Judge Unseals Jeffrey Epstein Suicide Note Filed In Cellmate's Case
U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas ordered Wednesday, May 6, 2026, the public release of a handwritten note attributed to Jeffrey Epstein that had been sealed in White Plains.
The document was submitted to the court in May 2021 as part of the criminal murder case against former cellmate Nicholas Tartaglione, and Tartaglione says he found it after Epstein was discovered semi-conscious on July 23, 2019. News outlets reproduced legible phrases, including "They investigated me for month — found nothing!!!" and an underlined "NO FUN" and "NOT WORTH IT!!". CBS News noted it had not independently verified the material.
The episode traces back to the July 23, 2019 incident at the Metropolitan Correctional Center while Epstein awaited trial on federal sex trafficking charges and to his death on August 10, 2019, which was ruled a suicide. Tartaglione discussed the sealed note on a podcast in 2025, and a April 2026 New York Times report prompted the newspaper's request to unseal the filing.
The note was not mentioned in Bureau of Prisons records or in government reviews of Epstein's August 10, 2019 death. Earlier accounts said Epstein told staff Tartaglione attacked him, but former Attorney General Bill Barr testified investigators treated the episode as an attempted suicide; a June 2023 Department of Justice Office of Inspector General report also found multiple protocol failures at the Metropolitan Correctional Center.
The unsealing of Epstein's purported suicide note has sparked renewed debate over the circumstances of his death and the broader implications for accountability within the justice system. Journalist @davidenrich highlights Epstein's frustration with investigations that found nothing, suggesting a deep-seated disillusionment with the legal process. This sentiment resonates with many who view Epstein's case as emblematic of systemic failures, a perspective echoed by @simonateba, who argues that the note's release reignites discussions about power and secrecy as the 2026 election approaches.
However, skepticism remains regarding the note's authenticity and context. @CNN emphasizes that the document is unverified and undated, raising questions about its reliability. This uncertainty feeds into a larger narrative of distrust in institutional responses to high-profile cases, as noted in a 2024 Urban Institute report by Jesse Harold, which attributes this crisis to perceived failures in accountability. As the discourse unfolds, the intersection of public skepticism and institutional transparency will likely continue to shape perceptions of Epstein's legacy and the judicial system at large.
Show source details & analysis (3 sources)
📊 Relevant Data
The purported suicide note was discovered by Nicholas Tartaglione after Jeffrey Epstein was found semi-conscious with marks on his neck in his cell on July 23, 2019, in an incident investigated as a possible suicide attempt or assault, occurring 18 days before Epstein's death on August 10, 2019. ([The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/06/nyregion/epstein-suicide-note.html)) ([The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/06/nyregion/epstein-suicide-note.html))
Possible Epstein Suicide Note Is Released — The New York Times
Nicholas Tartaglione, a former police officer, was convicted on April 6, 2023, of the kidnapping and murder of four men—Martin Luna, Urbano Santiago, Miguel Luna, and Hector Gutierrez—in connection with a 2016 cocaine trafficking dispute, and was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences on June 10, 2024. ([U.S. Department of Justice](https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/former-police-officer-sentenced-four-consecutive-life-sentences-2016-quadruple-murder)) ([U.S. Department of Justice](https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/former-police-officer-sentenced-four-consecutive-life-sentences-2016-quadruple-murder))
Former Police Officer Sentenced To Four Consecutive Life Sentences For 2016 Quadruple Murder — U.S. Department of Justice
A June 2023 report by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General identified numerous violations of Bureau of Prisons protocols at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, including inadequate inmate monitoring and falsified welfare check logs, which contributed to the opportunity for Jeffrey Epstein's suicide on August 10, 2019. ([U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General](https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/23-085.pdf)) ([U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General](https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/23-085.pdf))
OIG Report 23-085 — U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General
📌 Key Facts
- On Wednesday, May 6, 2026, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas ordered the public release of a handwritten note attributed to Jeffrey Epstein (U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas).
- The handwritten note was submitted to the court in May 2021 as part of the criminal murder case against former cellmate Nicholas Tartaglione and had been sealed in a courthouse vault for nearly five years (Nicholas Tartaglione).
- Tartaglione says he found the note after Epstein's suspected July 23, 2019 suicide attempt, but reporting makes clear it remains unclear who actually wrote the note (Tartaglione).
- The note was not mentioned in Bureau of Prisons records and was not included in official government reports examining Epstein's August 10, 2019 death (Bureau of Prisons records).
- News outlets reproduced legible phrases from the short note — including "They investigated me for month — found nothing!!!," "time to say goodbye," and the underlined "NO FUN"/"NOT WORTH IT!!" — with CBS noting it had not independently verified the material (CBS).
- Reporting recalls that on July 23, 2019 Epstein claimed Tartaglione attacked him, but former Attorney General Bill Barr later testified the episode was viewed as an attempted suicide (Bill Barr).
- Few people were aware of the note until Tartaglione discussed it on a podcast in 2025 (podcast in 2025).
- Coverage placed the note's release in broader context, noting Epstein's 2008 Florida plea deal, his July 2019 New York federal indictment on child sex trafficking charges, and that his death at MCC New York on August 10, 2019 was ruled a suicide (2008 Florida plea deal).
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- On Wednesday, May 6, 2026, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas in White Plains, New York, ordered the public release of the handwritten note that Jeffrey Epstein's former cellmate Nicholas Tartaglione says he found after Epstein's July 23, 2019 suspected suicide attempt.
- The article reproduces legible portions of the short note, including phrases such as "They investigated me for month -- found nothing!!!," "It is a treat to be able to choose the time to say goodbye," and the underlined conclusion "NO FUN" and "NOT WORTH IT!!"
- The note had been sealed and kept in a courthouse vault for nearly five years as part of Tartaglione's criminal case and was not mentioned in official government reports examining Epstein's August 10, 2019 death.
- The article underscores that it remains unclear who actually wrote the note and that few people were aware of its existence until Tartaglione discussed it on a podcast in 2025.
- On Wednesday, May 6, 2026, CBS News reported details of the handwritten note attributed to Jeffrey Epstein that was ordered released by a U.S. district judge at The New York Times' request.
- The article states the note was submitted to the court in May 2021 as part of the criminal murder case against former Epstein cellmate Nicholas Tartaglione and that it was not mentioned in Bureau of Prisons records.
- CBS quotes specific legible phrases from the note, including "They investigated me for month — found nothing!!! So 15 year old charges resulted," "time to say goodbye," and "No fun — not worth it!!", while emphasizing that CBS has not independently verified the note.
- The piece recounts that on July 23, 2019, 18 days before his death, Epstein claimed Tartaglione attacked him, but former Attorney General Bill Barr later testified the incident was viewed as an attempted suicide.
- CBS adds broader case context, noting Epstein's 2008 Florida plea deal, his July 2019 New York federal indictment on child sex trafficking charges, and that his August 10, 2019 death at MCC New York was ruled a suicide, with his connections to prominent figures again under scrutiny after a recent DOJ document release.