CBS News reported on Tuesday that there are inconsistencies in a video released by the Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding the circumstances surrounding the late Jeffrey Epstein’s death in prison.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino mentioned in May on “Fox & Friends” that “Clear Day” footage supported the theory that Epstein committed suicide. This came amid ongoing speculation about the possibility of murder. However, CBS News analyzed the video released on July 7 and noted that it does not offer a clear view of Epstein’s entrance to the cell blocks. Their findings indicate several discrepancies between the claims made by officials and the actual footage.
“According to a DOJ inspector’s explanation from 2023, anyone attempting to enter the area where Epstein’s cells were located would have been captured on video,” the FBI stated, emphasizing the status of that video.
But CBS News pointed out that even within the first ten minutes, the footage does not align with this explanation. They noted that when Epstein appears on video, it shows him walking towards the stairs, yet the stairs themselves are barely visible, leaving it unclear whether he went into his cell or exited.
Moreover, CBS pointed out that it’s impossible to determine from the footage if someone left or entered the Special Housing Unit (SHU) without showing up on camera. This observation seems to contradict claims made by both the FBI and inspectors, hinting at the potential for undisclosed activity.
Video forensics expert Jim Stafford reviewed the video and the inspector’s report, telling CBS News that if there’s a claim that access points were unobservable, that can’t be accurate. Four other video forensics professionals shared Stafford’s assessment.
The footage appears to capture something orange, typically indicative of a correctional officer, moving up the stairs at around 10:40 PM. Yet experts voiced uncertainty on this point, with one suggesting it might actually be a person in a prisoner’s uniform.
Interestingly, the digital clock within the footage abruptly skips from 11:58:58 PM to midnight, hinting that the video might have been edited. An attorney general noted that the prison typically reprocesses night footage, but a source familiar with the investigation clarified that while the footage was flawed, edited versions are not meant to be the only existing copies.
A report from another outlet indicated that video metadata suggests the footage could have been adjusted using editing software. Epstein was found dead with a rope around his neck on August 10, 2019, after having undergone psychological evaluations following a previous suicide attempt in July of that year.
Despite this, two corrections officers failed to conduct regular checks and did not fill out proper documentation afterward. They faced charges in November 2019 for allegedly obstructing justice and falsifying records, but those charges were later dropped.
In an earlier interview, forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden suggested that the autopsy findings were more consistent with homicide than suicide. According to the inspector’s report, recorded evidence was only available from one functioning camera due to prior malfunctions, which had been noted days before Epstein’s death without corrective action taken.
The DOJ and the FBI did not provide immediate comments regarding these developments.
