The Latest: Official tells Times jail broke rules on Epstein
NEW YORK (AP) — The Latest on the death of Jeffrey Epstein (all times local):
1 p.m.
A law enforcement source tells The New York Times financier Jeffrey Epstein was alone in his jail cell the night of his apparent suicide.
The Times spoke to the official on the condition of anonymity. The Associated Press has not independently confirmed the information.
An official with knowledge of the investigation told the Times that Epstein’s cellmate was transferred. The official says the Justice Department was told Epstein would have a cellmate and be monitored by a guard every 30 minutes.
He was found unresponsive in his jail cell Saturday and the Bureau of Prisons says he was later pronounced dead of an apparent suicide.
___
12:45 p.m.
A law enforcement official tells The New York Times that Jeffrey Epstein should have been checked on by guards in his cell every 30 minutes, but that didn’t happen the night before he was found hanged in a federal jail cell.
The Times spoke to the official on the condition of anonymity. The Associated Press has not independently confirmed the information.
Epstein was discovered unresponsive in his cell Saturday at a high-security jail in Manhattan. The Bureau of Prisons says he was later pronounced dead from an apparent suicide.
He was facing sex trafficking charges and had recently been taken off suicide watch, a person familiar with the matter who wasn’t authorized to discuss it publicly told The Associated Press. He was found in his cell with bruising on his neck two weeks ago.
___
12:05 a.m.
Jeffrey Epstein has died of an apparent suicide in jail, prompting an investigation into his death and assurance from a U.S. official that allegations of sexual abuse and conspiracy will not be cast aside.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons says that Epstein, a wealthy financier accused of orchestrating a sex-trafficking ring and sexually abusing dozens of underage girls, was found unresponsive in his cell Saturday morning. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.
A person familiar with the matter who wasn’t authorized to discuss it publicly says Epstein had been placed on suicide watch after an incident a little over two weeks ago in which he was found with bruising on his neck.
But the person says he was taken off watch at the end of July and wasn’t on it at the time of death.
