Judge Releases Purported Epstein Suicide Note

A federal judge has released a document described as a suicide note purportedly written by Jeffrey Epstein before his death in 2019.

The handwritten note includes the line: “It is a treat to be able to choose one’s time to say goodbye.” It was said to have been found by Epstein’s former cellmate Nicholas Tartaglione, a convicted murderer and former police officer.

US District Judge Kenneth Karas ordered the document to be unsealed after a request by The New York Times, citing the public’s right of access to court records.

Karas said he was not assessing the authenticity of the note or its chain of custody, as he did not consider those questions relevant to the decision to release it.

The document was submitted as part of criminal proceedings against Tartaglione, who is serving four consecutive life sentences for drug-related murders.

The note says: “They investigated me for month - Found NOTHING!!! So 15 year old charges resulted. It is a treat to be able to choose ones time to say goodbye. Watcha want me to do - Burst out cryin!! NO FUN - NOT WORTH IT!!”

Epstein, a disgraced financier and accused sex trafficker, was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell on 10 August 2019 in what was ruled a suicide.

The note became a matter of public interest after The New York Times reported its existence last week. The newspaper said it had not been seen by federal investigators and was not among the Epstein-related documents released by the Justice Department.

(reuters, max)