Jeffrey Epstein’s controversial death by alleged suicide has sparked more questions. They are centered mainly around how the Metropolitan Correctional Center allowed it to happen to a high-profile inmate whose life was marked by wealth, power, and years of sex-crime allegations.
Larry Levine, a prison consultant, and criminal justice expert says that in the special housing unit where Epstein was held, guards are directed to check on each inmate once every 15 to 30 minutes. However, recent reports indicate Epstein was unattended for several hours the night he died.
“What were these staff members doing for several hours if they weren’t going by and checking on inmates?” Levine told The Epoch Times on Aug. 12.
Levine stated the situation indicated a physical lapse in surveillance, with the most likely scenario being the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) staff members failing to execute their responsibilities.
“So where was the lapse? It was with the BOP.”
Levine said he suspects guards allowed Epstein to kill himself by leaving an unknown object in his cell and giving him the means to commit suicide.
“Has to be staff,” said Levine.
Missing Footage
Levine says while in the Special Housing Unit (SHU) and on suicide watch, Epstein would have been monitored 24/7 in a special cell.“[It] could be another inmate, it could be a staff member,” said Levine. “He’s going to the shrink every day because when you’re on suicide watch, that’s what they do.”
“They know the protocol in the SHU, the Special Housing Unit, is you’re supposed to go and check on the inmates several times an hour,” said Levine.
Law enforcement officials have stated that nine cameras monitor inmates entering and exiting their cells, but not inside each cell.
Mysteriously, reports revealed that surveillance footage from outside Epstein’s cell from the time of the incident does not exist.
“I think it still exists and they don’t want to release it,” said Levine. “Remember, El Chapo was just there a few days ago. This is a well maintained Special Housing Unit for high profile inmates.”
Levine reasoned that, based on the high-level security clearance required to enter the special housing unit, the infraction must have been an inside job.
“BOP is understaffed, underfunded, I think they need better training for the staff members, and maybe they need to put more correctional officers inside the SHU to monitor the inmates, to prevent something like this from happening in the future,” said Levine.
