A U.S. court has unsealed an alleged handwritten note by Jeffrey Epstein, discovered within the case files of his former cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione.
Unsealed Documents
Warning: This news contains content that may cause anxiety. At the end, we provide information on where people in emotional crisis can find help.
The note was made public at the request of the New York Times. Judge Kenneth Karas ruled there was no basis for the document to remain secret. The letter was located in the case files of Nicholas Tartaglione, Epstein’s cellmate from the New York jail.
The Alleged Note
The alleged note was handwritten in illegible script. Its content reads: “They investigated for a month—found nothing!! And they gave me 15 years of misery. It is a privilege to choose one’s own moment of farewell. And what am I to do—burst into tears? There is no joy in this—it is not worth it!!”
Discovery and Sentencing
According to Tartaglione, the note was found in July 2019, when Epstein was removed from his cell unconscious with a piece of cloth around his neck. The man claimed he found the text in a comic book and passed it to his lawyers. This was significant because Epstein initially maintained that he did not attempt suicide but was attacked by Tartaglione.
Nicholas Tartaglione was later sentenced to four consecutive life terms for murder.
Epstein’s Death and Investigations
Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his cell on August 10, 2019. His death was ruled a suicide. However, the circumstances of his death and prison staff negligence have caused controversy for years.
Epstein was arrested in 2019 on charges of sex trafficking minors. Previously, in 2008, he was convicted in Florida for sexual offenses related to the exploitation of minors.
In January, the U.S. Department of Justice revealed an extensive collection of documents gathered during various investigations into Epstein. The materials confirmed his broad connections to political and financial elites.
The exact number of Epstein’s victims is not known. Unsealed records and civil lawsuits indicate that among the victims are hundreds of women who accuse him of sexual exploitation or brokering them to acquaintances.
Support Resources
If you are experiencing difficulties and thinking of taking your own life or want to help someone at risk of suicide, remember that you can use free, 24-hour help lines.
If there is a threat to life due to suicidal thoughts or an attempted suicide, for immediate crisis intervention, call the police at 112 or go to the emergency department of a local psychiatric hospital.
Edited by Jan Latała
