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NYT Seeks Unsealing of Epstein Jail Note Amid DOJ Blindness

5/1/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The New York Times has asked a federal judge to unseal Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged jail note.
Justice Department officials say they have not seen the note despite an exhaustive records search.
Cellmate Nicholas Tartaglione found the yellow-paper note in a graphic novel in July 2019 after Epstein’s first suicide attempt.
A federal judge sealed the note in Tartaglione’s criminal case, blocking investigators from accessing it.

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Story summary

The New York Times has asked a federal judge to unseal Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged jail note.
Justice Department officials say they have not seen the note despite an exhaustive records search.
Cellmate Nicholas Tartaglione found the yellow-paper note in a graphic novel in July 2019 after Epstein’s first suicide attempt.
A federal judge sealed the note in Tartaglione’s criminal case, blocking investigators from accessing it.