Judge Unseals Epstein Suicide Note From July 2019 Attempt, Raising More Questions About Jail Negligence

A federal judge has unsealed a handwritten note purportedly written by Jeffrey Epstein during his first known suicide attempt on July 23, 2019, less than two weeks before he died in a Manhattan jail cell. The note, obtained by Epstein’s former cellmate and written on lined paper, has not been formally authenticated but contains a desperate tone and cryptic references to his legal troubles.

The note reads in part: “They investigated me for month — Found NOTHING!!!” and “It is a treat to be able to choose one’s time to say goodbye. Watcha want me to do - Bust out cryin!! NO FUN, NOT WORTH IT!!” The writing also appears to reference “16 year old charges resubmitted,” hinting at Epstein’s ongoing legal battles tied to sex trafficking allegations involving minors.

Epstein was discovered during this earlier incident by his cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione, a former NYPD officer. Epstein was found “with an orange cloth around his neck” and “friction marks” consistent with an attempted hanging, according to a Justice Department Office of the Inspector General report. Epstein initially claimed Tartaglione attacked him but later refused to discuss the injuries.

Bruce Barket, Tartaglione’s former lawyer, said the note was written on a yellow legal pad and while never formally authenticated, his team grew comfortable it was Epstein’s handwriting, especially after a similar note surfaced in a CBS “60 Minutes” report.

This newly released note adds to the mounting evidence of gross negligence and misconduct at the Metropolitan Correctional Center. Epstein was supposed to be on suicide watch after this attempt but was found dead by suicide in August 2019, under circumstances federal investigators later described as the result of a cascade of errors by jail staff.

The note and the bungled jail oversight paint a damning picture of systemic failure to protect a high-profile detainee facing serious charges. Epstein’s death ended any chance of full accountability for his extensive trafficking network and powerful enablers.

We will keep tracking the fallout from these revelations as the fight for justice and transparency around Epstein’s crimes and death continues.