Two federal prison guards tasked with overseeing Jeffrey Epstein the night he died have been arrested and charged, after allegedly falsifying records saying they checked on his cell multiple times throughout the evening.
[jwplayer ZmwI3rop-lyGsAK4p]
The New York Times reports a criminal indictment against guards Tova Noel and Michael Thomas, which was unsealed on Tuesday, accuses the pair of sleeping and online shopping in the hours before they found Epstein’s body on August 10.
While the Metropolitan Correctional Centre guards were required to check Epstein’s cell every half-hour, the indictment states neither Noel or Thomas fulfilled that duty – despite signing timesheets claiming they had.
Both guards “repeatedly failed to conduct mandated checks on inmates, and lied on official forms to hide their dereliction,” said US Attorney Geoffrey Berman.
The pair pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring to defraud the United States and faking official documents, the NYT states.
Epstein, a billionaire financier who was convicted in 2008 of soliciting prostitution of a minor, was awaiting trial on new child sex abuse charges at the time of his death.
The death of such a high-profile inmate, with known connections to many rich and powerful figures, sparked intense speculation about what exactly happened at the facility.
While the New York City medical examiner concluded Epstein’s death was the result of suicide, a forensic pathologist hired by Epstein’s estate and who was present for the autopsy said his injuries were suggestive of homicide.
Those theories have been downplayed by authorities.
It has since emerged that the prison was undergoing significant staff shortages at the time of Epstein’s death. The NYT reports Noel was on a 16-hour double shift at the time, while Thomas had already done considerable overtime in the days prior.
Help is available.
If you require immediate assistance, please call 000.
If you are in distress, please call Lifeline on 13 11 44 or chat online.
Under 25? You can reach Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
You can also reach the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 or chat online.
