Full Breakdown
Unsealed Note Revives Dispute Over Jeffrey Epstein’s 2019 Death
5/9/2026, 7:04:03 AM
The Note’s Public Release and Core Claims
In May 2026 a U.S. District Court judge unsealed a handwritten document that a former cellmate says Jeffrey Epstein left in his Metropolitan Correctional Center cell. The four-line note reads, “They investigated me for month — FOUND NOTHING!!! … It is a treat to be able to choose the time to say goodbye … Watcha want me to do — Bust out cryin!!” The note’s authenticity is contested; Epstein’s brother, Mark Epstein, calls it a forgery.
Background: Prior Suicide Attempt and Earlier Note
On July 23 2019 Epstein was found semi-conscious with marks on his neck after a suspected suicide attempt. He was placed on suicide watch and, according to jail records, wrote a separate grievance note that ended with the underlined phrase “NO FUN!!”. He died by suicide on August 10 2019 while in a different cell.
Key Figures
- Jeffrey Epstein – financier convicted of sex-trafficking, deceased August 2019.
- Mark Epstein – brother, public critic of the suicide narrative.
- Nicholas Tartaglione – former police officer, convicted of a 2016 quadruple murder, Epstein’s cellmate who says he discovered the note inside a graphic novel.
- Judge Kenneth Karas – Southern District of New York judge who ordered the note’s unsealing.
- U.S. Department of Justice – released millions of pages of Epstein-related documents, including email archives.
Timeline of the Note’s Handling
- July 23 2019 – First alleged suicide attempt; Tartaglione reports finding a note days later.
- August 10 2019 – Epstein’s death ruled suicide.
- May 2021 – The note is sealed in court records during Tartaglione’s murder-case litigation.
- 2022 – DOJ releases millions of pages of Epstein emails, revealing phrases matching the note.
- May 2026 – Judge Karas orders the note unsealed; media outlets publish its text.
Note Content and Links to Epstein’s Emails
The note’s phrases—“NO FUN!!” and “watcha want me to do — bust out cryin!!”—appear in emails Epstein sent to Mark Epstein and other contacts, as documented in the DOJ-released email archive. The stylistic similarity (short, staccato sentences, erratic punctuation) is noted by analysts.
Why the Note Matters
If authentic, the note could provide insight into Epstein’s mindset before his death and support the official suicide ruling. If forged, it would bolster claims—advanced by Mark Epstein—that the death was a homicide concealed by authorities, potentially prompting renewed investigations and affecting public confidence in the criminal-justice process.
Official Statements & Responses
Mark Epstein has repeatedly asserted that the document is fabricated, arguing that a genuine suicide note would be addressed to a specific person rather than a generic farewell. Judge Karas has indicated that additional court filings related to the note may be unsealed later. The DOJ has not issued a formal comment on the note’s authenticity, maintaining its prior conclusion that Epstein’s death was a suicide.
Criticism & Opposition
Critics of the note’s legitimacy point to the timing of its sealing (May 2021) before the email archive became public, suggesting the language could have been copied from the released emails. Mark Epstein also contends that a forger could easily mimic Epstein’s distinctive phrasing.
On-the-Ground Reports
Tartaglione, who was serving a life sentence for a 2016 murder-for-hire plot, told investigators he found the note wedged inside a graphic novel in July 2019. He later described the note’s content in a podcast interview and in court filings.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on whether the note was written during the July 23 incident or earlier, and on whether Epstein ever acknowledged its existence. No forensic handwriting analysis has been publicly released, leaving the authorship question unresolved.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It wouldn't be hard to get some pro forger to forge a note," Mark Epstein told BI.” — Mark Epstein, brother of Jeffrey Epstein
- “If he was going to commit suicide, he doesn't have to explain it to anybody," he said.” — Mark Epstein
- “I’ve known Jeff all my life. If he was going to kill himself, if he was going to write a suicide note, he would’ve written it ‘to somebody,’ not just a blanket statement saying goodbye,” — Mark Epstein
- “They investigated me for month — FOUND NOTHING!!!” — Note attributed to Jeffrey Epstein
- “It is a treat to be able to choose one's time to say goodbye,” — Note attributed to Jeffrey Epstein
- “watcha want me to do — bust out cryin!!” — Note attributed to Jeffrey Epstein
What’s Next
Judge Karas has signaled that further documents concerning the note may be released, and Mark Epstein has pledged to pursue an independent autopsy review. Federal investigators have not announced new inquiries, but the unsealing has reignited calls for a fresh examination of the 2019 death.
