Text extracted via OCR from the original document. May contain errors from the scanning process.
1
2
SWORN STATEMENT
OF
OIG CASE #:
2019-010614
JUNE 15, 2021
28632 Roadside Drive, Suite 285
Agoura Hills, CA 91301
Phone: (818) 431-5800
APPEARANCES:
BY:
BY:
WITNESS:
NONE
3
1
MR.
All right. The recorder
2 is on. Today is Tuesday, lune 15, 2021 and
3 the time is 10:08 a.m. My name is
4
, and I am a Senior Special Agent
5 with the U.S. Department of Justice Office of
6 the Inspector General, New York Field Office.
7 And these are my credentials.
8
9
MR.
Okay.
MR.
: This interview with
10 Federal Bureau of Prisons employee - let me see
11 - is it Jermaine?
12
MR.
: Yes.
13
MR.
, is being
14 conducted as part of an official U.S.
15 Department of Justice Office of the Inspector
16 General investigation. Today's date is - again
17 - June 15, 2021. This interview is being
18 conducted at the West Side - within the West
19 Side Administrative Building, second floor
20 conference room, FCI Fort Dix, New Jeri.
21 Also resent is DOJ OIG Special Agent
22
and Mr.
. This interview will be
23 recorded by me, Senior Special Agent
24
. Could everyone please identify
25 themselves for the record, and spell their last
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
4
name? To start, a ain, I am DO] OIG Senior
if, Agent,
•
MR.
This is DOJ Special Agent
: This is BOP employee,
MR.
: All right. Thank you,
everyone. And this is an official DO]
investigation surrounding the circumstances of
Jeffrey Epstein's death, and you are being
asked to voluntarily provide answers to our
questions. Will you agree to a voluntary
interview with the DOJ OIG?
MR. ..es.
MR.
: Great. We're just going
to review the DOJ OIG voluntary interview form.
I'm going to read it for the record. It says,
United States Department of Justice Office of
the Inspector General Warnings and Assurances
to Employee Requested to Provide Information on
a Voluntary Basis." "You are being asked to
provide information as part of an investigation
being conducted by the Office of the Inspector
General. This investigation is being conducted
EFTA00111830
6
1 pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978,
2 as amended. This investigation pertains to job
3 performance failure and security failure. This
4 is a voluntary interview. Accordingly, you do
5 not have to answer questions. No disciplinary
6 action will be taken against you if you choose
7 not to answer questions. Any statements you
8 furnished may be used as evidence in any future
9 criminal proceedings, or Agency disciplinary
10 proceedings, or both." And there is a waiver.
11 It says, "I understand the Warnings and
12 Assurances stated above and I am willing to
13 make a statement and answer questions. No
14 promises or threats have been made to me, and
15 no pressure or coercion of any kind has been
16 used against me." You can take a look at that,
17 if you would like, and if you agree, you can
18 sign where it says Employee's Signature.
19
MR.
: (Indiscernible *00:02:57)
20 copy of this.
21
MR.
: This isn't what I wanted.
22 Do you need it? Thank you, sir, for signing. I
23 am going to sign as the signature of the Office
24 of the Inspector General Specialliiiii. And I
25 am going to print my name. Mr.
, do you
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
mind just printing your name where it says
Employee's Name? Sorry.
: All right.
• Right below it.
Thank you, sir. And
, can you sign that as the
MR.
MR.
MR.
Special Agent
witness?
MR.
: Yes. This is Special Agent
iiiiiiiiiined as a witness.
MR.
: Thank you, sir. Can you
hold onto that? And do you understand the OIG
form?
MR. ..es.
MR.
: Great. Before starting,
I would like you place you under oath. Can you
just raise your right hand? Mr.
, do you
swear to tell the truth and nothing but the
truth durino this interview?
MR.
MR.
just show me
to make sure
MR.
MR.
record, I am
: I do.
Thank you, sir. Can you
your credentials, for the record,
that --
: Here you go, sir.
-- all right. For the
looking at the U.S. Department of
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
7
Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons credentials
of Mr.
. It says that he is the
Discipline Hearing Officer at FCI Fort Dix in
New Jersey. And it has a picture of him.
Thank you, sir.
MR. ..kay.
MR.
: All right. And what is
your current home address?
MR.
MR.
your current
MR.
MR.
level of education?
MR.
: I have three years of
college.
MR.
And where did you go to
college?
MR.
: I went to - I actually have
my Associates Degree at Northwestern State
UniversitiiIIIIIIII
MR.
: And where is that
located?
MR.
: That's going to be in
Thank you. And what is
cell phone number?
: It is
And what is your highest
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
8
Natchitoches, Louisiana.
MR.
: Great. And what was that
Associate's decree in?
It was in Social Work.
Okay. Great. And then,
MR.
MR.
what year?
MR.
I believe it was 2012 or '13.
MR.
Great. Thanks. Did you
have any employment prior to the BOP?
MR.
: Yes. I had worked almost two
years for the Colorado Department of
Corrections.
MR.
Okay.
MR. rAs
a Correctional Officer.
:
And before that, I spent 11 years - almost ten
years - well, nine years, 11 months in the
United States Arm .
MR.
: Awesome. Thanks for your
service.
MR. InMn-hmm.
MR.
: When did you work as a
Correctional Officer for two years?
MR.
: In Colorado?
MR.
Yes.
MR.
: I believe the dates were from
EFTA00111831
9
10
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
July of 2004 to November 27 or November 26 of
2005.
MR.
Okay. Great. And then,
you said you were in the - did you say the
Army?
MR. Mies.
MR.
: And what was your rank in
the Army?
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
I was a Sergeant.
• Honorable discharge?
Yes.
• When you left, what was
your primiiiiiisponsibility?
MR.
: Basically, at that time, I
was a Section Sergeant, as a topographical
surveyor.
MR.
Where did
MR.
MR.
MR.
Okay. And what was that?
ou say?
: Sir?
. The topographical?
. It's a topographical surveyor
MR.
: Oh, a surveyor.
MR. E.-
(Indiscernible *00:07:19)
surveyor. Right.
1
MR.
Okay. Perfect. And
2 then, you said a Sergeant. E-4, E-S?
3
MR.
E-5.
4
MR.
E-5. All right. When
5 was your Enter on Duty date with the Bureau of
6 Prisons?
7
8
9
10 graduate from BOP training down at the Federal
11 Law Enforcement Training Center?
12
MR.
: I believe it was March of
13 2006.
14
MR.
Okay. We don't have to
15 go through it. Or I guess, just briefly, I
16 mean, what positions have you held with the
17 BOP? You don't have to go into each
18 institution. Just, like -.
19
MR.
: Right. I started as a five,
20 step one. I've - with more responsibility - I
21 was promoted to through six, seven, Senior
22 Officer Specialist. I was also a GL-9
23 Lieutenant. A GL-11 Lieutenant. I was the
24 Deputy Captain, GL-12. And I was also a GL-13.
25 And currently, I am at the GL-12 Discipline
MR.
: 09/27/2005. No. I'm sorry.
11/27/2005.
MR.
Great. And when did you
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
11
Hearing Officer at FCI Fort Dix.
MR.
: All right. Great. And
is it correct that you used to work at the MCC
in New York City?
MR.
: That is correct.
MR.
: All right. And what were
your positions when you were at the MCC?
MR.
: 'ACC, I was the Captain.
MR.
: Okay. And from what
dates weriiiiiithe Captain?
MR.
: I was the Captain from
September of, I believe it was third, 2018, all
the way until June 25 of 2020.
MR.
Okay. Great. And then,
was that our first assignment as a Captain?
MR.
: No. That was my second.
MR.
What was your first
assignment as a Captain?
MR.
: My first assignment as a
Captain was - I was a Deputy Captain at MDC
Brooklyn.
MR.
: Okay. And then you got
promoted, and went to MCC?
MR.
: Yes. Yes.
MR.
And what does the MCC
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
12
stand for?
MR.
: The Metropolitan Correctional
Center.
MR.
Perfect. And located at
150 Park Row, New York, New York?
MR.
: That is correct.
MR.
Thank you, sir. As a
Captain, who would you consider your Supervisor
when you were at the MCC?
MR.
: It would be, at that point,
at that time we was transitioning.
MR.
Okay.
MR.
: So, I would, normally, I
would answer to two people, which would be the
AW of Custody, which, at that time, was
MR.
Okay.
MR.
: However, we was transitioning
when that incident happened. It was
was the AW over Custody at that time.
MR.
: All right. So, when you
are talking about that time, are you talking
about August 9th and August 10th of 2019?
MR.
: That is correct.
MR.
Okay. So, are you aware
EFTA00111832
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
13
of
was still the AW in
charge of Custody at that time?
MR.
MR.
MR.
: No.
. She was not? Okay.
: No. Basically, what it was -
again - with the areas of responsibility had
changed, ri
p for --
MR.
MR.
that week, Ms.
Okay.
-- to this incident. So,
was going to be -
even though hers responsibilities had changed
as the AW over Custody, and Warden
N'DiayeN'Dia
had appointed - or instructed -
that Ms. IIIII would then take over the
responsibilities. But however, she was
supposed to o on annual leave.
MR.
Okay.
MR.
: So, at that time, Ms.
was actually there, as far as,
she was still in that capacity when the
incident ha ened.
MR.
: Okay.
MR.
: However, again, the previous
question that you asked, normally, as my
responsibilities, I would notify the AW over
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
14
Custody, and also, I would have conversations
Okay.
: So, it would just depends on
what the situation may be. So, if there was
instances where I would run things through the
chain, from the AW to the Warden, and there was
times that I would take direction directly from
the Warden.
MR.
: Okay. As far as, though,
in this instance, if, you know, being that
August 9th and August 10th, I believe that the
first person ou contacted when ou were --
MR.
: Was
MR.
: -- correct. And that was
because the other AW was out. Is that what you
were sayik.
MR.
: My belief is that she was on
annual leave which was stated --
MR.
: Okay.
MR.
: -- that we had closed out on
that Friday, that she would be starting annual
leave.
MR.
: Okay. But the other AW
was, in fact, your Supervisor at that time?
15
1
MR. ..es.
2
MR.
: Oka . Which ou 'ust
3 said was - you went with
4 because she was on?
5
6
MR.
That's
.
right.
MR.
: Okay. Have you since
7 learned anything about, like, was that not
8 correct?
9
MR.
: Well, what I realized is
10 that, once the incident had occurred, AW
11 responded to the institution, at which time her
12 annual leave, I believe she cancelled her
13 annual leave, and she assumed her position as
14 the AW
15
MR.
: All right. How do you
16 spell her last name?
17
MR.
: Ms. M?
18
MR.
. Yes.
19
MR.
: A-D-G-E.
20
MR.
Perfect. Thank you. All
21 right. So, is it correct that you were
22 interviewed by Agents of the FBI and the DO]
23 OIG back when this instance occurred in August
24 of 2019?
25
MR.
: That is correct.
16
1
MR.
Great. I'm just going to
2 go over the report that was written in response
3 to their conversations with you.
4
MR. Ed
-hmm.
5
MR.
: We want to just go over
6 for accuracy, as well as to fill in some gaps
7 that we've found, that we just need some
8 clarification on.
9
MR. ..bsolutely.
10
MR.
: So, I'm just going to
11 read it. And you stop me if there is anything
12 that you find that is inaccurate.
13
MR. ..orrect.
14
MR.
: All right. So, "
15 began his career with the BOP in Florence,
16 Colorado in 2005."
17
MR.
Correct.
18
MR.
: "In 2014, he was
19 transferred to the Metropolitan Detention
20 Center, MDC, in Brooklyn, to Captain at MCC,
21 his current position, where he over -". Or
22 sorry.
23
MR.
: Yeah. There's a lot missing
24 in between there.
25
MR.
Yeah, yeah.
EFTA00111833
17
18
1
MR.
Yeah.
M
Right.
2
MR.
: So, it says, "In
3 Brooklyn." I missed this line. It says,
4 "Where he was made Deputy Captain in 2015. In
5 2018,
was promoted to Captain at MCC,
6 his current position, where he oversees
7 security for the entire building."
8
MR.
: Well, yeah. There was a
9 little bit missing there because, yeah, I
10 entered on duty, and I started my career in
11 Florence. However, I left Florence in 2009.
12 And that's when I went to Pollock. FCC
13 Pollock.
14
MR.
Okay.
15
MR. rnd
then, from FCC Pollock,
:
16 from 2009, I was there to 2014. And then, from
17 '14, I left Pollock to go to MDC Brooklyn. And
18 then, in '18, that's when I assumed duties at
19 MCC.
20
MR.
: Okay. So, they have -
21 yes - so, I guess you were transferred to the
22 MDC in Brooklyn, 2014, and in 2015 was when you
23 were promoted to Deputy Captain?
24
MR.
: That is correct.
25
MR.
Okay. It says, "
1 directly supervises approximately 13
2 Lieutenants." Does that compromise of all the
3 Lieutenants? This was at the time. Was that
4 all the Lieutenants at the MCC?
5
MR. ..orrect.
6
MR.
: Okay. "And it has
7 approximately 125 to 135 line
8 staff/Correctional Officers under his purview."
9
MR.
: Mm-hmm. Yes. Well, you
10 know, when they say that, what they understand
11 is, is that, under Correctional Services, that
12 was probably the amount of staff that was -
13 again - in Correctional Services, as
14 subordinate staff. However, my direct
15 supervision would have been over just the 13
16 Lieutenants.
17
MR.
: Okay. There are 13 - oh,
18 13 Lieutenants. Right. I thought you were
19 saying GS-13. Gotcha. "
also sits on
20 the Institution's Executive Staff, which also
21 includes the Warden.
primary duty is
22 to ensure that security protocols are met by
23 his Lieutenants and sub-staff, and that policy
24 guidelines are being followed, as set forth by
25 the BOP."
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
19
MR.
: Correct.
MR.
. "Among others,
is
responsible for the
Special Housing
Unit Lieutenant, Lieutenant IIII." Is that
correct?
MR.
Correct.
MR.
: "As an Administrative
Lieutenant, responsible for maintaining
paperwork, et cetera." So, when you say an
Administrative Lieutenant here, are you saying
whoever was Acting in the Administrative
Lieutenant --
MR.
MR.
: Capacity?
• -- position?
MR.
: No, I wasn't. Basically,
Administrative duties. The Administrative
duties falls under the appointed SHU
Lieutenant. The SHU Lieutenant, the appointed
SHU Lieutenant has certain duties that have to
be done daily, within the unit. Not just the
supervision of the line staff that work the
unit, but also over all on running of the Unit.
Meaning, that ensuring that all paperwork is
done.
MR.
Okay.
20
1
MR.
: All security protocols are
2 followed. To ensure that inmates - or run
3 rosters - to ensure that inmates are placed in
4 the correct cells, or in the proper cells. To
5 ensure that they're supposed to audit said
6 rosters, to ensure they have proper
7 accountabiiiiiiiiiihe inmates in the unit.
8
MR.
: So, I guess what I was
9 etting at is, like, how the SHU Lieutenant was
10 IIII. Was there a specific person that was the
11 Administrative Lieutenant?
12
MR.
: Yes. The Administrative
13 Lieutenant at that time was
14
MR.
: And do you happen to know
15 how to spell that last name?
16
MR.
It's
.
17
MR.
: Thank you, sir. "An SIS
18 Lieutenant responsible for paperwork." And who
19 was that?
20
MR.
: Which was the Lieutenant
21
(Phonetic Siiiiii:17:10).
22
MR.
And
, common
23 spelling?
24
MR.
Yes.
25
MR.
: Okay. "And Operations In
EFTA00111834
21
1 Activities Lieutenants".
2
MR.
: Which are on the day of the
3 incident?
4
MR.
Yeah. And would you like
5 to see the duty roster for August 9th and
6 August 10th?
7
MR.
Hmm-mm.
8
MR.
No? Okay. Do you know
9 who it was?
10
MR.
: So, I believe the morning
11 watch Lieutenant, when that incident occurred,
12 was Lieutenant - what is her damn name? - I
13 just said her name.
14
MR.
I can show you this.
15
MR.
: Yeah.
16
MR.
So, I'm showing you a
17 duty Agent roster from - or daily assignment
18 roster - from Friday, August 9, 2019, as well
19 as one from Saturday, August 10 --
20
MR.
: Right.
21
MR.
-- 2019.
22
MR.
: Right.
23
MR.
And you can keep them in
24 front of ou for the --
25
MR.
: Okay.
22
1
MR.
-- for the interview,
2 just so you can - we're going to talk about
3 people - jiff" can reference the two.
4
MR.
: Right. All right. So it
5 iir
shere, it would have been la
6
ivould have been the
7 Operations Lieutenant on Saturday, August 10,
8 2019.
9
MR.
10
MR.
11
MR.
: Yeah.
12
. Perfect.
13 from?
14
MR.
: At that time, the shift they
15 were working a different schedule. The
16 schedule was, I believe it was 10:00 to 0600.
17
MR.
: Okay. So, 10:00 p.m. on
18 August 9th to 0600 on August 10th.
19
MR.
That is correct.
20
MR.
: And then, I'm assuming
21 there was another Administrative Lieutenant at
22 the, you know, when Epstein was discovered, and
23 I think that was a little after 6:00 a.m.
24 Correct?
25
MR.
: That is - yeah - that was the
And is it ME?
And what times did she work
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
23
- actually - the Operations Lieutenant, which
was IIII. Lieutenant IIII. He informed me -
or I guess he became aware of the incident, I
believe, at 6:30 that morning.
MR.
: Okay. And so, I already
asked the Operations Lieutenant. It says, "The
Operations Lieutenant and the Activities
Lieutenant are responsible for day to day
operations and maintaining order for three
shifts. And an Emergency Preparedness
Lieutenant. A Collateral Duty Responsibility
in the event of an emergency incident, such as
fires, bomb threats, et cetera." So, is there
a - during these instances - was there an
Emergency Pre aredness Lieutenant?
MR.
: Yes.
MR.
Who was that?
MR.
: I believe it was Lieutenant
MR.
MR.
MR.
. Lieutenant IIII? Okay.
Mm-hmm.
Was Lieutenant El off
that day, thou
MR.
: Lieutenant IIII was, I
believe, at that time, his schedule, the SHU
24
1 Lieutenants were not working on the weekends.
2
MR.
. Okay.
3
MR.
: They worked Monday through
4 Friday. I believe it was 7:30 to 4:00.
5
MR.
Okay.
6
MR. ro,
Lieutenant
was on
:
7 military - he was on leave. He had military
8 leave because he had his monthly drill, monthly
9 drill --
10
MR.
• Okay.
11
MR.
-- that he would attend.
12
MR.
: Do you know if he was on
13 leave both on August 9th and August 10th? Or
14 August 10th, you said he wouldn't have worked.
15 But was on the 9th?
16
MR. Mat
me see here.
17
MR.
: And you can just say, was
18 he on the schedule?
19
MR.
: Yeah. So, I mean, right
20 here, I'm looking at the roster for Friday,
21 August 9th. And I believe that the SHU
22 Lieutenant post was left un-assigned for that
23 Friday.
24
MR.
: All right. So, that
25 would just lead us to believe he was not there.
EFTA00111835
25
26
1 Correct?
2
MR.
: That is correct. He was not
3 there, no.
4
MR.
: Great. And would his
5 position have been, like, you know, was there
6 someone that's placed in the Acting role when
7 he's gones_gf_is -?
8
MR. 'I'll': Normally, due to our staffing
9 at MCC, at that point, or at that time, we
10 tried to ensure that, you know, looking over
11 the roster, to try to ensure that someone was
12 within there, the supervising unit. But again,
13 due to the shortage of Lieutenants at that
14 time, I had to - as monitoring, or looking at
15 the roster - I would try to place areas of
16 importance, so Operations Lieutenant, ensured
17 that the Activities Lieutenants was filled.
18 And at that time, that particular day, he
19 wasn't on the roster, or that post was left un-
20 assigned.
21
MR.
: And that post, like you
22 said, isn't assigned on the weekends.
23
MR.
: No.
24
MR.
: So, Saturday. Great.
25
MR.
: No, it's not.
1
MR.
: All right. "
2 advised that his staff provide special
3 considerations for high-profile inmates, if
4 deemed appropriate, and designated as such. In
5 order to ensure an inmate is providing with
6 proper care, the facility evaluates the inmate
7 using several measures, including mental,
8 physical, medical, psychological, and sexual
9 assault victim, or predator assessments. Since
10 different inmates are admitted with different
11 criteria, a ropriate housing varies."
12
MR.
: Correct.
13
MR.
: All right. "
14 interacted with inmate Jeffrey Epstein on
15 approximately three occasions at MCC. All of
16 which Epstein maintained a pleasant demeanor."
17
18
MR.
Correct.
M
MR.
: "Dunn the first
19 instance, Epstein asked
who he was, and
20
responded by introducing himself, and
21 explaining his position at the jail. During
22 another instance,
explained to Epstein
23 the policy regarding meals during Attorney
24 sessions, and made certain Epstein was
25 accommodated with water, visits to the
27
1 restroom, et cetera." So, did he receive - and
2 I know, it's my understanding that he was, most
3 days, in with his Attorneys?
4
MR.
: Yes. So, most days, from the
5 time that the Attorney visitation would open,
6 inmate Epstein was in that area, primarily,
7 until it closed.
8
MR.
: All right. And that's
9 where it says, "Epstein spent most of the day
10 with his Defense Counsel, and was brought down
11 as soon as the Attorney visit opened." So,
12 would that be, like, Monday through Friday, or
13 Monday --
14
MR.
No. That's
15
--
MR.
: -- that's seven days a
16 week?
17
MR.
that's seven days a week.
18
MR.
: All right. So, was it
19 almost ever day?
20
MR.
: Every day.
21
MR.
: Okay. And was his food
22 brought to him there, then?
23
MR.
: No.
24
MR.
Okay. How would he
25 obtain food?
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
28
MR.
: Now, as far as food, I know -
and, like I said, it's been a while - normally,
inmates do not eat while they're in visitation.
MR.
: Okay.
MR.
: They're provided water.
They're provided to go to the bathroom. The
inmate, you know, is afforded the meal.
However, I believe that he was offered meals
from the vendin machine. I'm not sure.
MR.
: Okay.
MR.
: I can't remember as far as -
because I didn't remember there was an issue
with that, and I know we tried to accommodate,
or to address it. I just can't remember --
MR.
Sure.
MR.
-- what was done.
MR.
Would the Attorneys be
allowed to bring him in food?
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
: No. No, no, no, no, no.
No?
No.
Okay.
: No. No. No. No. Outside
food would not have been allowed.
MR.
Okay.
EFTA00111836
29
1
MR.
: So, I can't tell you if he
2 was actually getting a tray, during that time,
3 I can't remember. But I do remember, there
4 were conversations that - and I know we did
5 something in order to ensure that the inmate
6 was provided some type of meal. Or whatever.
7 I can't remember.
8
MR.
: Sure. All right. That's
9 fine. As far as the, it mentions two visits.
10 Do you remember anything about the third visit
11 that you made with Epstein?
12
MR.
: The third one. So, that
13 night, on - that would be Friday, August 9th of
14 2019, I believe I had worked that day close to
15 8:00. It was about 8:00 or so.
16
MR.
8:00 p.m. on August 9?
17
MR.
: 8:00 p.m.
18
MR.
Okay.
19
MR.
: Correct. So, I was actually
20 on my way, and exited, you know, went and
21 talked to the Operations and Activities
22 Lieutenants. You know, let them know I was
23 leaving for the day. And when I reached the
24 elevator on the third floor, inmate Epstein was
25 being escorted out of Attorney visit by his
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Unit Manager.
MR.
MR.
Mr.
MR.
30
. Okay. And who was that?
: Which that was, I believe,
Phonetic Sp. *00:25:26)
• Right.
MR.
: At which time, I, you know, I
said, hello, how you doing, Mr. Epstein? And he
was, like, okay. So, he had asked me, and he
said, Captain, is it okay if I get a telephone
call? Now, mind you, we had already discussed
that when the inmate - we would reasonably
attempt to always facilitate a phone call for
the inmate, especially while him being housed
in the Special Housin Unit. So, I said to the
Unit Manager, Mr.
, I said, Mr.
are you going to SHU? He said, yeah. I said,
well, are you going to be able to monitor the
call with the inmate? And he was, like, yeah, I
got no problem with that. I said, well, I
don't have a problem. Just make sure that you
follow the protocols, and the protocols is, is
when that inmate is allowed to use the phone,
it has to be monitored by staff, and the
number, and who they're talking to has to be
placed in a log.
31
1
MR.
: Okay.
2
MR. ro,
I said, make sure that
3 takes place. I'm good with it. So, that's
4 when I got in the elevator, and I exited the
5 institution.
6
MR.
: All riiiiiiiSo, this
7 conversation happened with
, in front of
8 Mr. Epstein?
9
MR. ..es, it did.
10
MR.
: Okay. And that's the
11 point where - okay, so, you did authorize that
12 call to be made, from the SHU?
13
MR. ..es.
14
MR.
: Was there a certain line
15 that they should have used?
16
MR.
: Yes. It's a secure line.
17 You have two lines. You know, you can plug it
18 into the outgoing, and then, it's the jack
19 that's just for inside of the institution
20 calls. Or you can put it into the other jack,
21 which allows those calls to be outgoing.
22
MR.
Would that be called a
23 legal line?
24
MR.
: Yeah. It would be just an
25 out. This would be a out, out.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
32
MR.
: Okay.
MR.
: Out line.
MR.
: Sure.
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
MR.
: And they're not recorded
MR.
: Right.
MR.
• -- and that's why you
said make sure that it's --
MR.
: Yes.
MR.
• -- and did you --
MR.
: Correct.
MR.
: -- did you tell him, at
all, to document what was -?
MR.
: Yes. I told him to ensure
that he is present, that - the protocol is,
because I asked him, I said, look, I said, make
sure that you're present at the phone call. I
said, make sure that it's logged. And when you
dial the numbers, the number you have to, like,
stay on the line and said, he says, well, I
want to call my Attorney. Who was your
Attorney? So and so, and so and so. Okay.
When they answer the phone, I said, this is
MCC, my name is so and so. I have a call for
EFTA00111837
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
33
Jeffrey Epstein. What is your name? And what
is your
can log it.
MR.
: Okay.
MR. rnd
the time that it's
logged. And then, you give the phone to the
inmate, and then you sit there while they're on
the phone.
MR.
And do you know if that
was done?
MR.
Again, I don't know.
MR.
: You don't know?
MR.
: I just ensured. That's it.
If you - like I said, that's why I asked him, I
said, are you going to SHU? And are you going
to be able to monitor phone calls?
MR.
But you don't know if --
He didn't say yes.
-- he wrote up anything?
I don't know what he did.
Okay.
I just ensured that I told
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
him.
MR. IIIIII::: Sure.
MR.
What needed to be done.
MR.
: And what would typically
1
2
3
4
5
6 it.
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
34
happen with that log, then? After he logged it.
MR.
: That phone call?
MR.
: Sure.
MR.
Or that log?
MR.
: Like, after he documented
MR.
: It would be maintained, just
in a log.
MR.
Okay.
MR.
: It wouldn't be brought for
anyone's review. You know? It would just be,
hey, did, hey, did Epstein get a call? Yeah. I
could tell you. So, I can pull the book. And
then, I can tell you, and look, when he was
given a call.
MR.
: So, it goes into a
specific E stein file?
MR.
: Yeah. No. It wouldn't. It
doesn't go in a file. It goes into a book. It
goes into a book for monitored calls, for all
the inmates, and legal calls.
MR.
: For all inmates. So, not
just Epstein. It would be all --
MR.
: That is correct.
MR.
. -- inmates? Okay.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
35
MR.
: It would be a green logbook.
You know, and it would have the name of the
inmate, and who they called, the number, the
time. I don't know if the duration is on
there. But it will the person who also
monitored the call. So, you know, all that
information. But it wasn't something, like, a
form that was filled out, and then it was
placed in the inmate's file.
MR.
: Sure.
MR.
Or central file.
MR.
: Sure.
MR.
No. It wasn't like that.
MR.
: And do you know if that
log in the book was filled out?
MR. M.
don't know.
MR.
: You don't know. Okay.
When you met with Epstein on that night, how
was his demeanor?
MR.
: It was fine. He was
cheerful.
MR.
MR.
He was cheerful.
: You know, he didn't look
disheveled. He felt - because I asked him, I
said, how you doing? You all right? - he said,
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
36
man, I'm good. Everything is fine. And I
said, did you have a good visit? And he said,
yeah. Everything is fine, Cap. I said, all
right, man.
MR.
: Okay.
MR.
You know?
MR.
: No cause for concern?
MR.
: No, because every time we had
that interaction, it was always pleasant. It
was neverliiiiiiiii
MR.
: Okay. It says, "
was made aware of the possibility that Epstein
would be housed at MCC in advance of Epstein's
arrival.
was not present when inmate
Epstein was admitted to the facility. Epstein
was thoroughly vetted to determine if he was
fit for general population, and was ultimately
placed in the Special Housing Unit. MCC places
inmates under three categories of close
supervision. One: dry cell for those at risk
for smuggling contraband. Two: psychological
observation. And three: suicide watch."
MR.
MR.
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
Is that all correct?
: Yes. At that time, yes.
EFTA00111838
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
37
MR.
Okay. So, who made the
decision to place him in the Special Housing
Unit, specifically, and why?
MR.
: Okay. So, basically, the
rationale for placement of the inmate in the
Special Housing Unit would have been a decision
ultimately made by the Warden. They would have
took the criteria of the inmate. They would
have been, like, okay, well, what's his risk?
You know, what would be the likelihood of him
being endangered if he would be placed in
general population? His culpability. Can he
cope while being inside of a general housing
unit? So, the determinations was made between
Medical, Health Services - oh, I'm sorry -
Health Services, Psychology, and the Warden.
And who was the Warden at
MR.
that time?
MR.
: It was Mr.
MR.
And do you know how to
spell that last name?
MR.
: It would bell-
MR.
• Apostrophe.
MR.
-- apostrophe,
MR.
Thank you, sir. Are
38
1 there any other secure housing units within the
2 MCC?
3
MR.
: There is only one secured
4 housing unit. That's the SHU.
5
MR.
6
MR.
7
MR.
8 Sp. *00:32:04).
9
MR.
• -- Ten South.
10
MR.
Okay.
11
MR.
: And Ten South is for, I
12 believe those are for SAM inmates. And those
13 inmates are under a specialized monitoring,
14 which comes from, I believe it's from the
15 Attorney General, I believe. I can't remember
16 who's the person that's over it, but I believe
17 it was the Attorney General, or whoever, makes
18 the determinations for those SAMS inmates.
19
MR.
Okay. And what is SAMS
20 stand for?
21
MR.
: I believe - I can't remember.
22
MR.
Okay. But is it, like,
23 S-A-M-S?
24
MR.
: That is correct.
25
MR.
: Okay. Like, an acronym,
Okay. Not --
But however, we do have --
-- Ten South (Phonetic
39
1 though?
2
MR.
: It is an acronym.
3
MR.
: Okay. And that is not
4 made by anyone at the MCC? That's made by the
5 Attorney General --
6
8
MR.
Y
W
eah.
7
MR.
: -- is that -? Okay.
MR.
: That's going to be - yeah.
9 That's -
10
MR. 1111111111: All right. Was there any
11 discussion of placing Epstein in one of those
12 units?
13
MR.
: No.
14
MR.
: Could he have been placed
15 in one of those units?
16
MR.
: I'm sure he could have.
17
MR.
: But I mean, by executive
18 staff, or would they had to have made a call to
19 the -?
20
MR.
: I believe they would have had
21 to make a s ecial concessions for the inmate.
22
MR.
. Okay.
23
MR.
: They would have to, you know,
24 vet him, and someone would have to approve it,
25 I believe, outside of the executive staff at
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
MCC.
MR.
where I meant by, is, so the executive staff
wasn't able to --
MR.
MR.
MR.
40
Okay. And then, that's
• I don't believe so.
• -- independently -?
No. We were not.
MR.
Okay. Were there many
inmates housed within Ten South at that time?
MR.
: No. I believe, at that time,
we may have had a total of four to five. Of
course, you know, we had the notorious Joaquin
Guzman up there. We also had the Apple Puff
(Phonetic Sp. *00:33:38) was up there. We also
had inmate - it starts with an S. I can't
remember his name. But basically, these are
inmates that have made crimes against the
United States, which it was deemed that those
inmates would be in that Special Management
Unit, and they couldn't, of course, go to the
general
MR.
: Was this, like, a
terroristiiiiilof people?
MR.
: I would say some of them were
terrorists. You know, of course, you had
EFTA00111839
41
1 Joaquin Guzman that was up there, the terrorist
2 king pin, drug king pin. He couldn't go on a
3 general po ulation unit.
4
MR.
: Sure.
5
MR.
: He would go - normally, guys
6 like that would be in places where I come from,
7 before, yijigigilliike Florence.
8
MR.
: Okay.
9
MR. re
would be at the ADX
10 (Phonetic Sp. *00:34:19). Apopov (Phonetic Sp.
11 *00:34:21). I believe that - Apopov - I think
12 that was his name, Apopov or Sopopov (Phonetic
13 Sp. *00:34:25). These guys had made terrorist
14 threats against the United States, or there was
15 guys up there that had materials, or that was
16 found in cooperation with outside Agencies that
17 was trying to determent of (Indiscernible
18 *00:34:43), and cause harm to the United
19 States. These kind of guys was put in that
20 unit.
21
MR.
: Sure.
22
MR. ruys
you wouldn't want in the
23
24
25
1
2 that Epstein preferred not to have a cell mate
3 and engaged in manipulative behavior to avoid
4 having one." What type of behavior did he -?
5
MR.
: I believe that Epstein and -
6 when he first came in - he was doing self-
7 manipulative behavior. You know, he was
8 showing passive resistant activity, as far as,
9 you know, when they're taking meals, or
10 wouldn't listen to staff, as far as when
11 they're giving him direction. You know, he
12 would sit in his cell, and he wouldn't talk.
13 You know, I believe he wasn't taking meals at
14 one point. He was refusing to take showers.
15 Things of those that nature.
16
MR.
: And the sentence
17 continues, including requesting to see a
18 Psychologist.
19
MR.
: Yeah.
20
MR.
Is that part of it?
21
MR.
Yes.
22
MR.
Okay. Did he say why he
23 wanted to see a Psychologist?
24
MR.
: I don't know.
25
MR.
No?
general po ulation because --
MR.
: Yeah.
MR.
: -- of their recruitment
43
MR.
Okay. '
advised
42
1 value, or their radical ability they could be
2 able to do - have recruitment value for, you
3 know, for other inmates in the general
4 population. You don't want those guys in
5 there.
6
MR.
: Yeah.
7
MR.
: But Jeffrey Epstein, you
8 know, he's a multi-billionaire.
9
MR.
: Sure. Now, as far as Ten
10 South. Is that one inmate per cell?
11
MR.
: Yes.
12
MR.
: And video monitored at
13 all times?
14
MR.
Yes.
15
MR.
: Okay. So, it's like your
16 maximum security type?
17
MR.
: That would be the highest
18 security that an inmate at MCC would be placed
19 in.
20
MR.
: Okay.
21
MR.
: Yeah. Could be placed in.
22 Yeah.
23
MR.
: But the executive team
24 never discussed that?
25
MR.
: No.
44
1
MR.
: Remember that, no.
2
MR.
: Sure. "At Epstein's
3 request, he was interviewed by a Psychologist."
4 Do you know who he made that request to? Would
5 it have been SHU staff?
6
MR.
: He probably would have made
7 those requests to any of the staff that may
8 have been monitoring him at that time. Because
9 if he was placed on psychological observation
10 at that time, psychological observation, you
11 would have had to have a staff person that sat
12 there and monitored the inmate. Another inmate
13 couldn't have monitored him.
14
MR.
Okay. And that, is that,
15 like, 24/7?
16
MR.
: That would have been 24 hours
17 of that.
a week.
18
MR.
: So, a staff member is
19 just --
20
MR.
: Right.
21
MR.
-- would just sit there
22 and watch
23
MR.
Correct.
24
MR.
Communicate with him, or
25 no?
EFTA00111840
45
1
MR.
: Yeah, of course.
2
MR.
. Okay.
3
MR.
: I mean, and that's, you know,
4 encouraged. I mean, you know, and not have -
5 you want it to - even though the inmate is
6 placed in that situation, again, we're talking
7 about humanit here.
8
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
9
MR.
: You know, you want to gage
10 this guy's mental acuity. Meaning that, the
11 inmate, you want to know how he's feeling, how
12 he's doin .
13
MR.
. Sure.
14
MR.
: Is he improving? Or is he
15 declining? Because if he's declining, and you
16 can actually see it, you want to contact
17 somebody. You know, if this guy is in there
18 being very, you know, belligerent, he's being
19 passive aggressive, or active resistant, or
20 displaying signs of violence. You want to make
21 sure you notify someone. You're not just going
22 to sit there and allow this guy to do self-harm
23 to himself and/or a staff when they come to the
24 door, to provide his services. You know? Such
25 as taking him to shower; providing his meals;
46
1 providing his medication or whatever it is.
2 So, you just don't want to just sit there and
3 allow this inmate just, you know, if he's going
4 to be detrimentally could be harm to staff, or
5 himself, you want to ensure that you notify
6 someone.
7
MR.
: Okay. "So, following
8 this assessment, Epstein was initially placed
9 on suicide watch. He was later interviewed
10 again, and downgraded to psychological
11 observation."
12
MR. Min-hmm.
13
MR.
: Now, just for the suicide
14 watch and psychological observation, where are
15 they located?
16
MR.
: Those would be conducted
17 downstairs, on the second floor, in the Health
18 Services area.
19
MR.
And that's outside of the
20 SHU. Correct?
21
MR.
That is correct.
22
MR.
. And that was prior to any
23 attempt on his life or anything like that?
24
MR.
: That is correct.
25
MR.
Okay. Was that - ah,
47
1 that's okay. "After some time, he was returned
2 to the SHU.
began hearing talk that
3 Epstein was trying to get back on suicide
4 watch."
5
MR. Min-hmm.
6
MR.
: "Information like this is
7 usually generated from rounds, kites -", and
8 kites are notes, correct?
9
MR.
Correct.
.
10
MR.
: And notes from inmates,
11 specificaiiiiiorrect?
12
MR.
: It could be - yes - that
13 would be inmate correspondence.
14
MR.
: Yeah. "And monitoring of
15 phone calls and letters."
16
MR.
Correct.
M
l
17
MR.
: So, the hearing of talk,
18 that's all based upon inmate talk?
19
MR.
: That would have been - all
20 that staff.
21
MR.
Okay. Staff, as well?
22
MR.
: You know, staffing sitting
23 there, and, you know, especially when he's on
24 suicide watch. You know, staff are taking
25 notes. So, it's every 1S minutes, you know,
48
1 staff is - oh, I'm sorry - every 30 minutes, I
2 believe, I can't remember. It's been a while.
3 But, you know, a staff member - it's every 30
4 minutes, I believe, is taking a log of what the
5 inmate is doin inside of his cell.
6
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
7
MR.
: You know? So, you know, what
8 is he doing? The inmate is facing to the right.
9 The inmate is facing away from staff. The
10 inmate is, you know, doing what, or he makes
11 statements, those statements will be written in
12 the log.
13
MR.
: Okay. It says, "On or
14 about July 23, 2019, Epstein was found
15 unresponsive, on the floor of his cell, with a
16 homemade piece of fabric on his chest." When
17 you say a "homemade piece of fabric," can you
18 explain that a little bit?
19
MR.
: Okay. Basically, a homemade
20 piece of fabric. It could be anything.
21 Because it's out of the Special Housing, that's
22 what we'riiiiiiiiilabout. Right?
23
MR.
: Yeah. I mean, I'm
24 talking about specifically in this instance.
25 Do you know what is meant by "found on the
EFTA00111841
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
49
floor, with a homemade piece of fabric on his
chest"?
MR.
: It could have been fragments
from a t-shirt. It could have been fragments
from sheets. It could have been fragment --
MR.
: So, like, pieces of cloth
MR.
MR.
together.
MR.
: It was tied together, or --
MR.
: Sure.
MR.
-- you know, (Indiscernible
*00:41:14), to make some type of homemade
fashioned --
MR.
Did you see it at all,
though, yourself?
MR.
: I can't remember.
MR.
: Okay. Sure. "Epstein's
cell mate had flagged the attention of a staff
member, who handcuffed the cell mate, and
removed Epstein, to bring him to the Medical
Unit." Do you recall, at that time, who his
cell mate was?
MR.
: Tartaglione.
cloth --
-- that they could tie
50
1
MR.
Okay. Great. And did
2 you - aiiiiiirt. We talk about him in a little
3 bit. "
heard from his staff that Epstein
4 may have been faking unconsciousness." Do you
5 know who told
that?
6
MR.
: Well, basically, in
7 memorandum, I remember when it was reported to
8 me, and I made my report, I believe it was in
9 the report of incident by Lieutenant
10
MR.
Oka
11
MR.
And I
12 believe that she had put out an e-mail, which
13 concluded that the inmate was showing
14 manipulative behavior through his statements,
15 and what was observed by Medical staff.
16
MR.
Okay.
17
MR. ro,
basically, they were
:
18 saying that the incident didn't occur as the
19 inmate ma have
to make it look or occur.
20
MR.
: Okay. And we're going to
21 get into in a second.
22
MR. M.o.
23
MR.
: "Because he was not
24 observed opening his eyes and making other
25 suspicious movements not consistent with an
51
1 unconscious state." Or sorry. "Because he was
2 observed opening his eyes and making other
3 suspicious movements not consistent with an
4 unconscious state. Epstein was medically
5 assessed and became coherent. Epstein claimed
6 that his cell mate, Nicholas Tartaglione -", T-
7 A-R-T-A-G-L-I-O-N-E --
8
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
9
MR.
• -- tried to take his
10 life." Was that investigated?
11
MR.
: I believe - no, I mean --
12
MR.
: Sure.
13
MR.
-- I can't remember, but I
14 believe a report of incident may have been
15 done.
16
MR.
• Okay.
17
MR.
: And primarily, when a report
18 of incident is generated - so, any time that an
19 incident happens in the institution, I'm going
20 to walk you through this. The Lieutenant
21 that's on shift is supposed to do the initial
22 fact finding. The gathering of evidence.
23 Okay?
24
MR.
Mm-hmm.
25
MR. rnd
all of these things. And
:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
52
then, they write a brief synopsis, and then,
it's put in a packet, and then, ultimately, SIS
Department will investigate it, especially if
we're having an assault, which would have been
a 224 Alpha, which is a minor assault of
another. So, pictures would have been taken.
Clinical assessments of both inmates would have
been taken. Witness statements would have been
taken. All of these things would have been
done, and it oes into an investiiiiiiiiiacket.
MR.
Sure. So,
- would have -?
: Would have been --
Created it and provided
- Lieutenant
MR.
MR.
it to SIS?
MR.
: -- and would have created it,
and for it to move on.
MR.
: And do you know if there
was any credibility found to the claim that
Epstein made, that this other - his cellmate -
had tried to take his life?
MR.
: I don't believe there was any
credibilit that was ever concluded --
MR.
: Okay.
MR.
: -- that that incident
EFTA00111842
53
1 happened.
2
MR.
And do you know anything
3 about when he was initially found, if the
4 homemade rope or whatever it was, was found
5 around his neck, or it says in this, "On his
6 chest," anything with that, with, you know, do
7 you know what I mean? Like, if someone was
8 trying to hang themself, if it came on their
9 chest, do you know anything about how that may
10 have happened?
11
MR.
: I mean, forensically, I
12 wouldn't know. I'm not a --
13
MR.
: Sure.
14
MR.
: -- an investigator on that
15 level. So, I can't really tell you the
16 position of any type of homemade fashioned item
17 that would be used to facilitate a suicide
18 attempt, or --
19
MR.
20
MR.
21 That's not m
22
MR.
23
MR.
24 what it was,
25
MR. •
• Sure.
-- an assault attempt.
level.
Sure.
: Again, I'm trying to remember
or what was used, but again --
Mm-hmm.
54
1
MR.
:
I don't know exactly. So,
2 I can't really determine or give you that type
3 of, you know I don't have expertise --
4
MR.
Sure.
5
MR.
-- in that area. So -.
6
MR.
But the information that
7 was provided to you suggested that he tried to
8 take his own life, not that the cell mate tried
9 to take is life?
10
MR.
: Correct. That it was
11 inconclusive that the inmate had - inmate
12 Tartaglione - had tried to kill this guy. Or
13 tried to do any self-harm to this guy. So, you
14 have to - so, like, you have to take an
15 advantage because it's one inmates' word
16 against another.
17
MR.
: Sure.
18
MR.
: So, when the investigation
19 comes down, of course, inmate Epstein would
20 have been interviewed; inmate Tartaglione would
21 have been interviewed, at which time, you would
22 have took those statements, you would have
23 waived, and then you would have took into
24 consideration any witness statements, or
25 anything that was observed during the clinical
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
55
assessment. So, that's why Health Services
helps us out, because the inmates don't want
understand that everything they're doing, or
anything they're saying, is being entered on
that clinical assessment.
MR.
Sure.
MR. ro,
that's where they were
:
saying that he wasn't - his actions may not
have been what they should have been for a
person that was quasi supposed to had been
assaulted.
MR.
MR.
• Sure.
: Or if he was supposed to have
been unconscious, you was displaying this type
of manipulative behavior. So, again, I wasn't
there. So, I don't know what occurred. I'm
just going by what was - the information that
was relayed back to me.
MR.
Absolutely. So, as far
as Tartaglione --
MR.
MR.
MR.
: Correct.
: -- what was he in for?
: I believe that Tartaglione
was responsible for - he was a former Police
Officer, I believe - and I believe he had
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
56
killed four people, and then he buried them,
buried the victims somewhere up near Otisville
Prison. I think that's what it was. Back in
the day.
MR.
MR.
MR.
• Okay.
: Yeah. Something like that.
• So, he was actually in
for murder though?
MR.
: Yeah. It was murder. He was
in for murder and whatever other stuff he was
doing.
MR.
MR.
: Doing in his capacity as a
Police Officer.
MR.
And who selected him and
why? To be E stein's --
MR.
: Who selected him?
MR.
-- who selected him to be
Epstein's roommate, and why?
MR.
: I don't remember who vetted
Tartaglione. But what I will tell you is that,
even though Tartaglione had a murder on his
jacket, Tartaglione also was an inmate that had
issues being in general population. You
understand what I'm saying?
• Okay.
EFTA00111843
57
1
MR.
Mm-hmm. Former Police
2 Officer?
3
MR.
: Former Police Officer. He
4 had issues - because I've dealt with
5 Tartaglione at Brooklyn - so, he was up on one
6 of the Units in Brooklyn, and he had issues
7 with those inmates in those blocks, where
8 they're made for people who are sex offenders.
9 For inmates that have issues with - when they
10 go to population - general, they can't cope.
11 Formal law enforcement. These type of guys are
12 in that unit. So, you don't really have that
13 much issues in those type of units because
14 these guys are going to do their time, or await
15 their sentencing, and then move on. So, you
16 don't really have a lot of violence. But this
17 guy was alwa s, always in the mix of something.
18
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
19
MR.
: But we couldn't put him on
20 the general population unit, and you just can't
21 throw him in SHU. You know what I'm saying?
22 Just because. You just can't. So, in
23 Brooklyn, we had the ability to put him in - I
24 think it was in K82. I can't remember. When
25 he goes to MCC, you know, they don't have those
58
1 type of units. You know? So, he would have to
2 go in general population, or he would go to
3 SHU. So, if the inmate fails the program and
4 said I'm not going to population, you can't
5 force me. So, when you do his assessment, his
6 Unit Team does the assessment, Psychology does
7 their assessment, Health Services does that
8 assessment, and say, well, hey, this guy is
9 clear to go to GP. There's nothing precluded
10 him to go. But the inmate said, well, you
11 know, I'm a 306. 306 is refusal of programs.
12 I'm not going. So, put me in SHU. So, that's
13 how he eniciiiiiiiISHU.
14
MR.
: Sure. So, he was in SHU
15 already?
16
MR. ..eah.
17
MR.
: And do you believe he was
18 a good placement for Epstein?
19
MR.
: Well, at the time, again, you
20 would have to be mindful, we don't - how could
21 I put this? - inmates are not placed in cells
22 based on race, or - but however - or gang
23 affiliations, all of these things that, you
24 know, but however, you vet inmates. So, you
25 say, okay, well, you have guys up there that -
59
1 at MCC - that were facing murder charges.
2 There's a lot of them.
3
MR.
: Sure.
4
MR.
: Hey, I mean, if they're in
5 SHU, that means they can't cope on the outside.
6 They can't cope in the general population unit.
7 So, we would look at him just like another
8 inmate.
9
MR.
Mm-hmm.
10
MR.
He never hurt another inmate.
11
MR.
And that was going to be
12 my next question. So, he wasn't known to
13 assault a•
14
MR.
: Bro, he never assaulted
15 another inmate.
16
MR.
Okay.
17
MR.
: Yeah, he got a murder beef,
18 okay, that's fine. But guess what? He never
19 hurt any other inmates while incarcerated.
20
MR.
: Sure. So, taking,
21 though, that he was incarcerated due to murder,
22 though, and that Epstein claimed that he tried
23 to murder him, do you think that - do you
24 believe that there was any credibility to that
25 claim?
60
1
MR.
: Again, what I will say is, is
2 that I will tell you, like you said, my
3 statements before, that it was brought to my
4 attention that inmate Epstein was doing
5 manipulative behavior, kind of testing the
6 water to see what he could get away with.
7
MR.
: Sure.
8
MR.
: Being his initial
9 incarceration. Probably not too familiar with
10 being in jail, but however, he's a smart guy.
11 He kind of figured out what he could do, in
12 order for him, one) not to go to GP; two) try
13 to get in SHU and try to get a cell by himself.
14 That's kind of where he wanted it to go.
15
MR.
: So then, he wanted to be
16 in SHU by himself --
17
MR.
Of course.
18
MR.
-- and
19 why he --
20
MR.
Yes.
21
MR.
• -- said that -? Okay.
22 So, you believe that he made the claim against
23 Tartaglione because he wanted a cell by
24 himself.
25
MR.
that may have been
: That's in my belief, after
EFTA00111844
61
1 looking at everything, and everything that was
2 done, I believe so. I think that would be
3 accurate.
4
MR.
: Okay. It says, "He was
5 placed back on suicide watch for approximately
6 one week." So, that happened the 23rd, and it
7 brought him up to about July 30th. Is that
8 correct?
9
MR. Miii-hmm. Correct.
10
MR.
: Of 2019. "Unlike his
11 first and previous placement on suicide watch,
12 Epstein now has definitive suicidal tendencies
13 reported in his incarceration history. The
14 staff was tasked with determining whether
15 Epstein was in fact suicidal, or using
16 manipulative tactics to avoid assignment of a
17 cell mate. After suicide watch, Epstein was
18 placed on psychological observation, and
19 eventually returned to the SHU." Now, again,
20 and just to go back, this Ten South thing, that
21 didn't never - were Lieutenants bringing it to
22 you? Like he
he should be on Ten South?
23
MR.
: No.
24
MR.
: You don't recall any
25 Lieutenants saying that?
62
1
MR.
: That wouldn't be a
2 Lieutenant's urview.
3
MR.
• Sure.
4
MR.
: A Lieutenant, most of the
5 people - and then, I will tell you, I didn't
6 understand SAMS placement until I became a
7 Deputy Ca tain.
8
MR.
: Okay.
9
MR.
: All right? And I understood
10 that, you know, these guys, you just can't put
11 a guy as a SAMS. That identifier, that's an
12 identifier that has to come from Central
13 Office.
14
MR.
• Okay.
15
MR.
BOP Central Office.
16
MR.
• So, if a Lieutenant - so,
17 if we're talking Lieutenants, and they're
18 saying, he should have been in Ten South --
19
MR.
: Well --
20
MR.
: -- but they don't know
21 what they're talking about, basically?
22
MR.
: No. Because that identifier
23 - because I believe you know this - it's an
24 identifier.
25
MR.
Mm-hmm.
63
1
MR.
: That's put on an inmate just
2 like - I will give you an example - sentencing
3 designations. Oka ?
4
MR.
Sure.
5
MR.
: That's their job.
6
MR.
Mm-hmm.
7
MR.
: They're going to do, say,
8 what Security level inmates, what type of
9 prisons they go to, if they're a transgender,
10 you know, all of these different things, all
11 that stuff is going to come from that Central
12 Office, to say, okay, we looked at this
13 particular inmate's history, or PSI, and we
14 feel that this identifier needs to be placed on
15 this inmate. So, a SAMS identification, or
16 moniker, put on an inmate, executive staff
17 can't put that on there.
18
MR.
. Sure.
19
MR.
That's going to come from
20 Central Office.
21
MR.
Okay. So, although a
22 Lieutenants
have thought -.
23
MR.
: They may have - yeah - they
24 may have thought and said, yeah, due to, yeah,
25 his situation, of him being a multi-
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
64
billionaire, or whatever, or due to his issues
of his proclivity to sexual deviances, and all
of these things, he wouldn't be a good
candidate to go to GP. But guess what? That
responsibility, that identifier, that moniker
should have been put on Epstein before he even
came to MCC.
MR.
: Sure. So, do you know if
this is something - obviously, it sounds like
it would have been out of your hands - would
that be something that the Warden would discuss
with, what? The Regional Director?
MR.
: That's right. The Warden
would have had that discussion between SIA, the
Regional staff, and also, it goes to the
Region, the Central Office staff over
Correctioiiiiiiiiiiming.
MR.
: Okay. And you were never
MR.
And designations.
MR.
• -- involved with any of
that?
MR.
: I would never be in any of
those conversations.
MR.
Okay.
Fair enough. So,
EFTA00111845
65
1 who would be the two to - I guess the Warden
2 would be the right person to go back to and
3 just say, hey, did this ever come up in
4 conversation?
5
MR.
Right.
6
MR.
: Okay. Okay. It says,
7 "At the direction of the Warden,
8 initiated the process of compiling possible
9 cell mates for Epstein, vetting them and
10 submittingi2E4idates to the Warden for his
11 review.
and his staff fully screened
12 potential cell mates, and reported their
13 determinations up to the Warden. Efrain Reyes
14 -", E-F-R-A-I-N, R-E-Y-E-S, "- was selected and
15 housed in a cell with Epstein."
16
MR. ..hat's right.
17
MR.
: And it says, "The
18 Assistant Warden," but I'm assuming they mean
19 the Associate Warden, "Warden and Regional
20 Director were notified."
21
MR. ...Okay. This is how that went
22 down. Mr.
sat with me - not with the
23 AW present - and we wanted to - we started
24 talking about security protocols, moving
25 forward for Jeffrey Epstein. That's with me
66
1 and Mr.
, we had this discussion.
2
MR.
Okay.
3
MR.
Because like I said earlier
4 in my statement, even though the AW would have
5 been my next in succession, as far as my
6 Supervisor, however, I did have conversations
7 directly with the Warden, as far as for
8 security situations (Indiscernible *00:57:32)
9 in the institution.
10
MR.
: Sure.
11
MR.
: So, we sat there, and he
12 wanted me to compile names, and vet inmates
13 that would be possible good candidates as a
14 cell mate for E stein moving forward.
15
MR.
: Sure.
16
MR.
: So, I brought a compiled, I
17 believe I had ten names, and he and I went
18 through those names, we brought it down to
19 three. Then those three names, Mr.
20 because I sat there - when he called the
21 Regional Director, on the phone, and he and the
22 Regional Director vetted those three names.
23
MR.
Sure.
24
MR. rnd
then, I sat there, and I
:
25 was privy to that conversation. I sat there,
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
67
and he gave them, and he faxed him the whole
makeup of all three of them, and the Regional
Director said, no I want this guy.
MR.
So, the Regional Director
MR. EYes.
MR.
: -- ultimately made the
decision?
MR.
: Yes.
MR.
So, give me a little
background on Reyes. What was he in for?
MR.
: I believe Reyes was a
Hispanic, older male. I believe that
particular inmate was in for - I think he was
in for child - some type of sexual stuff. I
can't remember.
MR.
Some kind of a charge
with --
MR.
MR.
MR.
of charges
MR.
MR.
MR.
Charge, dealing with --
-- sexual --
-- with, you know, those type
sexual --
• So, a similar type of --
similar type of charges --
. -- charge.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
68
MR.
: -- as Epstein, I believe, or
I can't remember.
MR.
: Okay. Was he - when he
was being vetted - was he close to, like, a
release date or anything like that? An
anticipated release date?
MR.
: No one knew that. Because
this is what you need to understand about MCC.
MCC and MDC are basically jails. They're not
prisons.
MR.
: Sure.
MR. rt's
a jail. So, that means
if a guy goes to court, you know, you get
locked up, and then, the next day, you might go
to court, the Judge might say, no, I'm
releasing ou. We don't know.
MR.
: Sure.
MR.
: The only time we'll know is
when the inmates come back from court, where is
this guy at? He was released.
MR.
: Gotcha.
MR. rkay.
Now, we got this guy
still in our count. So, if they don't bring a
transfer order, our count is bad. So, they're
going to bring the transfer order back with
EFTA00111846
69
1 them for court line. These guys got released.
2 So, normally, court line is over before 4:00.
3 So, we try to get these guys up. Do some
4 inmates come back after 4:00? Yes, they do.
5 But however, we don't know if an inmate goes
6 out to court if they're coming back.
7
MR.
: Sure.
8
MR.
: However, there is times when
9 they put out a roster, and it's given to - as
10 far as all Correctional Officers that work the
11 units, and it will say, court line, inmate
12 Reyes - using him as an example - WAB. That
13 means that he has to come downstairs with all
14 belongings. So, if they say it, that means
15 he's not coming back. That's either he's
16 transferring to another BOP facility, or he's
17 going to be released to the street.
18
MR.
: Okay.
19
MR.
: But I can guarantee you that
20 that transfer or that roster, that inmate Reyes
21 was on that day, it didn't say WAR. Because it
22 would have said WAB, the first thing that that
23 OIC should have said, that's my orange tag guy.
24 Because I made them do all the orange tag guys,
25 and I made them put them up on the board.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
70
Epstein is that orange tag guy. He's supposed
to have a cellie. WAB. Oh. Cap. SHU
Lieutenant wasn't there. But he would have
called me directly. God. Hey, so and so don't
have a cell.
MR.
: Yeah. So, how long did
it take to vet? You know, I know you said you
started it with ten, and then it brought down
to three, and then the Regional Director
ultimately decided the one. But how long does
that process take?
MR.
: I believe it took - I'm
thinking we did it for - we did a day. It took
a day.
MR.
MR.
: Okay.
: I mean, we actually went -
and, you know, I don't know - I know either the
Warden and I was having a lengthy
conversations, because the Warden wanted to
ensure - Warden
philosophy when
dealing with Mr. Epstein was this: he's another
inmate.
MR.
Mm-hmm.
MR. rnd
what he tried to try to
:
get across to exec staff, and what he tried to
71
1 get across to us, as me, as the Captain, to
2 when I disseminated down to the subordinate
3 staff, this is another inmate. Who cares about
4 what his char es are?
5
MR.
: Sure.
6
MR.
: Or since he's sensationalized
7 in the media. Nobody cares.
8
MR.
: Of course.
9
MR.
: We're going to manage him
10 appropriately. Because if you know anything
11 about jails, and the BOP, especially Brooklyn
12 and MCC, we don't run those jails. The court
13 runs those ails.
14
MR.
: Right.
15
MR.
: So, and that's the truth, the
16 court, the Judges, whatever the Judge says
17 goes. So, and that's unfortunate, but that's
18 neither here nor there. So, Mr.
wanted
19 the staff to say no, this is the inmate, yeah,
20 he has certain charges, but we're going to make
21 sure he gets everything that all the inmates
22 get when they come to MCC. The inmates are
23 going to get proper care. The inmate is going
24 to get showers. The inmate is going to be fed.
25 Whatever it may be. But however, after those
72
1 situations with Epstein where it showed that
2 his behavior was manipulative, when it shows
3 that he was trying to get things for
4 unnecessary gain. Or he would do anything to
5 get anything that would benefit him, we had to
6 take some different protocols. We had to take
7 a different - the had to take a different --
8
MR.
: Approach.
9
MR.
:
mindset with this guy, or
10 the way we managed him had to change. Because
11 we already had this guy saying that he was
12 going to be killed, and all of this stuff, or
13 whatever. So, we just wanted to make sure,
14 moving forward, we put protocols in place that
15 will prot2is_1,L25 an Agency.
16
MR. IIIIIIIIII: So, speaking of
17 protocols, was it discussed, then, when you
18 were vetting these, hey, we have inmates
19 constantly moving out of here, if Reyes is
20 moved, one of these other two that were down to
21 the three would be moved in with him? Was that
22 discussed?
23
MR.
: No. He would just basically
24 - because like I said, again, at MCC, you
25 wouldn't know how long the duration on the
EFTA00111847
1 inmates sta
2
MR.
3
MR.
4
MR.
5 start the
6
MR.
7
MR.
8
MR.
9
MR.
10
MR.
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
73
Sure.
You wouldn't know.
So, you just have to
vetting process --
: Press it --
-- over again?
-- all over again.
Okay.
: Whoever is available in the
unit, that may be single-celled, because as you
know, our policy and protocols in the Bureau of
Prisons are dealing with restricted inmates,
and Special Housing Units, they cannot be
celled alone.
MR.
MR.
MR.
• And --
They must have a cell mate.
• -- in the Special Housing
Unit, ever one must have a cell mate?
MR.
Mm-hmm.
MR.
: Oh, I didn't know that.
So, every sin
one needs to have a cell mate?
MR.
: Except - except, because it's
one of the areas that we didn't discuss,
outside of Ten South - there was a range that
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
74
was meant for - it was, like, a stepdown from
Ten South, that only had one man cell
occupancy which
on G-range.
MR. IIIIIIIIII: Okay. Was that part of
the Special Housing Unit?
MR. Mit-hmm.
MR.
: So, there is a part of
the Special Housing Unit that is a one-man
occupancy, and --
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
MR.
-- another part that has
two-man occu ancy?
MR.
: That is correct.
MR.
Okay. And Epstein was
housed in the two-man occupancy?
MR.
MR.
: Was it ever discussed to
put him in one of the one-man occupancies?
MR.
MR.
MR.
: No.
No?
: Because all of those cells
were filled with inmates that were vetted, that
needed that t e of supervision.
MR.
: Okay.
MR.
: You had inmates in there
75
1 that, if they was put with another inmate,
2 inside of the Special Housing Unit, they would
3 die.
4
MR.
And was part of that --
5
MR. Whey
would be assaulted. So,
6 we would have to make those considerations.
7 So, the protocols of how we dealt with inmates,
8 according to their situation --
9
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
10
MR. M.-
I believe it was sound.
11 But guess what? You can only - you're like the
12 coach - I can make the game plan, but if the
13 players are not executing the game plan, whose
14 fault is that? Is it the coach? Or the player?
15
MR.
: And exactly, and that's
16 what we're doing here, we're Monday morning
17 quarterbacking. We're just saying, like, all
18 right, this is - and that's why we're going
19 back through it. So, "The Warden directed
20
on multiple occasions that Epstein
21 needed a cell mate at all times, and
22 verbally informed his Lieutenants the same.
23
repeatedly directed his SHU Lieutenant -
24 Lieutenant
- that Epstein needed a cell
25 mate at all times. Additionally,
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
76
visited the SHU on multiple occasions, and
directed staff to be very alert and attentive
about Epstein's special accommodations." So,
when you say that about the SHU staff, did you
also inform the SHU staff that Epstein needed
to have a cell mate?
MR.
: Yes.
MR.
Oh, so, they all were --
MR.
Yes.
MR.
-- were aware?
MR.
Yes.
MR.
Can you look at the - so,
the SHU staff for both of August 9th and the
very early morning hours of August 10th - can
you just list the people and let me know if you
informed those people?
MR.
: So, basically, my hours of
work were normally from - let's just say 7:30
to 4:00.
MR.
: Sure.
MR.
: So, I ensured that it wasn't
within one week, but it was a process of doing
rounds. So I tr to hit every shift.
MR.
: Sure.
MR.
: So, I hit the day watch
EFTA00111848
77
1 because that's the one I work. Evening watch,
2 I stay over late. I walk up there. Hey guys,
3 this is the situation. Let's make sure that,
4 you know, we're paying attention.
And then,
5 morning watch, of course.
6
MR.
Okay.
MR. Eo
8
MR.
: So, beginning at 8:00
:
7
9 a.m., then, on August 9th, can you just look to
10 who - and name the people - can you just name
11 who was in the SHU, and if you've ever had a
12 conversation with them, if they were aware.
13
MR. I.
Okay. Let me see here.
14 Well, we had
. I've talked to
15 Perry Joiner Phonetic Sp. *01:08:06). He was
16 in there.
was one of the guys
17 that was u there as a Rec Officer.
18
MR.
So, all --
19
MR.
: Him.
20
MR.
-- all of those people
21 were, you had conversations --
22
MR. Mies.
23
MR.
: -- specifically with
24 them, and the
25
MR. 'I'll': I've talked with these guys.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
78
MR.
Absolutely. Can you just
name the other people for the shifts after him?
I think tiiiiiist
MR.
: You got - now, M. Thomas. M.
Thomas, what you need to understand is, that he
would have been - because, you know, like I
said - overtime. Non-custody. He's non-
custody staff. I don't have conversations with
him.
MR.
Okay. So, Michael Thomas
MR.
So, that mean --
MR.
• -- may not have known?
MR.
-- right, because
realistically, the morning watch and evening
watch shift, eo le don't like to come to work.
MR.
: Sure.
MR.
: So, they - if you sign up for
overtime, you say, oh, SHU two is open. Okay.
I'll take it. But you're non-custody. So,
that means anybody can work it. A teacher. A
Food Service foreman.
MR.
: Is the SHU easier to work
than the other units?
MR.
: I wouldn't say it's easier,
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
79
but it's less labor intensive.
MR.
: Okay.
MR. recause,
in my opinion, from
when I worked Special Housing, Special Housing
was always hard work because I'm going to tell
you why. You have to be vigilant. And when I
mean vigilant, you have to understand, when
you're working that Unit, anything can happen.
It could be quiet. But guess what? If you're
not walking, looking in those cells, testing
the Security protocols. Meaning, making sure
the flaps are closed. Making sure the doors
are locked. You want to know that, in SHU,
sometimes doors was unlocked.
MR.
MR.
doors, those
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
. Mm-hmm.
Or flaps opened. To chase
What is a flap?
-- the Food Service flap.
Okay. Sure.
: You know? Making rounds.
Making sure the inmates are not - have
coverings up when you open up the - what do you
call it?
MR.
The window?
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
80
MR.
: The windows or putting a
towel over their beds, and blocking the light
from you being able to observe them.
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
. But then, how --
And what I said about --
but how -.
-- but I want to go back
because I know about the statement, about the
doors being left open. I'm talking about more
in general population, as far as when you're
making rounds, those type of things, you test.
Making sure the door is secure. Making sure
the food slots are secure.
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
MR.
: As an Officer coming up, even
as a Lieutenant, do you know that I've actually
walked in a Unit and pulled on the door that's
supposed to be secure, and its inmate is wide
open?
MR.
: Wow. Ever at the MCC?
MR.
: No. Because that wasn't my
capacity.
MR.
Sure.
MR. What
wasn't my job. But as a
:
Line Officer subordinate, and also when I was a
EFTA00111849
81
1 Lieutenant making rounds, that's what I would
2 do. When I hit a unit, it wasn't just to talk
3 to staff. I would walk in and look at the
4 Security protocols in the Unit. Is their fire
5 extinguisher there? Good.
Your phone work?
6 Computers work? Hey, let's walk the block.
7 Pulling on doors. Pulling on food slots.
8 Showing - tr in to train the Officers.
9
MR.
: Sure.
10
MR.
That's what I used to do.
11
MR.
: Lead by example.
12
MR.
: And guess what happens? You
13 would find stuff, because people in hurry
14 enough to go home on that evening watch, them
15 inmates know their doors are locked. But they
16 know they're not going to come out. Because if
17 they come out, there's a situation. But
18 they'll situ there and leave it open.
19
MR.
: So, back to this, though.
20 Can you look at the other SHU on, you know, the
21 subsequent shifts, if you had conversations
22 with them?
23
25
MR. Wo
--
24
MR.
: So, Thomas, no.
MR.
: -- so, Thomas, because he
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
82
would have just been on there. Mr. Washington.
Yeah. I've talked to Mr. Washington because
Mr. Washington would go between evening watch,
because I would talk to him. Clyde would work
evening watch, so I've talked to him on evening
watch. He was working morning watch because
these guys, it was such short of staff, that
these SHU guys was working back to back shifts.
Or staff. It didn't matter. People who wanted
money, or wanted to, you know, they would sign
up for overtime. So, Clyde Washington was one
of the regular SHU staff on the evening watch.
Yeah, so, I talked to him. IIIIIIiiiPercy
Joiner. I talked with him.
would go between the three, and also
the OIC, because he had the most knowledge out
of those guys. So, sometimes, he - even though
he was the three - he was the one with OIC
duties.
MR.
: And OIC stands for
Officer-in-Charge?
MR.
MR.
MR.
: Officer-in-Charge.
: Okay.
: So, he was doing all the
rosters. When it was time to move inmates
83
1 inside of the Unit, you know, he was in charge
2 of ensuring those Sentry rosters was updated,
3 to ensure that the accountability of the unit
4 was correct, to make sure that the inmates were
5 placed in their proper cells. Who was this?
6 I'm sorry. Hold on.
7
MR.
: And so, in the SHU, we
8 want to be focusing on?
9
MR.
: T. Noel. T. Noel was one of
10 the --
11
MR.
And that's Tova?
12
MR.
-- now, I know Tova.
13
MR.
Yeah.
14
MR.
: Now, Tova, I can't remember
15 if I spoke to Tova. Tova - exactly.
17
MR. rut
I know that I had hit all
16
MR.
: Okay.
18 three shifts. Meaning that, day watch. I was
19 always up there on day watch. Evening watch.
20 I stayed over because that's what the Warden
21 wanted. He told me. Hey, make sure you go and
22 hit all three shifts. The Warden told me to do
23 it . So, if the Warden told me to do it, why
24 wouldn't Ili?
25
MR.
: Sure.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
84
MR.
: The Warden --
MR.
Okay.
MR.
:
we sat down, he said,
these are the things that I want to happen.
First, I want you to make sure, walk through,
talk about, make sure the staff is aware,
(Indiscernible *01:13:53) are doing this, this,
and this. And also, I know that you have -
that I put out an e-mail. So, I just didn't
tell them - what do you call that? - by --
So, you sent an e-mail to
MR.
all the SHU?
MR.
: Yes, I did. To all
Correctional Services staff. And I think I
still got it.
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
to anyone?
MR.
it.
To all Correctional?
Yeah. I still got --
Did you ever provide
-- that e-mail.
: -- that to anyone?
Huh?
Did you ever provide that
No. And they never asked for
EFTA00111850
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
85
MR.
Can you absolutely
provide that to us?
MR.
: Yeah. I think I have one,
and we can go to my office, so I can show you.
I don't want you to think I - I will bring it
up for you.
MR.
: So, would have this
Michael Thomas and Tova Noel been on that e-
mail?
MR.
: Tova would have been, because
he's a Correctional Officer. But not Thomas.
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
• Okay.
You understand?
• Okay.
: But however, what we did was
MR.
I thought everyone was
considered a Correctional Officer. That's not
the case?
MR.
: As far as when emergencies
happen.
MR.
Okay.
MR.
: When emergencies happen,
regardless of what your discipline is, we all
come together, it means you going to -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
86
everyone, when you came in the BOP, everyone
was given the opportunity, that when you went
through Correctional - those tactics that you
learned in Glynco, it was about being a
Correctional Officer. It wasn't about being a
Dentist, or being a Chaplin, or whatever. It's
about Correctional principals.
Okay.
: Introduction to Correctional
MR.
MR.
principals.
MR.
: But as far as there is an
e-mail that just the people that are working in
the Correctional Officer --
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
: Yes.
• -- okay.
And I can show that to you.
Perfect.
have that.
Awesome.
MR.
: Because it wasn't just me
just talking to them. I put out guidance, and
I kept putting out guidance. It wasn't like it
was one time. I talked about inmates being
placed on suicide watch. I talked about
inmates putting on there - what is the
87
1 difference between close supervision - what is
2 it? - suicide watch.
3
MR.
Psychological
4 observation.
5
MR.
: And psychological. There's
6 no such thing as psychological - and that you
7 know now - there's no such thing. It's called
8 close supervision. There's no such as
9 psychological.
That was an MCC thing.
10
MR.
Okay.
11
MR. What
they made up. So, it's
12 a close
and/or suicide watch.
13
MR.
: So, you have at least one
14 e-mail, though, that you sent to Correctional
15 Officers saying that Epstein needed a cell
16 mate?
17
MR.
: It wasn't saying Epstein, but
18 I do have two. I think I gave one e-mail and
19 one memorandum that I wrote for the 583 packet
20 for Epstein. I think you may have that. I
21 don't know if you have it. And then, I have
22 wrote another one about the important of doing
23 30-minute rounds in the Special Housing Unit.
24
MR.
: Okay. Yeah, if you can -
25 after we're done - either you can send it to
88
1 me, or you can give it to me.
2
MR.
: I can give it to you. I'm
3 going to ive ou a copy.
4
MR.
. Perfect.
5
MR.
NO-hmm.
6
MR.
All right. Then just --
7
MR.
And so --
8
MR.
-- I think there's a few
9 more. Like, I don't know how to spell his
10 name, pronounce his name, but --
11
MR.
: So --
12
MR.
13
MR.
14
MR.
15
16 custody guy. So,
MR.
:
was another non-
, I believe worked in
17 - he was a Material Handler. I think
18 was a Material Handler. So, he's not
19 Correctional Services anymore. However, did
20 the have a background - no, I'm sorry.
21
went to R and D. So, he was Receiving
22 and Discharge. So, these staff members worked
23 as Correctional Officers, came up as
24 Correctional Officers. But their daily
25 assignment, their job descriptions changed.
EFTA00111851
89
1
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
2
MR.
: Their whatever, their non-
3 custody.
4
MR.
: So, the people that
5 worked in the SHU, and the Correctional
6 Officers, they were aware of it, but people
7 that had different functions in the facility,
8 they may not have been?
9
MR.
: May not have been because I
10 wouldn't talk to them on a daily basis.
11
MR.
: And what about, do you
12 know if there were any kind of, like, post-it
13 notes, or sticky notes, or any -?
14
MR.
: Yes. I had created - it was
15 one, one, because I said orange card inmates -
16 I said, make sure these particular inmates,
17 inmates high visibility inmates, and I think I
18 talked about that, that the inmates, their
19 cards should be orange. And those would be our
20 high visibility inmates that you - and I think
21 I got an e-mail about that, too - about the
22 high visibility inmates inside the unit, you
23 should take special care to ensure these
24 inmates are --
25
MR.
: Observed.
90
1
MR.
: -- observed. When you're
2 doing your rounds.
3
MR.
: Anything, though, about
4 the actual cell mate requirement, though? Do
5 you know if there was any kind of, like, sticky
6 note, or any kind of post-it about saying, hey,
7 make sure that Epstein -?
8
MR.
: I can't remember.
9
MR.
: Yeah, yeah.
10
MR.
: But like I said, I was
11 putting out a lot of guidance --
12
MR.
Absolutely.
13
MR.
you know, coming from -
:
14 and, you know - coming from the Warden, and
15 things that I would have thought that was
16 beneficial to the Correctional Officers. I was
17 just putting that guidance out. I kept putting
18 out. You know, like I said, you know, I'm
19 talking to them, I'm putting out the guidance,
20 but if they don't open their e-mail and don't
21 read it.
22
MR.
: What about some of the
23 people who were Actin Lieutenants? Somebody
24 like an SOS
25
MR.
: Ms.
?
91
1
MR.
. Sorry. So, Ms.
2
Ys.
, she would work
3 Correctional
4
MR. IIIIIIIIII: So, should have he known
5 that --
6
MR.
She would have known.
7
MR.
: -- should have she known
8 that Epstein had -?
9
MR.
: It's common knowledge that
10 you're su osed to do 30-minute rounds.
11
MR.
. Mm-hmm.
12
MR.
: And be vigilant. But
13 however, would she know, necessarily, that
14 those protocols were placed on Jeffrey Epstein,
15 that he was supposed to have a cellie? I mean,
16 you see an orange card, if you see the
17 guidance. I believe I had put something
18 together, that was on the OIC's desk, on the
19 desk, talked about the high visibility inmates,
20 and Jeffrey Epstein was a high visibility
21 inmate.
22
MR.
: But is it understood that
23 a high visibility inmate like that needs a cell
24 mate?
25
MR.
: Yes.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
92
MR.
Okay. So, you're saying,
make sure you're doing rounds, but it's also
understood, if it's a high-visibility inmate,
they need a cell mate at all times?
MR. ..(es.
MR.
: Okay. And did they all
understand that?
MR. Mies.
MR.
: All right. And to
include Thomas and --
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
. Okay.
MR.
: And I don't believe I had
that conversation with them. I'm not going to
lie. I didn't have that conversation with
them.
MR.
What about some of these
Lieutenants, like the Acting Lieutenants, like
MR.
: Ms.
? Oh, Ms.
was in Correctional Services. And she - I
believe - during that time, was working an
Attorney conference.
: I don't know.
-- Noel?
Because they are not custody.
EFTA00111852
93
94
1
MR.
: Yes.
2
MR. rhe
was in Correctional
3 Service. She was working an Attorney
4 conference during that time. So, Ms.
, I
5 actually promoted her to Acting Lieutenant.
6 She was getting paid as a Lieutenant. So, yes.
7 She would have known.
8
MR.
: So, she should have - or
9 would have, or should have?
10
MR.
11
MR.
: How about some of these
12 other ones that we're on? You said IIII,
13 obviously, ou already said you --
14
MR.
: Yeah.
15
MR.
: -- specifically directed
16 him.
17
MR.
: If he - yeah - I brought him
18 in the office, and we spoke. Yes.
19
MR.
: Do you know how - and I
20 think you said that you spoke to him on
21 multiple occasions --
22
MR.
Yes.
23
MR.
: -- is that correct, and
24 made sure,
make sure he has a cell mate?
25
MR.
: Yes.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
MR.
: Okay. What about
MR.
I had
conversations - well, I don't believe I had a
conversation with her.
MR.
: Should have she known,
based upon the orange card?
MR.
: Yes. She would have known
because I put the guidance out through the e-
mail.
MR.
: Now, the guidance,
though, said about - you said it talked about
rounds as opposed to actual cell mate
requirement though, correct?
MR.
: I can't remember.
MR.
Okay.
MR.
: You know, I don't know,
because like I said, again, I put out a lot of
guidance.
MR. r:
Yeah.
MR.
: But I know the people who I
actually spoke to as far as, like, hey, you the
OIC, I mean, you're the Lieutenant of SHU, that
means you working day watch, that means any
movement happens on day watch, it don't happen
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
95
on morning watch. Inmates are locked in their
cells.
MR.
MR.
• Right.
: So, anything, day watch,
evening watch, that SHU Lieutenant should be
aware.
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
• Okay.
So, that's why
And we'll get in --
: So, that's why we would have
that conversation. When he and I had that
conversation.
MR.
: And do you remember - so,
you recall specifically talking with him - do
you - and this is, I want to know about - aside
from what they should have known - specific
I can't
remember about
. I believe it's as
internal. I came into the Lieutenant's Office
and we spoke about it. So, as a collective,
the Lieutenants were made aware. I can't say I
remember that I would come into the
Lieutenants, and we would talk about Epstein.
So, again, between the guidance that was put
96
1 out through emails, and the conversations that
2 I would have just encountering Lieutenants,
3 yes, but however, I can tell you for sure, I
4 had a conversation with IIII.
5
MR.
: And would have IIII made
6 sure that those people working in the SHU knew
7 this information?
8
MR.
: He would have - as the
9 Lieutenaniiiiiiiiiie, yes.
10
MR.
: Should have he made sure
11 somebody like - somebody that's not in there.
12 Although, Tova Noel, I think that was her
13 quarterly post. Or at least she was in there a
14 lot of times --
15
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
16
MR.
• -- leading up to it. So,
17 should have he made sure that she --
18
MR.
: Yeah.
19
MR.
-- what about --
20
MR.
: Because she worked evening
21 watch.
22
MR.
-- what about Michael
23 Thomas?
24
MR.
: Michael Thomas, probably not.
25 But by him working in the unit, he would know.
EFTA00111853
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
97
I mean, you would say, okay, if he's working on
evening watching or morning watch, there was no
need to move inmates. There was no showers
that should have been taking place. There was
no hearings. No medical. Nothing that we had
to open u a cell door for, for those inmates.
MR.
: Okay.
MR.
: So, most of those inmates was
done on day watch, there was no reason for them
to move these u s.
MR.
: Okay.
MR.
: You understand what I'm
saying?
MR.
: Sure. And then, as far
as conversations with
MR.
was one of the
Lieutenants. As far as - again - speaking to
as Lieutenants as a forum, you know, hey, got
to make sure that you guys are doing it, you
know, like that. But I know for a fact, the
only person that I spoke to, that I pulled in
my office, was the SHU OIC.
MR.
: So --
MR.
: Was the SHU Lieutenant.
Because they're in charge of that unit. So, I
98
1 disseminate the information and the guidance
2 out to him, and he's supposed to take that
3 guidance --
4
MR.
Mm-hmm.
5
MR.
-- and push it forward --
6
MR.
For the unit. So, he's
7 in the charge of the unit. You went to the guy
8 in charge of the unit and you said, hey, you're
9 in charge of the unit. Make sure he's got a
10 cell mate at all times.
11
MR.
Yes.
.
12
MR.
: And he, then, is supposed
13 to take that, and anybody that works within his
14 unit should know?
15
MR.
Yeah.
.
16
MR.
: Okay. What about these
17 Lieutenants, though, especially the ones that
18 are Acting as, like, Ops Lieutenants and
19 Activities Lieutenants --
20
MR.
: Okay. Yeah.
21
MR.
• -- pestle like
,
22
Durant. I think IIII.
23
MR.
: Yeah.
24
MR.
: Should have they known,
25 during these shifts, specifically on the 9th
99
1 and 10th --
2
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
3
MR.
• -- should have they known
4 that Epstein was required to have a cell mate?
5
MR.
: I believe so.
6
MR.
: Okay.
7
MR.
: But, like again, I would have
8 to go back through my emails, you know, because
9 a lot of the communication that me and the
10 Lieutenants had were through e-mail, because
11 you can't catch them all on shift.
12
MR.
Sure.
13
MR. rou
know, you catch them
:
14 passing and coming. So, I would put out
15 guidance that wa .
16
MR.
: But as far as - you said
17 - that everyone knew that he had an orange card
18 and that he was a high visibility inmate, and
19 therefore, he was required to have a cell mate.
20 So, should have they known through that?
21
MR.
Yeah.
M
22
MR.
: And is there any excuse
23 for any of them to say, I didn't know?
24
MR.
: I'm not going to put that on
25 the Lieutenant. You know, I'm not going to do
100
1 that.
2
MR.
: Okay.
3
MR.
not going to be that guy
4 to say whatever, whatever. Because I'm going
5 to tell you what, sir, to be real with you, it
6 was so much oin on --
7
MR.
: Sure.
8
MR.
: -- through that timeframe,
9 that I don't want to put my statement to
10 something like that, that could detrimentally
11 harm one of these Lieutenants.
12
MR.
Mm-hmm.
13
MR. Ir'm
not going to say that,
14 hey, I talked to --
15
MR. EN:
Itigtt.
16
MR.
:
on this day. I'm
17 not going to do that.
18
MR.
: And I'm not saying about
19 speaking. I'm saying just the fact that there
20 was an - and again, you're saying that you
21 don't recall specific conversations about the
22 cell mate re uirements --
23
MR.
: Right.
24
MR.
: -- aside from IIII. But
25 the fact that, if there was an orange --
EFTA00111854
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
101
MR.
: Yes.
MR.
: -- card --
MR.
: Yeah.
MR.
: -- is that something that
just is common knowledge, if someone has an
orange card, a Lieutenant should know, he's got
an orange card he needs a cell mate?
MR.
Right. But then again, also,
it was high visibility guys on - what do you
call that? - on --
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
Ten South?
-- no. On G.
Oh, okay. The --
On that --
-- the one inmate.
-- that one occupancy.
So,
with the guidance I had put out, I got to give
you that e-mail.
MR.
: Okay.
MR.
: That e-mail was saying that,
hey, these guys with these orange cards, you
need to ensure hi h visibility vigilance.
MR.
: So - all right - so --
MR.
: Ensure that these guys, you
know, are alive, and all of this, you know,
102
1 report any, you know, I went into detail with
2 that.
3
MR.
: Okay. So, maybe not, if
4 it's an orange card, it doesn't necessarily
5 mean, then, that they require a cell mate, they
6 just require --
7
MR.
: Higher - or higher
8 supervision.
9
MR.
Okay. So, you just need
10 to know what they're doing at all times, and
11 make sure that they're okay?
12
MR. Illifeah.
13
MR.
: All right. So, in this
14 instance, it wouldn't be, necessarily, cell
15 mate. It would be everybody knows keep an eye
16 on Epstein, make sure that he's --
17
MR.
That is correct.
18
MR.
: -- all right. So,
19 is the only one that you can specifically
20 recall --
21
MR.
Yes.
22
MR.
: -- and again, what you
23 said -?
24
MR.
: And then, again, when I went
25 on evening watch, morning watch, those shifts,
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
103
when I had those teams together, yeah, I would
talk about vigilance after doing 30 minute
rounds. Making sure this is done. Making sure
that is done.
MR.
• Okay.
MR.
: Making sure this guy -. You
know, that's what I did.
MR.
Okay.
MR.
: Because that's what Mr.
wanted. So, I did it.
MR.
All right. And then,
again, just to make sure that I'm not
misunderstanding you. You said you talked to
specifically about it, but when you did
visit the SHU, not only were you telling them
to keep high visibility on Epstein, were you
also telling them, the people that you did
interact with, that he needed to have a cell
mate?
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
Yes.
• Okay.
Yes.
On Friday, August 9th -
or sorry - when is the last time, can you
recall, that you had that conversation with the
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24 up.
25
SHU staff?
MR.
MR.
MR.
104
: I can't remember, sir.
No problem.
: I don't remember. Because
like I said, that guidance came out between the
time of him being upon his release from suicide
watch from that last time, to the time during
the time that we was doing the vetting for the
cell mate.
MR.
MR.
So -?
: So, it was, you know, it was
a short period of time that this guidance and
these conversations took place.
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
MR.
: And then, the reinforcement
was when we would walk through the unit and
just do rounds. And then, I'm, like, hey, this
is a high visibility guy, why this guy got
trays in the cell? Extra trays in his cell.
Why this guy got this? So then, of course, you
know, a lot of people at MCC, they didn't like
me because I was trying to hold people
accountable. But I didn't always write people
MR.
Mm-hmm.
EFTA00111855
105
1
MR.
: That's how I did, I came up
2 like that. I'm trying to help you. People
3 thought me trying to just talk to them about
4 Correctional Services, or trying, giving them
5 little, you know, helping them out, talking to
6 them, you know, that I was trying to be the
7 know-all, be-all, be that guy. You know? You
8 know, you're not sociable, but now you're down
9 here, telling us what to do. You're not one of
10 those. That's the way it felt like. So, like,
11 again, I can give you the playbook to success.
12 But if you don't read it, it's just words.
13
MR.
Sure.
14
MR. rt's
just words. And then, I
15 had a lot of issues with the Lieutenants. You
16 know, Lieutenants, you know, were self-serving,
17 even though, in my previous statement, I would
18 never say anything statements to hurt them.
19 I'm not doing that. But what I'll tell you
20 was, the relationship between me and the
21 Lieutenant core was not good. So, again, as we
22 move forward through today, you know, the
23 statements that I make is not to try to put
24 blame or try to hurt anybody. The only thing
25 I'm doing is, is telling you that, when the
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
106
Warden gave me direction, he said he wanted X,
Y, and Z, and X, Y, Z. Not only did I talk to
staff, I also re-enforced it by putting out
emails, because I know I can't catch everybody,
and I know that staff is going to blow you off.
I mean, like, yeah, whatever. I'm glad he out
the unit. Let's go ahead and go back to
whatever we was doing. It's what it is.
MR.
: Sure. And just so you
know, just to give you a little bit of peace of
mind, we're asking you the questions directly.
You're not placing blame on anybody.
: Right.
: So, if we ask you
: Yeah.
-- like --
Okay.
: -- if they were
something, that's not on you.
: Oh, okay. Well, I just
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
responsible or
MR.
wanted to --
MR.
MR.
understand that.
MR.
: Yeah.
-- because I didn't
: Yeah, yeah.
1
2
3
4 was responsible --
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
MR.
But -.
20
MR.
: And that's not what I'm - I
21 mean, I'm not here for that. I'm just --
22
MR.
Right.
23
MR.
-- I'm just here --
24
MR.
I mean, we do have to
25 figure out --
MR.
here - I mean --
MR.
107
: Because like I said, I'm not
I mean, we might say who
MR.
: Right.
MR.
-- or did they drop the
ball?
MR.
Right.
MR.
But that's us asking you
a direct question. Not you coming to us,
saying, it was this guy's fault.
: Right.
You know, we're
asking you. So, just --
: Oh, okay. Yeah.
-- you know?
: That's what I didn't
MR.
MR.
specificall
MR.
MR.
MR.
understand.
108
1
MR.
You know?
2
MR.
: -- who did drop the ball
3 here.
4
MR.
Yeah.
.
5
MR.
: But that's not - you're
6 not comin to us. We're coming to you.
7
MR.
: Right. I understand.
8
MR.
So, "On Friday, August 9,
9 2019, Lieutenant
was on leave, and thus,
10 there was no dedicated Lieutenant assigned to
11 the SHU."
12
MR.
: That is correct.
13
MR.
"In this event, the
14 Operations Lieutenant, Lieutenant
15
MR. Man-hmrn.
16
MR.
: -- had oversight that
17 day, and took over the responsibilities of the
18 SHU Lieutenant."
19
MR. Ma-hmm.
20
MR.
: So, what time did - can
21 you look at the - oiliiiist 9th - what times
22 that he worked on?
23
MR.
: The periods that - this is
24 Friday, ri ht?
25
MR.
: Correct. August 9th.
EFTA00111856
109
1
MR.
: I got
so, basically, I have
2
was not there.
3
MR. r:
Oh.
4
MR.
: He was there on that
5 Saturday, which was evening watch on that
6 Saturday.
7
MR.
Did he not work 4:00 p.m.
8 to midnight?
9
MR.
: He worked 4:00 p.m. -
10 midnight on that Saturday, the August 10th.
11
MR.
: Okay. You can speak. Do
12 you know something different?
13
MR.
: No, no, no. I was just
14 clarifyin .
15
MR.
: Oops, sorry. Can I see
16 the August 9th?
17
MR.
: So, who was working on August
18 9th?
19
MR.
Au ust 9th, it appears
I
20 think you
21
MR.
All right. So,
22 would have been the Ops Lieutenant?
23
MR.
: Right.
24
MR.
Well,
and then
25 11111111?
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
110
MR. ..eah.
MR.
: And then, underneath
them, the Activities Lieutenant would have been
Durant, and then,
MR.
IIIIIIIIIiight.
MR.
: Correct. All right. All
right. So, they must have got this wrong
somehow. So, it said - so, this is not
accurate, when it says in this report - "In
this event, the Operations Lieutenant,
Lieutenant
, had oversight that day and
took over responsibilities for the SHU." Who
actually had oversight, then, since El was
out?
MR.
: That would have been the day
watch Operations Lieutenant.
MR.
And who was that?
MR.
: The day watch Operations
Lieutenant for Au oust 9th would have been - it
appears it was
MR.
So,
would have been
responsible?
MR.
MR.
understanding that
: Right.
And is it your
knew that he needed a
112
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
111
cell mate?