if he was on Psychological I knew
- 31:22when I watched them he was on Suicide Watch at
- 31:24the time. Question Okay, did any other inmate that you
- 31:28were in the shoe when you were working in the
- 31:30shoe in July and August twenty nineteen. Were any of
- 31:33them also people that were on suicide watch or psychological observation? Thomas,
- 31:39I don't know. Question No, would that be on the
- 31:42hot list if they were? Thomas, it probably would. I
- 31:45don't know if it's something that other inmates. I couldn't
- 31:48tell you that there was five times suicides or that
- 31:51I couldn't tell you. Question okay, And are there any
- 31:55other additional requirements for people to come off of suicide
- 31:58watch or psychological observation asides from having a cell mate? Thomas,
- 32:03I don't know. Question do they have to get do
- 32:06they have to pay closer attention to them? Thomas? I
- 32:09don't think so. I just say that everything is still
- 32:12standard practice. Question Okay, So when you're working in the shoe,
- 32:16do you treat everybody the same? Thomas? No, I treat
- 32:20everybody the same. Question Okay. So you don't look after
- 32:24certain people more than others Thomas, No, I don't pay
- 32:27more attention to one person or another. Question Okay, And
- 32:32is that the case with Epstein as well? You aren't informed, like, hey,
- 32:36make sure you're paying more attention to him? He's your
- 32:39priority Thomas, no question. So no one ever said, Thomas
- 32:44cuts him off. No, absolutely not. Back to the question
- 32:48that he's a priority inmate. Okay, and I may have
- 32:51asked you this, so I apologize if it's repetitive, Thomas,
- 32:55it's all right. Question. But was Epstein required to have
- 32:59a cell mate during his stay in the shoe? Thomas?
- 33:01I don't know. Question. You just don't know, Thomas. I
- 33:05don't know exactly, but I don't know. I don't know,
- 33:09but I would say if he was previous suicide, yeah,
- 33:12he was probably required to have an inmate. Question. Are
- 33:16you aware that the staff psychologist ever issued a requirement
- 33:19for him to have a cell mate? Thomas, No, I'm not.
- 33:22I don't know. Question. So did anyone, including the psychologist, peers, supervisors,
- 33:28or others ever tell you that Epstein was required to
- 33:31have a cell mate? Thomas, no question. Do you have
- 33:35the email mister redacted? Let me see is there one
- 33:39more stack redacted? So this is the email from that
- 33:44redacted from psychology and it says to suicide Watch Psychological
- 33:50Observation Update seven point thirty twenty nineteen. Do you know
- 33:54if you ever receive this email? It says inmate Epstein
- 33:57is being taken off psych observation and to be housed
- 34:00with an appropriate cellmate. Do you remember ever receiving that, Thomas.
- 34:06Usually they send this out to everybody, like it's sent
- 34:08out to everybody, But I don't remember seeing it. I'm
- 34:11sure if it was sent out and all that stuff,
- 34:14I'm sure it got to me, but I don't remember
- 34:16seeing it. Question. No, And I'm not saying that you
- 34:19received it. I'm just asking if you had received it,
- 34:22like either by forward. Did anyone ever forward the email
- 34:25to you? Or did anybody did you ever see it? Thomas, No,
- 34:30my name's not on here? Question Yeah? Yeah, yeah, No,
- 34:33I know your name isn't on here. Thomas. Uh huh. Question.
- 34:37You're right, That's why I'm just asking if you have
- 34:39ever forwarded that to you. Thomas, Uh huh. Question. Okay,
- 34:44do any of these names that are on here, especially
- 34:47towards the bottom here, any of those names look like
- 34:49people that would work in the shoe, Thomas. It could
- 34:53be a bunch of these people that worked in the shoe.
- 34:55I don't know specifically who works in the shoe. Question. Okay,
- 35:00but because you weren't on a regular shoe schedule. You
- 35:02may not, Thomas interrupts them. Yeah, yeah, they may not
- 35:07have forwarded that to you. One of those is the chaplain.
- 35:13That's okay, but you never none of these people ever
- 35:16forwarded this to you, Thomas, no question. Okay, just because
- 35:21we talked about it, do you mind just initialing it
- 35:23and dating it? Thank you, sir, mister Thomas, I wrote twenty,
- 35:28so I initialed over it. I put the one because
- 35:30I initialed over it when writing it redacted. What's that? Thomas?
- 35:35I put twenty question this at nineteen, yeah, Thomas, No,
- 35:38I put twenty, so I put the one and I
- 35:40put my initials over it. Oh okay, got it all right? Thanks?
- 35:46So no one ever informed you that even not only that,
- 35:50but you needed to keep a close crye on mister Epstein. Thomas, No,
- 35:54I don't ever recall being informed about that. No, Thomas,
- 36:00I mean, I'm not a custody He gets cut off. Sure,
- 36:03I didn't know during your times that you're actually in
- 36:06the shoe people talking about like and at midnight, everybody's gone,
- 36:13just the people, because you're always with at least one
- 36:15other person, right, Thomas, yeah, question, but the other person
- 36:19you never had this, Thomas, I don't recall question. Conversation. Okay,
- 36:25do you recall who the MCC warden in July of
- 36:28August twenty nineteen was, mister Thomas. I can't pronounce his
- 36:32first name redacted? Question? Is it redacted? Thomas? I was
- 36:37about to say captain, but redacted Thomas, but you said
- 36:42the warden right. Question? Yeah, so he gives them the name? Question? Okay, good.
- 36:49What communication do you have with MCC warden with regarding
- 36:53to the Epstein being housed within the MCC Thomas, I
- 36:57don't recall none, Thomas, no question. So I'm going to
- 37:03go through just a couple of names, and the reason
- 37:06why I'm going to ask the same questions, and the
- 37:09intention is not to be repetitive, but for you to
- 37:12specifically think these people, to just see if that helps
- 37:15you recall Thomas, you know, jog something. Question, Yeah, you know,
- 37:20so you can visualize that person. Question. So did the
- 37:24warden ever provide you with special instructions with Epstein? Thomas, No,
- 37:29not that I recall. Question. Okay, did the warden ever
- 37:32tell you that Epstein was required to have a cell
- 37:35mate well housed at MCC or assigned to the shoe, Thomas,
- 37:39not that I recall. Question did the warden ever visit
- 37:42the shoe during Epstein's stay at the MCC Thomas, I
- 37:46don't know. Question. You don't know because you weren't there
- 37:49during the days. Does the warden typically just work during
- 37:52the day watch Thomas No, I actually had an overtime
- 37:55shift with the warden sometime when he helped out with
- 38:00He worked the shoe with me one time. Question When
- 38:04did he do that? Thomas, I can't recall. Question would
- 38:07it have been like in the July or August of
- 38:09twenty nineteen? Thomas, Nah, this was a long time ago,
- 38:13A long time ago. Question, Sam Warton Thomas, Yeah, same
- 38:16warden question. Okay, do you recall any times that you
- 38:21were in the shoe during July and August during Epstein's
- 38:25stay that the warden visited Thomas No, I'm on morning watch.
- 38:29Question right, That's what I meant, because you had said
- 38:32that sometimes he did though, Thomas, Yeah. Question okay, but
- 38:36not during that time, Thomas, not during my time? No question.
- 38:40Do you know if the warden ever met with Epstein
- 38:43during his stay here at MCC, Mister Thomas, I don't know. Question,
- 38:48who are the MCC associate wardens in August of twenty
- 38:51nineteen Thomas redacted, And honestly, I can't remember the other
- 38:55one question. Did the warden ever talk about Epstein? Okay?
- 39:01Did any aw's or associate wardens Thomas, no question? All right, Thomas,
- 39:08not any question. So what communications did you have with
- 39:11any MCC aw's, including redacted, about Epstein being housed within
- 39:17the MCC? None? What aw's did you communicate with and
- 39:21how were those communications conducted? Did you ever discuss anything
- 39:25with aws? Did you ever have conversations with them? Thomas?
- 39:30How's your day going? Question? Yeah, but not like sitting
- 39:33down talking about different inmates or something. Thomas, no question, No,
- 39:38all right? And did any AWS ever provide you with
- 39:42any information with regard to Epstein? Thomas, no question? Or
- 39:46special instruction Thomas, no question. And did any AW including
- 39:52aw redacted ever tell you that Epstein was required to
- 39:55have a cellmate? Thomas, no question. Did any AW ever
- 40:00visit the shoe while you were in the shoe Thomas,
- 40:03no question. No, did any AW ever meet with Epstein
- 40:08during his stay at MCC Thomas from I don't know? Question? Okay,
- 40:13who was the MCC captain in July and August of
- 40:16twenty nineteen. Thomas, I see his face, but I can't
- 40:19remember his name. Question was it redacted? Thomas? Yeah, there
- 40:24you go, There you go. Question, so it was redacted?
- 40:30Thomas yeah. Question okay, what communication did you have with
- 40:35Captain redacted with regarding to Epstein being housed at MCC none?
- 40:40Would you have any communication with the captain Thomas no
- 40:43passing by question did the captain ever provide you with
- 40:47special instructions with regard to Epstein? Thomas no question. Did
- 40:52the captain ever tell you that Epstein was required to
- 40:55have a cellmate? Thomas no question. Did the Captain ever
- 41:00visit the Shoe during Epstein's stay at MCC Thomas, I
- 41:04don't know. Question did the captain ever but not while
- 41:08you were at the shoe? Thomas? Not while I was
- 41:11in the shoe? No question. Did the captain ever have
- 41:14a meeting with Epstein during his stay at the MCC Thomas,
- 41:18I don't know. Okay. Question do you want to take
- 41:22a break right now? Answer yes, okay, So we're going
- 41:26to take a break right here as well, and in
- 41:27the next episode dealing with the topic, we're going to
- 41:30pick up where we left off. All of the information
- 41:33that goes with this episode can be found in the
- 41:36description box.