Judge Releases Epstein Cellmate Note Years Later

Judge releases note cellmate says he found after Epstein’s suspected suicide attempt – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Pixabay)

New York – A federal judge has ordered the release of a note that Jeffrey Epstein’s former cellmate said he found after the financier’s first suspected suicide attempt inside a Manhattan jail. The document surfaced Wednesday after remaining sealed for years inside a courthouse vault. U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas in White Plains issued the ruling in connection with a separate legal matter that had nothing to do with Epstein’s criminal case.

The Court Order

Judge Karas directed that the note be made public, ending its long period under lock and key. Court records show the document had been stored away as part of an unrelated dispute that reached his courtroom. The decision brings the note into open view for the first time since it was collected years earlier.

Epstein’s Jail Incident

The note dates to the period after Epstein’s initial suspected suicide attempt while he awaited trial on sex-trafficking charges. His former cellmate claimed to have discovered the paper in the cell following that event. Epstein died weeks later in what officials ruled a suicide, though questions about his death have persisted.

Why the Note Stayed Sealed

The document became part of a different lawsuit that had no direct link to Epstein’s prosecution. It was placed under seal and kept in a courthouse vault to protect the integrity of that separate proceeding. Only after Judge Karas reviewed the matter did he determine the note could be released without harming the unrelated case.

The release adds one more piece of information to the public record surrounding Epstein’s time in custody. Interest in the case remains high because of the serious charges he faced and the circumstances of his death.