'Negligence and misconduct' enabled Jeffrey Epstein's suicide, US watchdog rules

A "combination of negligence and misconduct" enabled Jeffrey Epstein to take his own life at a federal jail in New York City, the Justice Department’s watchdog has said.

The 66-year-old financier died at the Metropolitan Correctional Center while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in August 2019.

Just two weeks before, he was placed on suicide watch for 31 hours after what jail officials said was a suicide attempt that left his neck bruised and scraped.

It has now come to light, according to the watchdog, that the failure to assign Epstein a cellmate after his previous one left and problems with surveillance cameras were factors in his death.

Inspector General Michael Horowitz cited the negligence of the federal Bureau of Prisons, saying that Epstein was left in his cell with too many bed linens, which were used in his suicide.

The inspector general issued a report of findings from his investigation into Epstein's death, the last of several official inquiries into the matter.

He reiterated the findings of other investigations that there was no indication of foul play, rebutting conspiracy theories surrounding the high-profile death.

Mr Horowitz also echoed previous conclusions that some members of the jail staff involved in guarding Epstein were overworked, identifying 13 employees with poor performance, and recommending charges against six workers.

The workers assigned to guard Epstein were sleeping and shopping online instead of checking on him every 30 minutes as required, prosecutors have said.

Only the two workers tasked with guarding Epstein were charged, avoiding jail time in a plea deal after admitting to falsifying logs.

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