A federal judge in New York unsealed a purported suicide note from Jeffrey Epstein on Wednesday, ending years of speculation over a document that had been locked away in a courthouse vault. The handwritten note, which is both unsigned and undated, was released following a legal request by The New York Times.
The text of the note offers a brief, defiant glimpse into Epstein’s mindset prior to his death. It reads, in part: “They investigated me for month – found NOTHING!!! It is a treat to be able to chose ones time to say goodbye. NO FUN – NOT WORTH IT!!”
The document was originally placed on the court docket during the criminal case of Nicholas Tartaglione, Epstein’s former cellmate.
Tartaglione claimed he discovered the note hidden inside a graphic novel in their shared cell in July 2019, just weeks before Epstein’s death. He reportedly gave it to his lawyers to prove that Epstein was suicidal rather than a victim of an assault, as Epstein had initially accused Tartaglione of attacking him.
While the note is now public, its legitimacy remains an open question. In a recent court filing, the Justice Department admitted it does not know if the document is authentic.
However, the agency did not oppose the release, stating, “There appears to be a strong public interest in the circumstances surrounding Epstein’s death.”
The unsealing of this note adds a new layer to the timeline of the financier’s final days. In July 2019, Epstein was found unresponsive with neck injuries and placed under psychological evaluation. Though he initially blamed Tartaglione for the marks on his neck, Bureau of Prisons records show Epstein later recanted, telling officials he “never had any issues” with his cellmate.
READ: Dem Rep. Jayapal Defies White House Embargo To Coordinate Oil Shipments For Cuba
On August 10, 2019, Epstein was found dead in his cell. The investigation into that morning revealed that the two guards on duty, Tova Noel and Michael Thomas, skipped their rounds at midnight, 3 a.m., and 5 a.m., but falsified records to claim they had performed them. Charges against the guards were eventually dropped after they completed community service and cooperated with investigators.
The official ruling of suicide has long been questioned by Epstein’s family. Dr. Michael Baden, a forensic pathologist hired by Epstein’s brother, has argued that fractures in Epstein’s larynx and hyoid bone were more consistent with homicidal strangulation than hanging.
This release comes as part of a broader push for transparency. Following legislation passed by Congress last fall, the DOJ has released 3.5 million pages of documents related to the Epstein case. Despite the massive document dump, the federal government had not included this specific note in its previous releases, as it remained under the jurisdiction of District Judge Kenneth Karas until this week.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
