Alleged suicide note written by Jeffrey Epstein unsealed by federal judge

A federal judge unsealed an alleged suicide note written by Jeffrey Epstein on Wednesday, the first time the document has been made public.

Epstein’s cellmate at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City, Nicholas Tartaglione, said he found the note after Epstein unsuccessfully attempted suicide in July 2019, weeks before he was eventually found dead in his jail cell.

“They investigated me for months — FOUND NOTHING!!!” reads the note. “It is a treat to be able to choose one’s time to say goodbye. Watcha want me to do — Bust out cryin!! NO FUN – NOT WORTH IT!!”

The note does not include a signature.

The Guardian has not verified whether the letter was written by Epstein. The justice department did not immediately return the Guardian’s request for comment.

The note was unsealed after the New York Times published a story last week detailing the note’s existence and petitioned the court in White Plains, New York, to release it.

Tartaglione, a former police officer, has been serving life in prison for a quadruple murder conviction, which he is appealing. He discovered Epstein unresponsive in their cell, after which the disgraced financier told prison officials he had been attacked by Tartaglione, according to federal records. In the weeks preceding his death, Epstein maintained that he was not suicidal.

After the alleged note came into Tartaglione’s possession, he passed it along to his legal team as a possible defense against future assault allegations from Epstein, according to the Times. The lawyers then enlisted “handwriting experts” to authenticate the note’s author.

The apparent suicide note had been sealed as a part of Tartaglione’s appeal case, due to attorney-client privilege.

The New York City medical examiner ruled Epstein’s death a suicide in 2019. Still, Epstein’s close ties to the powerful and wealthy continue to spawn conspiracy theories about the circumstances of his death.

In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 800-273-8255. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.

In the US, Rainn offers support for survivors of sexual abuse or assault on 800-656-4673. In the UK, the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adult survivors on 0808 801 0331. In Australia, support is available at 1-800-RESPECT, or other places listed here.

Victoria Bekiempis contributed reporting

The Guardian wp:paragraph