Days before Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide in 2019, the convicted *** offender reportedly insisted he would never take his own life—saying that suicide is forbidden in his Jewish faith.
Newly released prison notes included in the Department of Justice’s latest batch of files tied to the Epstein investigation provide additional detail about Epstein’s mental state while he was held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City, awaiting trial on federal *** trafficking charges.
The documents reference a possible suicide attempt on July 23, 2019. According to the notes, Epstein told interviewers he “could not remember what happened” that day because of his “ ‘sleep apnea.’”
During a psychological observation dated July 26, 2019, staff wrote that Epstein “does not like pain and never attempt (sic) to harm himself.”
A suicide risk assessment form dated Aug. 1, 2019, added: “He said he is Jewish and he said in his religion suicide is against the religion,” according to the report. It continued, “Overall, his current protective factors override his risk factors for suicidality. He is currently psychologically stable. He denied feeling hopeless. He is reporting positive future plans and reasons to live for.”
The assessment listed Epstein’s “overall acute suicide risk” as “low.”
The notes also indicate Epstein denied having suicidal ideation on Aug. 8, 2019—two days before he was found hanged in his cell. His death was ruled a suicide.
The DOJ has released a trove of files related to the Epstein probe, though many pages are heavily redacted. Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act in November, requiring the release of investigation materials. President Donald Trump signed the law despite initially opposing it.
Under the law, the DOJ is allowed to withhold or redact certain information, including details that could identify victims.
The latest release also includes references to Trump, whose name appears multiple times in the documents. He is also visible in a photo with Epstein; the image was among several temporarily removed from the DOJ’s website before being restored following backlash.
After publishing the newest materials, the DOJ said the files “contain untrue and sensationalist claims made against President Trump.”
Also shown in other images are several well-known figures, including former President Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Michael Jackson and Kevin Spacey.
Epstein’s longtime co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, is serving a 20-year federal prison sentence following a *** trafficking conviction.
