New York Judge Releases Purported Jeffrey Epstein Suicide Note

A federal judge in New York has released a document described as a suicide note allegedly written by the late Jeffrey Epstein, reigniting public interest in the convicted financier’s death in 2019.

Jeffrey Epstein, who faced accusations of sex trafficking and abuse involving minors, was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell in August 2019. Authorities officially ruled his death a suicide.

The handwritten note was reportedly discovered by Epstein’s former jail cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione, a convicted murderer and former police officer. U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas approved the release of the document after a request from The New York Times, which recently reported on the note’s existence.

Judge Karas stated that the note qualified as a judicial document connected to Tartaglione’s criminal proceedings and therefore fell under the public’s right of access. Tartaglione is currently serving four consecutive life sentences related to drug-linked murders.

In his ruling, Karas explained that there was no legal justification to keep the document sealed. However, the judge did not confirm whether the note was authentic or evaluate how it was handled before reaching the court.

“No party has identified any competing consideration that would justify sealing the Note,” the judge ruled.

The note, handwritten on a yellow legal pad, was reportedly submitted by Tartaglione’s legal team. The two men shared a jail cell for approximately two weeks in July 2019 while detained in Manhattan.

According to the released court image, the note states, “They investigated me for month – Found NOTHING!!! So 15 year old charges resulted.” It also includes the line, “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 previously pleaded guilty in Florida in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from a minor, resulting in a controversial plea agreement and a short prison sentence.

In July 2019, he was arrested again on federal charges related to the alleged sex trafficking of minors. Prosecutors accused him of recruiting and abusing underage girls in New York and Florida.

Reports indicate the note first surfaced after Epstein was discovered alive in his jail cell with marks on his neck during what officials later described as an apparent suicide attempt. Tartaglione later claimed the note had been hidden inside a book in their shared cell. Several weeks later, on August 10, 2019, Epstein died in a separate incident ruled a suicide.

The issue attracted renewed attention after Tartaglione discussed the note during a podcast interview last year and following The New York Times report published last week.

According to the newspaper, federal investigators never reviewed the note, and it was not included in the large collection of Epstein-related files previously released by the Justice Department.

Judge Karas ultimately dismissed privacy concerns surrounding the document, citing Epstein’s death and the extensive public discussion already surrounding the alleged note.