Text extracted via OCR from the original document. May contain errors from the scanning process.
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SWORN STATEMENT
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OF
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OIG CASE #:
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2019-010614
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JUNE 15, 2021
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28632 Roadside Drive, Suite 285
Agoura Hills, CA 91301
Phone:
EFTA00126362
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APPEARANCES:
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BY:
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BY:
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WITNESS:
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NONE
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EFTA00126363
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1
MR.
: All right. The recorder
2
is on. Today is Tuesday, June 15, 2021, and
3
the time is 10:08 III. 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
MR.
: Okay.
9
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 Jersey.
21
Also present 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
EFTA00126364
1
name? To start, again, I am DOJ OIG Senior
2
Special Agent,
4
MR.
: This is DOJ Special Agent
5
6
MR.
: This is BOP employee,
7
8
MR.
: All right. Thank you,
9
everyone. And this is an official DOJ
10
investigation surrounding the circumstances of
11
Jeffrey Epstein's death, and you are being
12
asked to voluntarily provide answers to our
13
questions. Will you agree to a voluntary
14
interview with the DOJ OIG?
15
MR.
: Yes.
16
MR.
: Great. We're just going
17
to review the DOJ OIG voluntary interview form.
18
III going to read it for the record. It says,
19
United States Department of Justice Office of
20
the Inspector General Warnings and Assurances
21
to Employee Requested to Provide Information on
22
a Voluntary Basis." "You are being asked to
23
provide information as part of an investigation
24
being conducted by the Office of the Inspector
25
General. This investigation is being conducted
EFTA00126365
5
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 Special Agent. And I
25
am going to print my name. Mr.
do you
EFTA00126366
1
mind just printing your name where it says
2
Employee's Name? Sorry.
3
MR.
: All right.
4
MR.
: Right below it.
5
MR.
: Thank you, sir. And
6
Special Agent
, can you sign that as the
7
witness?
8
MR.
: Yes. This is Special Agent
9
. I have signed as a witness.
10
MR.
: Thank you, sir. Can you
11
hold onto that? And do you understand the OIG
12
form?
13
MR.
: Yes.
14
MR.
: Great. Before starting,
15
I would like you place you under oath. Can you
16
just raise your right hand? Mr.
do you
17
swear to tell the truth and nothing but the
18
truth during this interview?
19
MR.
: I do.
20
MR.
: Thank you, sir. Can you
21
just show me your credentials, for the record,
22
to make sure that --
23
MR.
: Here you go, sir.
24
MR.
: -- all right. For the
25
record, I am looking at the U.S. Department of
EFTA00126367
1
Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons credentials
2
of Mr.
. It says that he is the
3
Discipline Hearing Officer at FCI Fort Dix in
4
New Jersey. And it has a picture of him.
5
Thank you, sir.
6
MR.
: Okay.
7
MR.
: All right. And what is
8
your current home address?
9
MR.
•
•
11
MR.
: Thank you. And what is
12
your current cell phone number?
13
MR.
: It is
14
MR.
: And what is your highest
15
level of education?
16
MR.
: I have three years of
17
college.
18
MR.
: And where did you go to
19
college?
20
MR.
: I went to - I actually have
21
my Associates Degree at Northwestern State
22
University.
23
MR.
: And where is that
24
located?
25
MR.
: That's going to be in
7
EFTA00126368
8
1
Natchitoches, Louisiana.
2
MR.
: Great. And what was that
3
Associate's degree in?
4
MR.
: It was in Social Work.
5
MR.
: Okay. Great. And then,
6
what year?
7
MR.
: I believe it was 2012 or '13.
8
MR.
: Great. Thanks. Did you
9
have any employment prior to the BOP?
10
MR.
: Yes. I had worked almost two
11
years for the Colorado Department of
12
Corrections.
13
MR.
: Okay.
14
MR.
: As a Correctional Officer.
15
And before that, I spent 11 years - almost ten
16
years - well, nine years, 11 months in the
17
United States Army.
18
MR.
: Awesome. Thanks for your
19
service.
20
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
21
MR.
: When did you work as a
22
Correctional Officer for two years?
23
MR.
: In Colorado?
24
MR.
: Yes.
25
MR.
: I believe the dates were from
EFTA00126369
1
July of 2004 to November 27 or November 26 of
2
2005.
3
MR.
: Okay. Great. And then,
4
you said you were in the - did you say the
5
Army?
6
MR.
:
Yes.
7
MR.
: And what was your rank in
8
the Army?
9
MR.
: I was a Sergeant.
10
MR.
:
Honorable discharge?
11
MR.
:
Yes.
12
MR.
:
When you left, what was
13
your primary responsibility?
14
MR.
: Basically, at that time, I
15
was a Section Sergeant, as a topographical
16
surveyor.
17
MR.
: Okay. And what was that?
18
Where did you say?
19
MR.
: Sir?
20
MR.
: The topographical?
21
MR.
: It's a topographical surveyor
22
23
MR.
: Oh, a surveyor.
24
MR.
: -- (Indiscernible *00:07:19)
25
surveyor. Right.
EFTA00126370
10
1
MR.
: Okay. Perfect. And
2
then, you said a Sergeant. E-4, E-5?
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
MR.
: 09/27/2005. No. III sorry.
8
11/27/2005.
9
MR.
: Great. And when did you
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 -
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
EFTA00126371
1
Hearing Officer at FCI Fort Dix.
2
MR.
: All right. Great. And
3
is it correct that you used to work at the MCC
4
in New York City?
5
MR.
: That is correct.
6
MR.
: All right. And what were
7
your positions when you were at the MCC?
8
MR.
: MCC, I was the Captain.
9
MR.
: Okay. And from what
10
dates were you the Captain?
11
MR.
: I was the Captain from
12
September of, I believe it was third, 2018, all
13
the way until June 25 of 2020.
14
MR.
: Okay. Great. And then,
15
was that your first assignment as a Captain?
16
MR.
: No. That was my second.
17
MR.
:
What was your first
18
assignment as a Captain?
19
MR.
: My first assignment as a
20
Captain was - I was a Deputy Captain at MDC
21
Brooklyn.
22
MR.
: Okay. And then you got
23
promoted, and went to MCC?
24
MR.
:
Yes. Yes.
25
MR.
: And what does the MCC
EFTA00126372
12
1
stand for?
2
MR.
: The Metropolitan Correctional
3
Center.
4
MR.
: Perfect. And located at
5
150 Park Row, New York, New York?
6
MR.
: That is correct.
7
MR.
: Thank you, sir. As a
8
Captain, who would you consider your Supervisor
9
when you were at the MCC?
10
MR.
: It would be, at that point,
11
at that time, we was transitioning.
12
MR.
: Okay.
13
MR.
: So, I would, normally, I
14
would answer to two people, which would be the
15
AW of Custody, which, at that time, was
16
17
MR.
: Okay.
18
MR.
: However, we was transitioning
19
when that incident happened. It was
20
was the AW over Custody at that time.
21
MR.
: All right. So, when you
22
are talking about that time, are you talking
23
about August 9th and August 10th of 2019?
24
MR.
: That is correct.
25
MR.
: Okay. So, are you aware
EFTA00126373
13
1
of
was still the AW in
2
charge of Custody at that time?
3
MR.
: No.
4
MR.
: She was not? Okay.
5
MR.
: No. Basically, what it was
6
again - with the areas of responsibility had
7
changed, prior --
8
MR.
: Okay.
9
MR.
to this incident. So,
10
that week, Ms.
was going to be
11
even though hers responsibilities had changed
12
as the AW over Custody, and Warden
13
had appointed - or instructed -
14
that Ms.
would then take over the
15
responsibilities. But however, she was
16
supposed to go on annual leave.
17
MR.
: Okay.
18
MR.
: So, at that time, Ms.
19
was actually there, as far as,
20
she was still in that capacity when the
21
incident happened.
22
MR.
: Okay.
23
MR.
: However, again, the previous
24
question that you asked, normally, as my
25
responsibilities, I would notify the AW over
EFTA00126374
14
1
Custody, and also, I would have conversations
2
the Warden.
3
MR.
: Okay.
4
MR.
: So, it would just depends on
5
what the situation may be. So, if there was
6
instances where I would run things through the
7
chain, from the AW to the Warden, and there was
8
times that I would take direction directly from
9
the Warden.
10
MR.
: Okay. As far as, though,
11
in this instance, if, you know, being that
12
August 9th and August 10th, I believe that the
13
first person you contacted when you were
14
MR.
: Was
15
MR.
: -- correct. And that was
16
because the other AW was out. Is that what you
17
were saying?
18
MR.
: My belief is that she was on
19
annual leave, which was stated
20
MR.
: Okay.
21
MR.
: -- that we had closed out on
22
that Friday, that she would be starting annual
23
leave.
24
MR.
: Okay. But the other AW
25
was, in fact, your Supervisor at that time?
EFTA00126375
1
MR.
: Yes.
2
MR.
: Okay. Which you just
3
said was - you went with
4
because she was on?
5
MR.
: That's right.
6
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 over Custody.
15
MR.
: All right. How do you
16
spell her last name?
17
MR.
: Ms.
18
MR.
: Yes.
19
MR. -:
20
MR.
: Perfect. Thank you. AL
21
right. So, is it correct that you were
22
interviewed by Agents of the FBI and the DOJ
23
OIG back when this instance occurred in August
24
of 2019?
25
MR.
: That is correct.
EFTA00126376
16
1
MR.
: Great. III just going to
2
go over the report that was written in response
3
to their conversations with you.
4
MR.
: Mm-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.
: Absolutely.
10
MR.
So, Ill just going to
11
read it. And you stop me if there is anything
12
that you find that is inaccurate.
13
MR.
: Correct.
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.
EFTA00126377
1
MR.
: Yeah. 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
. FCC
13
14
MR.
: Okay.
15
MR.
: And then, from FCC
16
from 2009, I was there to 2014. And then, from
17
'14, I left
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, "
EFTA00126378
18
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.
: Correct.
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."
EFTA00126379
19
1
MR.
: Correct.
2
MR.
: "Among others,
is
3
responsible for the following: Special Housing
4
Unit Lieutenant, Lieutenant
." Is that
5
correct?
6
MR.
: Correct.
7
MR.
: "As an Administrative
8
Lieutenant, responsible for maintaining
9
paperwork, et cetera." So, when you say an
10
Administrative Lieutenant here, are you saying
11
whoever was Acting in the Administrative
12
Lieutenant --
13
MR.
: Capacity?
14
MR.
:
position?
15
MR.
: No, I wasn't. Basically,
16
Administrative duties. The Administrative
17
duties falls under the appointed SHU
18
Lieutenant. The SHU Lieutenant, the appointed
19
SHU Lieutenant has certain duties that have to
20
be done daily, within the unit. Not just the
21
supervision of the line staff that work the
22
unit, but also over all on running of the Unit.
23
Meaning, that ensuring that all paperwork is
24
done.
25
MR.
: Okay.
EFTA00126380
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
accountability of the inmates in the unit.
8
MR.
: So, I guess what I was
9
getting at is, like, how the SHU Lieutenant was
10
. 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 Sp. *00:17:10).
22
MR.
: And
, common
23
spelling?
24
MR.
: Yes.
25
MR.
: Okay. "And Operations In
EFTA00126381
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? -
13
just said her name.
14
MR.
: I can show you this.
15
MR.
: Yeah.
16
MR.
So,
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 you for the --
25
MR.
: Okay.
EFTA00126382
22
1
MR.
: -- for the interview,
2
just so you can - we're going to talk about
3
people - so you can reference the two.
4
MR.
: Right. All right. So, it
5
appears here, it would have been
6
would have been the
7
Operations Lieutenant on Saturday, August 10,
8
2019.
9
MR.
: And is it
10
MR. -:
11
MR.
: Yeah.
12
Perfect. And what times did she work
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
on
18
August 9th to 0600 on August 10th.
19
MR.
: That is correct.
20
MR.
: And then, Ill 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 III
24
Correct?
25
MR.
: That is - yeah - that was the
EFTA00126383
23
1
- actually - the Operations Lieutenant, which
2
was
. Lieutenant
He informed me -
3
or I guess he became aware of the incident, I
4
believe, at 6:30 that morning.
5
MR.
: Okay. And so, I already
6
asked the Operations Lieutenant. It says, "The
7
Operations Lieutenant and the Activities
8
Lieutenant are responsible for day to day
9
operations and maintaining order for three
10
shifts. And an Emergency Preparedness
11
Lieutenant. A Collateral Duty Responsibility
12
in the event of an emergency incident, such as
13
fires, bomb threats, et cetera." So, is there
14
a - during these instances - was there an
15
Emergency Preparedness Lieutenant?
16
MR.
: Yes.
17
MR.
: Who was that?
18
MR.
: I believe it was Lieutenant
19
20
MR.
: Lieutenant
? Okay.
21
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
22
MR.
: Was Lieutenant
23
that day, though?
24
MR.
: Lieutenant
was, I
25
believe, at that time, his schedule, the SRU
EFTA00126384
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.
: So, 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.
: Let 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, III 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.
EFTA00126385
25
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 gone, or is -?
8
MR.
: 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.
EFTA00126386
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, appropriate housing varies."
12
MR.
: Correct.
13
MR.
: All right.
N-
14
interacted with inmate Jeffrey Epstein on
15
approximately three occasions at MCC. All of
16
which Epstein maintained a pleasant demeanor."
17
MR.
: Correct.
18
MR.
: "During 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
EFTA00126387
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 every 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?
EFTA00126388
28
1
MR.
: Now, as far as food, I know -
2
and, like I said, it's been a while - normally,
3
inmates do not eat while they're in visitation.
4
MR.
: Okay.
5
MR.
: They're provided water.
6
They're provided to go to the bathroom. The
7
inmate, you know, is afforded the meal.
8
However, I believe that he was offered meals
9
from the vending machine. III not sure.
10
MR.
: Okay.
11
MR.
: I can't remember as far as
12
because I didn't remember there was an issue
13
with that, and I know we tried to accommodate,
14
or to address it. I just can't remember
15
MR.
: Sure.
16
MR.
what was done.
17
MR.
: Would the Attorneys be
18
allowed to bring him in food?
19
MR.
: No. No, no, no, no, no.
20
MR.
: No?
21
MR.
: No.
22
MR.
: Okay.
23
MR.
: No. No. No. No. Outside
24
food would not have been allowed.
25
MR.
: Okay.
EFTA00126389
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 III. on August 9?
17
MR.
8:00 III.
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
EFTA00126390
1
Unit Manager.
2
MR.
: Okay. And who was that?
3
MR.
: Which that was, I believe,
4
Mr.
(Phonetic Sp. *00:25:26)
5
MR.
: Right.
6
MR.
: At which time, I, you know, I
7
said, hello, how you doing, Mr. Epstein? And he
8
was, like, okay. So, he had asked me, and he
9
said, Captain, is it okay if I get a telephone
10
call? Now, mind you, we had already discussed
11
that when the inmate - we would reasonably
12
attempt to always facilitate a phone call for
13
the inmate, especially while him being housed
14
in the Special Housing Unit. So, I said to the
15
Unit Manager, Mr.
, I said, Mr.
16
are you going to SHU? He said, yeah. I said,
17
well, are you going to be able to monitor the
18
call with the inmate? And he was, like, yeah,
19
got no problem with that. I said, well, I
20
don't have a problem. Just make sure that you
21
follow the protocols, and the protocols is, is
22
when that inmate is allowed to use the phone,
23
it has to be monitored by staff, and the
24
number, and who they're talking to has to be
25
placed in a log.
EFTA00126391
1
MR.
: Okay.
2
MR.
: So, I said, make sure that
3
takes place.
good with it. So, that's
4
when I got in the elevator, and I exited the
5
institution.
6
MR.
: All right. So, this
7
conversation happened with
, in front of
8
Mr. Epstein?
9
MR.
: Yes, 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.
: Yes.
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.
EFTA00126392
1
MR.
: Okay.
2
MR.
: Out line.
3
MR.
: Sure.
4
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
5
MR.
: And they're not recorded
6
7
MR.
: Right.
8
MR.
: -- and that's why you
9
said make sure that it's --
10
MR.
: Yes.
11
MR.
: -- and did you --
12
MR.
: Correct.
13
MR. -:
-- did you tell him, at
14
all, to document what was -?
15
MR.
: Yes. I told him to ensure
16
that he is present, that - the protocol is,
17
because I asked him, I said, look, I said, make
18
sure that you're present at the phone call. I
19
said, make sure that it's logged. And when you
20
dial the numbers, the number you have to, like,
21
stay on the line and said, he says, well, I
22
want to call my Attorney. Who was your
23
Attorney? So and so, and so and so. Okay.
24
When they answer the phone, I said, this is
25
MCC, my name is so and so. I have a call for
EFTA00126393
33
1
Jeffrey Epstein. What is your name? And what
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
is your title? So, we can log it.
MR.
: Okay.
MR.
: And 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.
13
If you - like I said, that's why I asked him,
14
said, are you going to SHU? And are you going
15
to be able to monitor phone calls?
16
MR.
: But you don't know if
17
MR.
:
He didn't say yes.
18
MR.
: -- he wrote up anything?
19
MR.
: I don't know what he did.
20
MR.
: Okay.
21
MR.
: I just ensured that I told
22
him.
23
MR.
:
Sure.
24
MR.
: What needed to be done.
25
MR.
: And what would typically
EFTA00126394
34
1
happen with that log, then? After he logged it.
2
MR.
: That phone call?
3
MR.
: Sure.
4
MR.
: Or that log?
5
MR.
: Like, after he documented
6
it.
7
MR.
: It would be maintained, just
8
in a log.
9
MR.
: Okay.
10
MR.
: It wouldn't be brought for
11
anyone's review. You know? It would just be,
12
hey, did, hey, did Epstein get a call? Yeah.
13
could tell you. So, I can pull the book. And
14
then, I can tell you, and look, when he was
15
given a call.
16
MR.
: So, it goes into a
17
specific Epstein file?
18
MR.
: Yeah. No. It wouldn't. It
19
doesn't go in a file. It goes into a book. It
20
goes into a book for monitored calls, for all
21
the inmates, and legal calls.
22
MR.
: For all inmates. So, not
23
just Epstein. It would be all --
24
MR.
: That is correct.
25
MR.
: -- inmates? Okay.
EFTA00126395
35
1
MR.
: It would be a green logbook.
2
You know, and it would have the name of the
3
inmate, and who they called, the number, the
4
time. I don't know if the duration is on
5
there. But it will the person who also
6
monitored the call. So, you know, all that
7
information. But it wasn't something, like, a
8
form that was filled out, and then it was
9
placed in the inmate's file.
10
MR.
: Sure.
11
MR.
: Or central file.
12
MR.
: Sure.
13
MR.
: No. It wasn't like that.
14
MR.
: And do you know if that
15
log in the book was filled out?
16
MR.
: I don't know.
17
MR.
: You don't know. Okay.
18
When you met with Epstein on that night, how
19
was his demeanor?
20
MR.
: It was fine. He was
21
cheerful.
22
MR.
: He was cheerful.
23
MR.
: You know, he didn't look
24
disheveled. He felt - because I asked him, I
25
said, how you doing? You all right? - he said,
EFTA00126396
1
man, III good. Everything is fine. And I
2
said, did you have a good visit? And he said,
3
yeah. Everything is fine, Cap. I said, all
4
right, man.
5
MR.
: Okay.
6
MR.
: You know?
7
MR.
: No cause for concern?
8
MR.
: No, because every time we had
9
that interaction, it was always pleasant. It
10
was never negative.
11
MR.
: Okay. It says, "
12
was made aware of the possibility that Epstein
13
would be housed at MCC in advance of Epstein's
14
arrival.
was not present when inmate
15
Epstein was admitted to the facility. Epstein
16
was thoroughly vetted to determine if he was
17
fit for general population, and was ultimately
18
placed in the Special Housing Unit. MCC places
19
inmates under three categories of close
20
supervision. One: dry cell for those at risk
21
for smuggling contraband. Two: psychological
22
observation. And three: suicide watch."
23
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
24
MR.
: Is that all correct?
25
MR.
: Yes. At that time, yes.
EFTA00126397
37
1
MR.
: Okay. So, who made the
2
decision to place him in the Special Housing
3
Unit, specifically, and why?
4
MR.
: Okay. So, basically, the
5
rationale for placement of the inmate in the
6
Special Housing Unit would have been a decision
7
ultimately made by the Warden. They would have
8
took the criteria of the inmate. They would
9
have been, like, okay, well, what's his risk?
10
You know, what would be the likelihood of him
11
being endangered if he would be placed in
12
general population? His culpability. Can he
13
cope while being inside of a general housing
14
unit? So, the determinations was made between
15
Medical, Health Services - oh, III sorry -
16
Health Services, Psychology, and the Warden.
17
MR.
: And who was the Warden at
18
that time?
19
MR.
: It was Mr.
20
MR.
: And do you know how to
21
spell that last name?
22
MR.
: It would be I- --
23
MR.
: Apostrophe.
24
MR.
apostrophe,
25
MR.
: Thank you, sir. Are
EFTA00126398
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.
: Okay. Not --
6
MR.
: But however, we do have
7
MR.
: -- Ten South (Phonetic
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-I-S?
24
MR.
: That is correct.
25
MR.
: Okay. Like, an acronym,
EFTA00126399
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
MR.
: Yeah.
7
MR.
: -- is that -? Okay.
8
MR.
: That's going to be - yeah.
9
That's - yes.
10
MR.
: 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.
:
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 special 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
EFTA00126400
1
MCC.
2
MR.
: Okay. And then, that's
3
where I meant by, is, so the executive staff
4
wasn't able to --
5
MR.
: I don't believe so.
6
MR.
: -- independently -?
7
MR.
: No. We were not.
8
MR.
: Okay. Were there many
9
inmates housed within Ten South at that time?
10
MR.
: No. I believe, at that time,
11
we may have had a total of four to five. Of
12
course, you know, we had the notorious
13
up there. We also had the Apple Puff
14
(Phonetic Sp. *00:33:38) was up there. We also
15
had inmate - it starts with an S. I can't
16
remember his name. But basically, these are
17
inmates that have made crimes against the
18
United States, which it was deemed that those
19
inmates would be in that Special Management
20
Unit, and they couldn't, of course, go to the
21
general population.
22
MR.
: Was this, like, a
23
terrorist type of people?
24
MR.
: I would say some of them were
25
terrorists. You know, of course, you had
EFTA00126401
41
1
that was up there, the terrorist
2
king pin, drug king pin. He couldn't go on a
3
general population unit.
4
MR.
: Sure.
5
MR.
: He would go - normally, guys
6
like that would be in places where I come from,
7
before, you know, like Florence.
8
MR.
: Okay.
9
MR.
: He 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.
: Guys you wouldn't want in the
23
general population because --
24
MR.
: Yeah.
25
MR.
: -- of their recruitment
EFTA00126402
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.
EFTA00126403
43
1
MR.
: Okay.
advised
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?
EFTA00126404
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. Seven days a week.
18
MR.
: So, a staff member is
19
just --
20
MR.
: Right.
21
MR.
: -- would just sit there
22
and watch him?
23
MR.
: Correct.
24
MR.
: Communicate with him, or
25
no?
EFTA00126405
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 humanity 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 doing.
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;
EFTA00126406
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.
: Mm-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,
EFTA00126407
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.
: Mm-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
specifically. Correct?
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.
17
MR.
: So, the hearing of tafl,
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 15 minutes, you know,
EFTA00126408
48
1
staff is - oh, III 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 doing 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're talking about. Right?
23
MR.
: Yeah. I mean, III
24
talking about specifically in this instance.
25
Do you know what is meant by "found on the
EFTA00126409
49
1
floor, with a homemade piece of fabric on his
2
chest"?
3
MR.
: It could have been fragments
4
from a t-shirt. It could have been fragments
5
from sheets. It could have been fragment --
6
MR.
: So, like, pieces of cloth
7
8
MR.
: -- cloth --
9
MR.
: -- that they could tie
10
together.
11
MR.
: It was tied together, or --
12
MR.
: Sure.
13
MR.
: -- you know, (Indiscernible
14
*00:41:14), to make some type of homemade
15
fashioned --
16
MR.
: Did you see it at all,
17
though, yourself?
18
MR.
: I can't remember.
19
MR.
: Okay. Sure. "Epstein's
20
cell mate had flagged the attention of a staff
21
member, who handcuffed the cell mate, and
22
removed Epstein, to bring him to the Medical
23
Unit." Do you recall, at that time, who his
24
cell mate was?
25
MR.
Tartaglione.
EFTA00126410
50
1
MR.
: Okay. Great. And did
2
you - all right. 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 you 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.
: Okay.
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.
: So, basically, they were
18
saying that the incident didn't occur as the
19
inmate may have tried to make it look or occur.
20
MR.
: Okay. And we're going to
21
get into in a second.
22
MR.
: So.
23
MR.
: "Because he was not
24
observed opening his eyes and making other
25
suspicious movements not consistent with an
EFTA00126411
51
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
unconscious state."
observed opening his
suspicious movements
unconscious state.
assessed and became
that his cell mate,
A-R-T-A-G-L-I-O-I-E
MR.
MR.
life."
MR.
MR.
MR.
believe a report of incident may have been
done.
Or sorry. "Because he was
eyes and making other
not consistent with an
Epstein was medically
coherent. Epstein claimed
Nicholas Tartaglione -", T-
: Mm-hmm.
: -- tried to take his
Was that investigated?
: I believe - no, I mean
:
Sure.
-- I can't remember, but I
MR.
: Okay.
MR.
: And primarily, when a report
of incident is generated - so, any time that an
incident happens in the institution, III going
to walk you through this. The Lieutenant
that's on shift is supposed to do the initial
fact finding. The gathering of evidence.
Okay?
MR.
:
Mm-hmm.
MR.
: And all of these things. And
EFTA00126412
52
1
then, they write a brief synopsis, and then,
2
it's put in a packet, and then, ultimately, SIS
3
Department will investigate it, especially if
4
we're having an assault, which would have been
5
a 224 Alpha, which is a minor assault of
6
another. So, pictures would have been taken.
7
Clinical assessments of both inmates would have
8
been taken. Witness statements would have been
9
taken. All of these things would have been
10
done, and it goes into an investigative packet.
11
MR.
: Sure. So,
12
- Lieutenant
- would have -?
13
MR.
: Would have been --
14
MR.
: Created it and provided
15
it to SIS?
16
MR.
: -- and would have created it,
17
and for it to move on.
18
MR.
: And do you know if there
19
was any credibility found to the claim that
20
Epstein made, that this other - his cellmate -
21
had tried to take his life?
22
MR.
: I don't believe there was any
23
credibility that was ever concluded --
24
MR.
: Okay.
25
MR.
: -- that that incident
EFTA00126413
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. III 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.
: Sure.
20
MR.
: -- an assault attempt.
21
That's not my level.
22
MR.
: Sure.
23
MR.
: Again, III trying to remember
24
what it was, or what was used, but again
25
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
EFTA00126414
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
EFTA00126415
55
1
assessment. So, that's why Health Services
2
helps us out, because the inmates don't want
3
understand that everything they're doing, or
4
anything they're saying, is being entered on
5
that clinical assessment.
6
MR.
: Sure.
7
MR.
: So, that's where they were
8
saying that he wasn't - his actions may not
9
have been what they should have been for a
10
person that was quasi supposed to had been
11
assaulted.
12
MR.
: Sure.
13
MR.
: Or if he was supposed to have
14
been unconscious, you was displaying this type
15
of manipulative behavior. So, again, I wasn't
16
there. So, I don't know what occurred.
17
just going by what was - the information tr.F_ --
18
was relayed back to me.
19
MR.
: Absolutely. So, as far
20
as Tartaglione --
21
MR.
: Correct.
22
MR.
: -- what was he in for?
23
MR.
: I believe that Tartaglione
24
was responsible for - he was a former Police
25
Officer, I believe - and I believe he had
EFTA00126416
56
1
killed four people, and then he buried them,
2
buried the victims somewhere up near Otisville
3
Prison. I think that's what it was. Back in
4
the day.
5
MR.
: Okay.
6
MR.
: Yeah. Something like that.
7
MR.
: So, he was actually in
8
for murder, though?
9
MR.
: Yeah. It was murder. He was
10
in for murder and whatever other stuff he was
11
doing.
12
MR.
: Okay.
13
MR.
: Doing in his capacity as a
14
Police Officer.
15
MR.
: And who selected him and
16
why? To be Epstein's --
17
MR.
: Who selected him?
18
MR.
: -- who selected him to be
19
Epstein's roommate, and why?
20
MR.
: I don't remember who vetted
21
Tartaglione. But what I will tell you is that,
22
even though Tartaglione had a murder on his
23
jacket, Tartaglione also was an inmate that had
24
issues being in general population. You
25
understand what III saying?
EFTA00126417
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 always, 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 III saying?
22
Just because. You just can't. So, in
23
Brooklyn, we had the ability to put him in -
24
think it was in K82. I can't remember. When
25
he goes to MCC, you know, they don't have those
EFTA00126418
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 III 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, Ill a 306. 306 is refusal of programs.
12
III not going. So, put me in SHU. So, that's
13
how he ended up in SHU.
14
MR.
: Sure. So, he was in SHU
15
already?
16
MR.
: Yeah.
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
EFTA00126419
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 anyone?
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?
EFTA00126420
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 that may have been
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's in my belief, after
EFTA00126421
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.
Mm-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, hey, he should be on Ten South?
23
MR.
: No.
24
MR.
: You don't recall any
25
Lieutenants saying that?
EFTA00126422
1
MR.
: That wouldn't be a
2
Lieutenant's purview.
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 Captain.
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
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.
EFTA00126423
63
1
MR.
: That's put on an inmate just
2
like - I will give you an example - sentencing
3
designations. Okay?
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 may 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-
EFTA00126424
64
1
billionaire, or whatever, or due to his issues
2
of his proclivity to sexual deviances, and all
3
of these things, he wouldn't be a good
4
candidate to go to GP. But guess what? That
5
responsibility, that identifier, that moniker
6
should have been put on Epstein before he even
7
came to MCC.
8
MR.
: Sure. So, do you know if
9
this is something - obviously, it sounds like
10
it would have been out of your hands - would
11
that be something that the Warden would discuss
12
with, what? The Regional Director?
13
MR.
: That's right. The Warden
14
would have had that discussion between SIA, the
15
Regional staff, and also, it goes to the
16
Region, the Central Office staff over
17
Correctional Programing.
18
MR.
: Okay. And you were never
19
20
MR.
: And designations.
21
MR.
: -- involved with any of
22
that?
23
MR.
: I would never be in any of
24
those conversations.
25
MR.
: Okay.
Fair enough. So,
EFTA00126425
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
submitting candidates 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-I, R-E-Y-E-S, "- was selected and
15
housed in a cell with Epstein."
16
MR.
: That's right.
17
MR.
: And it says, "The
18
Assistant Warden," but III 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
EFTA00126426
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
14
cell mate for Epstein 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.
: And then, I sat there, and I
25
was privy to that conversation. I sat there,
EFTA00126427
67
1
and he gave them, and he faxed him the whole
2
makeup of all three of them, and the Regional
3
Director said, no, I want this guy.
4
MR.
:
So, the Regional Director
5
6
MR.
: Yes.
7
MR.
: -- ultimately made the
8
decision?
9
MR.
:
Yes.
10
MR.
:
So, give me a little
11
background on Reyes. What was he in for?
12
MR.
: I believe Reyes was a
13
Hispanic, older male. I believe that
14
particular inmate was in for - I think he was
15
in for child - some type of sexual stuff. I
16
can't remember.
17
MR.
:
Some kind of a charge
18
with --
19
MR.
: Charge, dealing with --
20
MR.
: -- sexual --
21
MR.
: -- with, you know, those type
22
of charges, sexual --
23
MR.
:
So, a similar type of --
24
MR.
similar type of charges
25
MR.
: -- charge.
EFTA00126428
68
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.
I can't remember.
MR.
was being vetted - was he close to, like, a
release date or anything like that? An
anticipated release date?
-- as Epstein, I believe, or
MR.
: Okay. Was he - when he
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.
: It'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,
releasing you. 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.
: Okay. 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
•
EFTA00126429
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 WAB. 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.
EFTA00126430
70
1
Epstein is that orange tag guy. He's supposed
2
to have a cellie. WAB. Oh. Cap. SHU
3
Lieutenant wasn't there. But he would have
4
called me directly. God. Hey, so and so don't
5
have a cell.
6
MR.
: Yeah. So, how long did
7
it take to vet? You know, I know you said you
8
started it with ten, and then it brought down
9
to three, and then the Regional Director
10
ultimately decided the one. But how long does
11
that process take?
12
MR.
: I believe it took - III
13
thinking we did it for - we did a day. It took
14
a day.
15
MR.
: Okay.
16
MR.
: I mean, we actually went -
17
and, you know, I don't know - I know either the
18
Warden and I was having a lengthy
19
conversations, because the Warden wanted to
20
ensure - Warden
philosophy when
21
dealing with Mr. Epstein was this: he's another
22
inmate.
23
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
24
MR.
: And what he tried to try to
25
get across to exec staff, and what he tried to
EFTA00126431
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 charges 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 jails.
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
EFTA00126432
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 - they 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 protect us, as an Agency.
16
MR.
: 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
EFTA00126433
1
inmates stay.
2
MR.
:
Sure.
3
MR.
:
You wouldn't know.
4
MR.
:
So, you just have to
5
start the vetting process --
6
MR.
: Press it --
7
MR.
: -- over again?
8
MR.
: -- all over again.
9
MR.
: Okay.
10
MR.
:
Whoever is available in the
11
unit, that may be single-celled, because as you
12
know, our policy and protocols in the Bureau of
13
Prisons are dealing with restricted inmates,
14
and Special Housing Units, they cannot be
15
celled alone.
16
MR.
: And --
17
MR.
: They must have a cell mate.
18
MR.
: -- in the Special Housing
19
Unit, everyone must have a cell mate?
20
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
21
MR.
: Oh, I didn't know that.
22
So, every single one needs to have a cell mate?
23
MR.
: Except - except, because it's
24
one of the areas that we didn't discuss,
25
outside of Ten South - there was a range that
EFTA00126434
74
1
was meant for - it was, like, a stepdown from
2
Ten South, that only had one man cell
3
occupancy, which was on G-range.
4
MR.
: Okay. Was that part of
5
the Special Housing Unit?
6
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
7
MR.
:
So, there is a part of
8
the Special Housing Unit that is a one-man
9
occupancy, and --
10
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
11
MR.
: -- another part that has
12
two-man occupancy?
13
MR.
: That is correct.
14
MR.
: Okay. And Epstein was
15
housed in the two-man occupancy?
16
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
17
MR.
:
Was it ever discussed to
18
put him in one of the one-man occupancies?
19
MR.
: No.
20
MR.
:
No?
21
MR.
: Because all of those cells
22
were filled with inmates that were vetted, that
23
needed that type of supervision.
24
MR.
: Okay.
25
MR.
:
You had inmates in there
EFTA00126435
75
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
that, if they was put with another inmate,
inside of the Special Housing Unit, they would
die.
MR.
: And was part of that --
MR.
: They would be assaulted. So,
we would have to make those considerations.
So, the protocols of how we dealt with inmates,
according to their situation --
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
MR.
-- I believe it was sound.
But guess what? You can only - you're like the
coach - I can make the game plan, but if the
players are not executing the game plan, whose
fault is that? Is it the coach? Or the player?
MR.
: And exactly, and that's
what we're doing here, we're Monday morning
quarterbacking. We're just saying, like, all
right, this is - and that's why we're going
back through it. So, "The Warden directed
on multiple occasions that Epstein
needed a cell mate at all times, and
verbally informed
repeatedly
Lieutenant
his Lieutenants the same.
directed his SHU Lieutenant
that Epstein needed a cell
mate at all times. Additionally,
EFTA00126436
76
1
visited the SHU on multiple occasions, and
2
directed staff to be very alert and attentive
3
about Epstein's special accommodations." So,
4
when you say that about the SHU staff, did you
5
also inform the SHU staff that Epstein needed
6
to have a cell mate?
7
MR.
: Yes.
8
MR.
: Oh, so, they all were
9
MR.
: Yes.
10
MR.
: -- were aware?
11
MR.
: Yes.
12
MR.
: Can you look at the - so,
13
the SHU staff for both of August 9th and the
14
very early morning hours of August 10th - can
15
you just list the people and let me know if you
16
informed those people?
17
MR.
: So, basically, my hours of
18
work were normally from - let's just say 7:30
19
to 4:00.
20
MR.
: Sure.
21
MR.
: So, I ensured that it wasn't
22
within one week, but it was a process of doing
23
rounds. So, I try to hit every shift.
24
MR.
: Sure.
25
MR.
: So, I hit the day watch
EFTA00126437
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.
7
MR.
: So -.
8
MR.
: So, beginning at 8:00
9
III., 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.
: Okay. Let me see here.
14
Well, we had
. I've talked to
15
(Phonetic Sp. *01:08:06). He was
16
in there.
was one of the guys
17
that was up 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.
: Yes.
23
MR.
: -- specifically with
24
them, and they know?
25
MR.
: I've talked with these guys.
EFTA00126438
78
1
MR.
: Absolutely. Can you just
2
name the other people for the shifts after him?
3
I think they just -.
4
MR.
: You got - now, I.
. I
5
, what you need to understand is, that he
6
would have been - because, you know, like I
7
said - overtime. Non-custody. He's non-
8
custody staff. I don't have conversations with
9
him.
10
MR.
: Okay. So,
11
12
MR.
: So, that mean --
13
MR.
: -- may not have known?
14
MR.
right, because
15
realistically, the morning watch and evening
16
watch shift, people don't like to come to work.
17
MR.
: Sure.
18
MR.
: So, they - if you sign up for
19
overtime, you say, oh, SHU two is open. Okay.
20
I'll take it. But you're non-custody. So,
21
that means anybody can work it. A teacher.
22
Food Service foreman.
23
MR.
: Is the SHU easier to work
24
than the other units?
25
MR.
: I wouldn't say it's easier,
EFTA00126439
1
but it's less labor intensive.
2
MR.
: Okay.
3
MR.
: Because, in my opinion, from
4
when I worked Special Housing, Special Housing
5
was always hard work because III going to tell
6
you why. You have to be vigilant. And when I
7
mean vigilant, you have to understand, when
8
you're working that Unit, anything can happen.
9
It could be quiet. But guess what? If you're
10
not walking, looking in those cells, testing
11
the Security protocols. Meaning, making sure
12
the flaps are closed. Making sure the doors
13
are locked. You want to know that, in SHU,
14
sometimes doors was unlocked.
15
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
16
MR.
: Or flaps opened. To chase
17
doors, those --
18
MR.
: What is a flap?
19
MR.
the Food Service flap.
20
MR.
: Okay. Sure.
21
MR.
: You know? Making rounds.
22
Making sure the inmates are not - have
23
coverings up when you open up the - what do you
24
call it?
25
MR.
: The window?
EFTA00126440
1
MR.
: The windows or putting a
2
towel over their beds, and blocking the light
3
from you being able to observe them.
4
MR.
: But then, how
5
MR.
: And what I said about
6
MR.
: but how -.
7
MR.
: -- but I want to go back
8
because I know about the statement, about the
9
doors being left open. III talking about more
10
in general population, as far as when you're
11
making rounds, those type of things, you test.
12
Making sure the door is secure. Making sure
13
the food slots are secure.
14
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
15
MR.
: As an Officer coming up, even
16
as a Lieutenant, do you know that I've actually
17
walked in a Unit and pulled on the door that's
18
supposed to be secure, and its inmate is wide
19
open?
20
MR.
: Wow. Ever at the MCC?
21
MR.
: No. Because that wasn't my
22
capacity.
23
MR.
: Sure.
24
MR.
: That wasn't my job. But as a
25
Line Officer subordinate, and also when I was a
EFTA00126441
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 - trying 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 sit up 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
MR.
: So --
24
MR.
: So,
, no.
25
MR.
: -- so,
, because he
EFTA00126442
82
1
would have just been on there. Mr.
2
Yeah. I've talked to Mr.
because
3
Mr.
would go between evening watch,
4
because I would talk to him.
would work
5
evening watch, so I've talked to him on evening
6
watch. He was working morning watch because
7
these guys, it was such short of staff, that
8
these SHU guys was working back to back shifts.
9
Or staff. It didn't matter. People who wanted
10
money, or wanted to, you know, they would sign
11
up for overtime. So,
was one
12
of the regular SHU staff on the evening watch.
13
Yeah, so, I talked to him.
14
I talked with him.
15
would go between the three, and also
16
the OIC, because he had the most knowledge out
17
of those guys. So, sometimes, he - even though
18
he was the three - he was the one with OIC
19
duties.
20
MR.
: And OIC stands for
21
Officer-in-Charge?
22
MR.
: Officer-in-Charge.
23
MR.
: Okay.
24
MR.
: So, he was doing all the
25
rosters. When it was time to move inmates
EFTA00126443
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
III sorry. Hold on.
7
MR.
: And so, in the SHU, we
8
want to be focusing on?
9
MR. _:
was one of
10
the --
11
MR.
: And that's
12
MR.
: -- now, I know
13
MR.
: Yeah.
14
MR.
: Now,
, I can't remember
15
if I spoke to
- exactly.
16
MR.
: Okay.
17
MR.
: But I know that I had hit all
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 I go do it?
25
MR.
: Sure.
EFTA00126444
1
MR.
: The Warden --
2
MR.
: Okay.
3
MR.
: -- we sat down, he said,
4
these are the things that I want to happen.
5
First, I want you to make sure, walk through,
6
talk about, make sure the staff is aware,
7
(Indiscernible *01:13:53) are doing this, this,
8
and this. And also, I know that you have -
9
that I put out an e-mail. So, I just didn't
10
tell them - what do you call that? - by --
11
MR.
: So, you sent an e-mail to
12
all the SHU?
13
MR.
: Yes, I did. To all
14
Correctional Services staff. And I think
15
still got it.
16
MR.
: To all Correctional?
17
MR.
: Yeah. I still got --
18
MR.
: Did you ever provide --
19
MR.
: -- that e-mail.
20
MR.
: -- that to anyone?
21
MR.
: Huh?
22
MR.
: Did you ever provide that
23
to anyone?
24
MR.
: No. And they never asked for
25
it.
EFTA00126445
1
MR.
: Can you absolutely
2
provide that to us?
3
MR.
:
Yeah. I think I have one,
4
and we can go to my office, so I can show you.
5
I don't want you to think I - I will bring it
6
up for you.
7
MR.
:
So, would have this
8
and
been on that e-
9
mail?
10
MR. -:
would have been, because
11
he's a Correctional Officer. But not
12
MR.
: Okay.
13
MR.
:
You understand?
14
MR.
: Okay.
15
MR.
: But however, what we did was
16
17
MR.
: I thought everyone was
18
considered a Correctional Officer. That's not
19
the case?
20
MR.
: As far as when emergencies
21
happen.
22
MR.
: Okay.
23
MR.
:
When emergencies happen,
24
regardless of what your discipline is, we all
25
come together, it means you going to -
EFTA00126446
86
1
everyone, when you came in the BOP, everyone
2
was given the opportunity, that when you went
3
through Correctional - those tactics that you
4
learned in Glynco, it was about being a
5
Correctional Officer. It wasn't about being a
6
Dentist, or being a Chaplin, or whatever. It's
7
about Correctional principals.
8
MR.
: Okay.
9
MR.
: Introduction to Correctional
10
principals.
11
MR.
: But as far as there is an
12
e-mail that just the people that are working in
13
the Correctional Officer
14
MR.
: Yes.
15
MR.
: -- okay.
16
MR.
: And I can show that to you.
17
MR.
: Perfect.
18
MR.
: I have that.
19
MR.
: Awesome.
20
MR.
: Because it wasn't just me
21
just talking to them. I put out guidance, and
22
I kept putting out guidance. It wasn't like it
23
was one time. I talked about inmates being
24
placed on suicide watch. I talked about
25
inmates putting on there - what is the
EFTA00126447
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.
: That they made up. So, it's
12
a close supervision 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
EFTA00126448
1
me, or you can give it to me.
2
MR.
: I can give it to you. III
3
going to give you a copy.
4
MR.
:
Perfect.
5
MR.
: Mm-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.
: -- so,
14
MR. -:
15
MR.
: Again, that was another non-
16
custody guy. So,
, 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
they have a background - no, III 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.
EFTA00126449
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
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.
EFTA00126450
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, III
19
talking to them, III 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 Acting Lieutenants? Somebody
24
like an SOS
25
MR.
: Ms.
EFTA00126451
91
1
MR.
. Sorry. So, Ms.
2
. Ms.
, she would work
3
Correctional post.
4
MR.
: 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 supposed 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.
EFTA00126452
92
1
MR.
: Okay. So, you're saying,
2
make sure you're doing rounds, but it's also
3
understood, if it's a high-visibility inmate,
4
they need a cell mate at all times?
5
6
MR.
:
Yes.
MR.
: Okay. And did they all
7
understand that?
8
MR.
:
Yes.
9
MR.
: All right. And to
10
include
and --
11
MR.
: I don't know.
12
MR.
•
13
MR.
: Because they are not custody.
14
MR.
: Okay.
15
MR.
: And I don't believe I had
16
that conversation with them. III not going to
17
lie. I didn't have that conversation with
18
them.
19
MR.
:
What about some of these
20
Lieutenants, like the Acting Lieutenants, like
21
22
MR.
: Ms.
? Oh, Ms.
23
was in Correctional Services. And she - I
24
believe - during that time, was working an
25
Attorney conference.
EFTA00126453
1
MR.
: Yes.
2
MR.
: She was in Correctional
3
Service. She was working an Attorney
4
conference during that time. So, Ms.
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 -
9
would have, or should have?
10
MR.
: Yes.
11
MR.
: How about some of these
12
other ones that we're on? You said
13
obviously, you 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, hey, make sure he has a cell mate?
25
MR.
: Yes.
EFTA00126454
1
MR.
: Okay. What about
2
3
MR.
•
. I had
4
conversations - well, I don't believe I had a
5
conversation with her.
6
MR.
: Should have she known,
7
based upon the orange card?
8
MR.
: Yes. She would have known
9
because I put the guidance out through the e-
10
mail.
11
MR.
: Now, the guidance,
12
though, said about - you said it talked about
13
rounds as opposed to actual cell mate
14
requirement, though, correct?
15
MR.
: I can't remember.
16
MR.
: Okay.
17
MR.
: You know, I don't know,
18
because like I said, again, I put out a lot of
19
guidance.
20
MR.
: Yeah.
21
MR.
: But I know the people who I
22
actually spoke to as far as, like, hey, you the
23
OIC, I mean, you're the Lieutenant of SHU, that
24
means you working day watch, that means any
25
movement happens on day watch, it don't happen
EFTA00126455
95
1
on morning watch. Inmates are locked in their
2
cells.
3
MR.
: Right.
4
MR.
: So, anything, day watch,
5
evening watch, that SHU Lieutenant should be
6
aware.
7
MR.
: Okay.
8
MR.
: So, that's why
9
MR.
: And we'll get in
10
MR.
: So, that's why we would have
11
that conversation. When he and I had that
12
conversation.
13
MR.
: And do you remember - so,
14
you recall specifically talking with him - do
15
you - and this is, I want to know about - aside
16
from what they should have known - specific
17
conversations with
18
MR. _:
. I can't
19
remember about
. I believe it's as
20
internal. I came into the Lieutenant's Office
21
and we spoke about it. So, as a collective,
22
the Lieutenants were made aware. I can't say I
23
remember that I would come into the
24
Lieutenants, and we would talk about Epstein.
25
So, again, between the guidance that was put
EFTA00126456
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
5
MR.
: And would have
made
6
sure that those people working in the SHU knew
7
this information?
8
MR.
: He would have - as the
9
Lieutenant-in-Charge, yes.
10
MR.
: Should have he made sure
11
somebody like - somebody that's not in there.
12
Although,
, 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
23
24
MR. _:
, probably not.
25
But by him working in the unit, he would know.
EFTA00126457
97
1
I mean, you would say, okay, if he's working on
2
evening watching or morning watch, there was no
3
need to move inmates. There was no showers
4
that should have been taking place. There was
5
no hearings. No medical. Nothing that we had
6
to open up a cell door for, for those inmates.
7
MR.
: Okay.
8
MR.
: So, most of those inmates was
9
done on day watch, there was no reason for them
10
to move these guys.
11
MR.
: Okay.
12
MR.
: You understand what III
13
saying?
14
MR.
: Sure. And then, as far
15
as conversations with
16
MR. -:
was one of the
17
Lieutenants. As far as - again - speaking to
18
as Lieutenants as a forum, you know, hey, got
19
to make sure that you guys are doing it, you
20
know, like that. But I know for a fact, the
21
only person that I spoke to, that I pulled in
22
my office, was the SHU OIC.
23
MR.
: So --
24
MR.
: Was the SHU Lieutenant.
25
Because they're in charge of that unit. So, I
EFTA00126458
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.
: -- people like
22
I think
23
MR.
: Yeah.
24
MR.
: Should have they known,
25
during these shifts, specifically on the 9th
EFTA00126459
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.
: You know, you catch them
14
passing and coming. So, I would put out
15
guidance that way.
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.
22
MR.
: And is there any excuse
23
for any of them to say, I didn't know?
24
MR. _:
III not going to put that on
25
the Lieutenant. You know, III not going to do
EFTA00126460
100
1
that.
2
MR.
: Okay.
3
MR.
: III not going to be that guy
4
to say whatever, whatever. Because III going
5
to tell you what, sir, to be real with you, it
6
was so much going 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. -:
III not going to say that,
14
hey, I talked to
15
MR.
: Right.
16
MR.
on this day. III
17
not going to do that.
18
MR.
: And III not saying about
19
speaking. III 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 requirements --
23
MR.
: Right.
24
MR.
: -- aside from
. But
25
the fact that, if there was an orange --
EFTA00126461
101
1
2
3
4
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
Yes.
: -- card --
: Yeah.
: -- is that something that
5
just is common knowledge, if someone has an
6
orange card, a Lieutenant should know, he's got
7
an orange card, he needs a cell mate?
8
MR.
: Right. But then again, also,
9
it was high visibility guys on - what do you
10
call that? - on --
11
MR.
: Ten South?
12
MR.
no. On G.
13
MR.
: Oh, okay. The
14
MR.
: On that
15
MR.
: -- the one inmate.
16
MR.
-- that one occupancy.
So,
17
with the guidance I had put out, I got to give
18
you that e-mail.
19
MR.
: Okay.
20
MR.
: That e-mail was saying that,
21
hey, these guys with these orange cards, you
22
need to ensure high visibility vigilance.
23
MR.
:
So - all right - so --
24
MR.
: Ensure that these guys, you
25
know, are alive, and all of this, you know,
EFTA00126462
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.
: Yeah.
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,
EFTA00126463
103
1
when I had those teams together, yeah, I would
2
talk about vigilance after doing 30 minute
3
rounds. Making sure this is done. Making sure
4
that is done.
5
MR.
: Okay.
6
MR.
: Making sure this guy -.
7
know, that's what I did.
8
MR.
: Okay.
9
MR.
: Because that's what Mr.
10
wanted. So, I did it.
11
MR.
: All right. And then,
12
again, just to make sure that III not
13
misunderstanding you. You said you talked to
14
specifically about it, but when you did
15
visit the SHU, not only were you telling them
16
to keep high visibility on Epstein, were you
17
also telling them, the people that you did
18
interact with, that he needed to have a cell
19
mate?
20
MR.
: Yes.
21
MR.
: Okay.
22
MR.
: Yes.
23
MR.
: On Friday, August 9th -
24
or sorry - when is the last time, can you
25
recall, that you had that conversation with the
EFTA00126464
104
1
SHU staff?
2
MR.
: I can't remember, sir.
3
MR.
: No problem.
4
MR.
: I don't remember. Because
5
like I said, that guidance came out between the
6
time of him being upon his release from suicide
7
watch from that last time, to the time during
8
the time that we was doing the vetting for the
9
cell mate.
10
MR.
: So -?
11
MR.
: So, it was, you know, it was
12
a short period of time that this guidance and
13
these conversations took place.
14
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
15
MR.
: And then, the reinforcement
16
was when we would walk through the unit and
17
just do rounds. And then, III, like, hey, this
18
is a high visibility guy, why this guy got
19
trays in the cell? Extra trays in his cell.
20
Why this guy got this? So then, of course, you
21
know, a lot of people at MCC, they didn't like
22
me because I was trying to hold people
23
accountable. But I didn't always write people
24
up.
25
MR.
: Mm-hmm.
EFTA00126465
105
1
MR.
: That's how I did, I came up
2
like that. III 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
M