Jeffrey Epstein: Charges dropped against prison guards who falsified recordson December 31, 2021 at 4:08 pm

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

The pair admitted falsifying records to show they had monitored Epstein on the night of his death.

Courtroom sketch shows Tova Noel sitting beside lawyer Montell Figgins and co-defendant Michael Thomas on 19 November 2019

Image source, Reuters

US prosecutors have dismissed charges against two prison guards who falsified records the night Jeffrey Epstein killed himself on their watch.

Tova Noel and Michael Thomas admitted to fabricating log entries to show they had monitored Epstein properly.

Prosecutors have asked a judge to dismiss their case, saying the pair have complied with a plea deal.

A convicted sex offender, Epstein was found dead in his jail cell on the morning of 10 August 2019.

The American financier had been awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges, and had pleaded not guilty to sexually abusing dozens of girls, some as young as 14.

On the night he committed suicide, Epstein was alone in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center New York, authorities said at the time.

He had been taken off suicide watch after a previous suspected attempt to take his own life.

US financier Jeffrey Epstein appears in a photograph taken for the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services' sex offender registry on 28 March, 2017

Image source, Reuters

Surveillance footage showed that no other people had entered the area where Epstein was held that evening, officials said.

In May, Ms Noel and Mr Thomas admitted they had not conducted their required half-hourly checks on Epstein.

Instead they spent substantial portions of their shifts at their desk, browsed the internet, and moved around the common area, just 15ft (4.5m) from Epstein’s cell.

One of the guards was working a second mandatory eight-hour shift of the day, while the other was on a fifth consecutive day of overtime.

As part of a plea deal, the pair agreed to complete 100 hours of community service and co-operate with an investigation by the justice department’s inspector general.

On 13 December, federal prosecutors filed a “nolle prosequi” – a legal document that declares they no longer wished to pursue the case – and said Ms Noel and Mr Thomas had satisfactorily complied with the agreement.

Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in New York in 2005

Image source, Getty Images

But the request did not appear in public records until Thursday – a day after Ghislaine Maxwell was found guilty of recruiting and trafficking young girls to be sexually abused by Epstein.

It is unclear why the document was not filed until 30 December.

The Metropolitan Correctional Center in Lower Manhattan is one of the most secure prison facilities in the US. But earlier this year, authorities announced that it would be temporarily closed due to deteriorating conditions.

About six miles away (9km) in Brooklyn, Maxwell is awaiting sentencing in another facility. She faces up to 65 years in prison, and still has a separate trial for perjury to come.

Meanwhile Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, is facing a civil case from Virginia Giuffre, who has accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager at the homes of Epstein and Maxwell.

Prince Andrew has consistently denied the allegations.

This video can not be played

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

- Advertisement -

Discover

Sponsor

Latest

Labour pledges to replace non-dom tax statuson April 25, 2022 at 5:00 am

The party says a shorter-term scheme would stop those at the top benefiting from "outdated tax perks".Image source, Getty ImagesLabour has pledged to replace...

Business Letter Formatting

A business letter is simply a written letter from one business to another, usually between those companies and their clients, partners, or other third...

China and Hong Kong: Five moments in fraught relationship since handoveron June 27, 2022 at 12:06 am

From the Olympics to mass protests, here are five key moments in the 25 years since handover.From the Olympics to mass protests, here are...

Ninth death confirmed in Jersey explosionon December 15, 2022 at 12:47 pm

Police believe there are no more residents that remain unaccounted for.Image source, PA MediaA ninth person has been confirmed dead following an explosion at...

Domestic abuse: Why I shared my mum’s murder story on TikTokon February 9, 2024 at 11:02 am

Liv's video about domestic homicide has had millions of views, with many sharing their own stories.Liv's video about domestic homicide has had millions of...