In the weeks leading up to his death on August 10, Jeffrey Epstein, the financier awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, explicitly denied any plans to take his own life, according to the latest release of prison records from the Metropolitan Correctional Center. The details from the records provide insight into Epstein's state of mind and the prison's assessment of his risk.
The documents, part of the eighth tranche of Epstein files, include a series of notes from psychological evaluations and interactions with prison staff. In an August 1 suicide risk assessment, Epstein is quoted as saying, "He said he is Jewish and he said in his religion suicide is against the religion." The assessments repeatedly indicate that Epstein denied having current suicidal or self-harm thoughts.
During a July 27 clinical intervention, Epstein is reported to have expressed a fear of pain, telling staff, "I’m a coward," and elaborating on his aversion to discomfort, even when drawing blood for medical tests. This statement came days after a "possible suicide attempt" on July 23, where Epstein was found with marks on his neck in the Special Housing Unit. Despite the incident, Epstein claimed he could not remember what happened and expressed confusion regarding the marks.
Prison notes reflect Epstein's neutral mood and coherent speech, although he complained about dehydration and poor sleep. He was described as "future oriented" and not an "immediate danger to self." In subsequent meetings, Epstein suggested he "may have something on the Autism spectrum," citing his numerical abilities and referencing the movie "Rain Man." He also attributed memory issues to sleep apnea and requested access to his CPAP machine, while expressing a desire to remain in what he considered a "safe" unit.
Two days before his demise, records show Epstein still denying any suicidal ideation, stating, "he lives for and plans to finish this case and go back to his normal life." On August 8, prison staff observed Epstein "feeling okay" and actively engaged with his legal team, with no mental health concerns noted.
Despite these assertions and observations, Epstein was found deceased in his cell on August 10, a death officially ruled as suicide. The emergence of these internal records has reignited public interest and speculation regarding the circumstances of his death.
