A new report has revealed more about the circumstances of Jeffrey Epstein’s apparent suicide in a Manhattan jail this past weekend.
CBS News reports that the sounds of shrieking and shouting were heard coming from Epstein’s jail cell on Saturday morning. The report does not say what source or sources provided this information, and it is unclear what time of the morning the sounds were heard, or who was in the cell at the time.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Epstein was discovered unresponsive at about 6:30 a.m. on Saturday at the Manhattan Correctional Facility. He was eventually taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. A source told the New York Post that Epstein, 66, had hanged himself with a sheet from the top bunk of the bed in his cell. He reportedly kneeled on the ground, bending forward to choke himself.
Multiple news outlets reported that no guard checked on Epstein for hours before he was found unresponsive, although his status in the jail meant that a corrections officer was supposed to look in on him every 30 minutes. Because Epstein had not been monitored, it is unclear what time of the night or morning he took measures to kill himself.
According to the CBS report, guards who found Epstein and attempted to revive him were heard saying “breathe, Epstein, breathe.”
U.S. Attorney William Barr has been outspoken in his criticism about Epstein’s death while in federal custody, and has called for an investigation.
“We will get to the bottom of what happened and there will be accountability,” Barr said, according to CBS News. “I was appalled and frankly angry to learn of the MCC’s failure to adequately secure this prisoner.”
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast.