An orange form was noticed on surveillance footage close to Jeffrey Epstein’s jail cell on the ultimate night time of his life — and forensic consultants are questioning the federal authorities’s rationalization of the mysterious object.
The shadowy object, seen in video obtained and reviewed by CBS Information, strikes up the steps to Epstein’s cell block on the Metropolitan Correctional Focus on 10:40 p.m. the night time earlier than the 66-year-old convicted intercourse trafficker was discovered hanged.
Federal investigators beforehand concluded the pixelated blob was a corrections officer “carrying linen or inmate clothes,” however forensic consultants who spoke to the community as a part of an investigation into the jail video now suspect it might have really been a jumpsuit clad inmate.
“Primarily based on the restricted video, it’s extra possible an individual in an [orange] uniform,” Conor McCourt, a retired NYPD sergeant and forensic video professional, instructed CBS.
Epstein was discovered lifeless in his cell on August 10, 2019 and an official post-mortem, in addition to a joint DOJ-FBI probe, discovered that the disgraced financier killed himself by hanging.
However the forensic consultants who spoke to CBS Information consider there are vital flaws within the Justice Division’s official evaluation of the convicted intercourse trafficker’s demise.
Whereas the FBI claimed surveillance cameras would have captured anybody getting into or exiting the realm the place the billionaire was held, footage launched by the DOJ revealed that the staircase is nearly totally out of view, the outlet’s evaluation discovered.
The doorway to Epstein’s cell can be exterior the digital camera’s subject of view.
“To say that there’s no means that somebody might get to that, the steps as much as his room, with out being seen is fake,” video forensic professional Jim Safford instructed CBS, along with his view shared by 4 different main consultants.
The footage additionally doesn’t seem like uncooked, with the outlet reporting it’s possible a display recording — evidenced by a cursor and menu seen on the display. The video feed additionally skipped forward a full minute simply earlier than midnight, and its side ratio abruptly shifted.
The Workplace of the Inspector Common responded to the theories raised by CBS, stating they haven’t modified or modified their conclusion primarily based on the current evaluation into the sexual predator’s demise.
“Our complete evaluation of the circumstances over the weeks, days, and hours earlier than Epstein’s demise included the consequences of the longstanding, power staffing disaster within the [Bureau of Prisons] and the BOP’s failure to offer and preserve high quality digital camera protection inside its amenities,” the assertion to the outlet learn.
“As CBS notes, nothing in its evaluation modified or modified the OIG’s conclusions or suggestions.”
A furor and contemporary wave of public fascination over Epstein’s demise erupted earlier this month when the DOJ confirmed there was no proof he was murdered in his lockup — regardless of years of conspiracy theorists claiming in any other case — simply weeks after being charged with intercourse trafficking dozens of ladies.
The Justice Division and FBI additionally stated, through their investigation, that Epstein didn’t have an incriminating “shopper checklist.”
President Trump has since urged People to cease losing “time and power” on the disgraced financier.
Final week, US Deputy Legal professional Common Todd Blanche met with Ghislaine Maxwell for 2 days of questioning in regards to the case, along with her legal professional publicly angling for a pardon or sentence commutation from the president.
Maxwell is at present serving 20 years in jail as Epstein’s confederate.
