A US judge has released a document believed to be a suicide note written by Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender, a month before his death. The handwritten note, unsealed on Wednesday, references a lengthy investigation that “found nothing” and expresses a sentiment of choosing when to say goodbye. Epstein’s former cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione, claims he discovered the note in a book after Epstein’s attempted suicide in July 2019. Epstein was found dead in his cell a month later, with his death ruled a suicide as he awaited a sex-trafficking trial. The note, which consists of only seven lines, was initially sealed as part of Tartaglione’s criminal proceedings. Tartaglione, a former police officer convicted of quadruple murder, had been accused by Epstein of assault, which he denied. The note’s release follows a petition by The New York Times and federal prosecutors, who argued there was no longer a need to keep it secret. Judge Kenneth M. Karas concluded that the note should be accessible to the public. The US Department of Justice has not commented on the note, although they have released other Epstein-related files recently.
QUESTION: How might the release of Epstein’s purported suicide note impact public perception of his death and the ongoing investigations into his activities?
US judge releases Jeffrey Epstein’s purported suicide note
