Seven New Epstein Jail Video Issues Under Scrutiny

Newsweek

5 days ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
There are several inconsistencies and contradictions between the account provided by officials about the night Jeffrey Epstein died in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan and the surveillance video footage released earlier this month, according to an investigation by CBS News.
Newsweek reached out to the FBI and the Bureau of Prisons via email and the Department of Justice via its website for comment.
Why It Matters
President Donald Trump's administration is facing scrutiny after the Department of Justice announced earlier in July that it would not be releasing more records about Epstein, a convicted sex offender, despite earlier promises to do so. That decision angered many of Trump's supporters, who believe the files will reveal a cover-up in the case to protect Epstein's wealthy and powerful friends.
The DOJ released the surveillance video as a key piece of evidence meant to prove that the wealthy financier died by suicide behind bars in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
While the review by CBS News does not refute the conclusion that Epstein died by suicide, it notes that the footage offers little evidence to support the claims made by officials and calls into question the accuracy of witness statements and whether the investigation thoroughly and objectively considered all evidence.
What To Know
Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman announces charges against Jeffery Epstein on July 8, 2019, in New York City.
Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman announces charges against Jeffery Epstein on July 8, 2019, in New York City.Inconsistencies Between Official Claims and Video Evidence
The Department of Justice and the FBI said in a memo earlier this month that "anyone entering or attempting to enter the tier where Epstein's cell was located from the SHU (Special Housing Unit) common area would have been captured by this footage."
However, Epstein's cell was accessible via a staircase from the SHU's common area that is almost entirely out of view from the camera. The camera angle captured by the surveillance footage also does not show the entrance to Epstein's cell or the main SHU entrance.
CBS News reported that Epstein is seen walking toward the staircase, but not ascending it, meaning individuals could have entered the area or accessed the stairs without being recorded.
Interpretation of the 'Orange Shape'
The 2023 report on Epstein, released by the Department of Justice's Office of Inspector General, identified an "orange shape" moving up the stairs leading to Epstein's tier as a corrections officer carrying linen or inmate clothing.
But Conor McCourt, a retired New York City Police Department sergeant and forensic video expert, told CBS News that the shape is more likely to be someone in an orange prison jumpsuit.
Video Format and Editing Discrepancies
Federal officials described the video as "raw footage." However, experts pointed to the presence of a cursor and onscreen menu in the footage as a sign that it is a screen recording rather than an original export from a DVR system.
Analysis of metadata showed the footage was created on May 23, 2025, CBS News reported. Two experts told CBS News that the footage was unlikely to be an export of the raw footage, but appears to be two separate video segments that were stitched together.
'Missing Minute'
Attorney General Pam Bondi said during a July 8 Cabinet meeting that the missing minute just before midnight in the video was due to a nightly reset of the outdated security system.
However, CBS News, citing a high-level government source, said the FBI, the Bureau of Prisons and the inspector general's office have unedited copies of the video that do not have a missing minute.
Presence of an Unidentified Individual
The inspector general's report listed only two staff members entering the SHU after midnight: a corrections officer identified only as "CO 3" and the Morning Watch Operations Lieutenant. But according to CBS News, a third unidentified individual passes through the unit at around 12:05 a.m.
Mismatch Between Video and Staff Statements
The inspector general's report said a corrections officer, Tova Noel, said she left Epstein alone in the shower area on August 9, 2019, where he made an unmonitored phone call. She went to use the bathroom, the report said, and upon her return, she found that Epstein had been escorted back to his cell.
But the video shows what appears to be Noel remaining in the SHU and escorting Epstein to the staircase leading to his cell. The report seems to conflate Noel's actions with those of another female staff member, who is seen on the footage exiting the unit just before Epstein is escorted back to his cell, according to CBS News.
Contradiction About Access Claims
The inspector general's report said that in the SHU, access to each entrance of each tier was through a single locked door at the top or bottom of the staircase leading to the tier, and that keys to open the doors were available to a limited number of corrections officers while on duty.
Noel told investigators that only she and Material Handler Michael Thomas possessed the physical key to a door that required it. However, the video shows several people entering and exiting while neither is seen near the door, CBS News reported.
What People Are Saying
The DOJ Office of the Inspector General, in a statement to CBS News: "The OIG appreciates the careful review of our report. Our comprehensive assessment of the circumstances over the weeks, days, and hours before Epstein's death included the effects of the longstanding, chronic staffing crisis in the BOP and the BOP's failure to provide and maintain quality camera coverage within its facilities. As CBS notes, nothing in its analysis changed or modified the OIG's conclusions or recommendations."
The DOJ and FBI, in the July 7 memo: "The conclusion that Epstein died by suicide is further supported by video footage from the common area of the Special Housing Unit (SHU) where Epstein was housed at the time of his death. As DOJ's Inspector General explained in 2023, anyone entering or attempting to enter the tier where Epstein's cell was located from the SHU common area would have been captured by this footage.
"The FBI's independent review of this footage confirmed that from the time Epstein was locked in his cell at around 10:40 pm on August 9, 2019, until around 6:30 am the next morning, nobody entered any of the tiers in the SHU."
Attorney General Pam Bondi, during a Cabinet meeting on July 8: "There was a minute that was off the counter and what we learned from Bureau of Prisons was every year, every night, they redo that video. It's old, from like 1999, so every night the video is reset, and every night should have the same minute missing."
President Donald Trump, Thursday on Truth Social: "The Radical Left Democrats are doing everything in their power to distract and obfuscate from our GREAT six months of service to America, results of which many are saying is the BEST six months in Presidential history. They have gone absolutely CRAZY, and are playing another Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax but, this time, under the guise of what we will call the Jeffrey Epstein SCAM."
Jeffrey Epstein's brother Mark Epstein, on NewsNation earlier in July: "Every time they say something or do something to try to quash the fact that he was most likely murdered, they just put their foot further down their mouth."
What Happens Next
The DOJ memo said that "no further disclosure" of Epstein records is "appropriate or warranted."
However, the highlighted discrepancies are likely to fuel questions about Epstein's final hours and renew calls for greater transparency and the release of the unedited surveillance footage and other records.