A puzzling new detail has emerged in the case of Jeffrey Epstein, as forensic experts cast doubt on the federal government’s explanation for a strange orange figure captured on surveillance footage the night before Epstein was found dead in his prison cell.
Surveillance footage obtained by CBS News shows a shadowy orange shape moving up a stairway toward Epstein’s cell block at the Metropolitan Correctional Center around 10:40 p.m., just hours before he was discovered hanging in his cell.
What was the orange figure?
Federal officials initially claimed the object was a corrections officer carrying linens or inmate clothing. But forensic video analysts are now challenging that narrative, suggesting the figure could actually be an inmate wearing a prison-issued orange jumpsuit.
“Based on the limited video, it’s more likely a person in an [orange] uniform,” said Conor McCourt, a retired NYPD sergeant and forensic video expert, speaking with CBS.
Epstein was found dead in his cell on August 10, 2019. While the official investigation by the Department of Justice and FBI ruled his death a suicide, independent experts continue to question the thoroughness and integrity of that conclusion.
CBS reported that the footage appears to be a screen recording rather than original footage. A visible cursor, dropdown menus, and sudden skips in the timeline—along with a shifting aspect ratio—have raised red flags for analysts.
Despite these concerns, the Office of the Inspector General has stood by its findings. “Our comprehensive assessment of the circumstances over the weeks, days, and hours before Epstein’s death included the effects of the longstanding, chronic staffing crisis in the [Bureau of Prisons] and the BOP’s failure to provide and maintain quality camera coverage within its facilities,” the office said in a statement.
They added, “As CBS notes, nothing in its analysis changed or modified the OIG’s conclusions or recommendations.”
