US: New York judge makes alleged Esptein suicide note public

A United States federal judge on Wednesday released a document described as an alleged suicide note written by late financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

US District Judge Kenneth Karas in White Plains, New York, ordered the unsealing of the note after The New York Times reported on the document and sought its release last week.

Note 'found' by Epstein's jail mate

According to the Times, the handwritten note was found by Epstein's former Manhattan jail cellmate, ⁠convicted ⁠murderer and ex-police officer Nicholas Tartaglione.

The note was reportedly found in a graphic novel following the sex offender's first alleged suicide attempt in July 2019, the Times said in its report.

Epstein was found dead in his cell on August 10, 2019, three weeks after his first suicide attempt.

He was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges and his death was ruled a suicide.

Tartaglione made a mention of the note last year on writer Jessica Reed Kraus' podcast. Until then, few people were reported to have known of the document's existence.

He is said to have given the letter to his lawyers to deny accusations that he had attacked Epstein.

What does the purported Epstein suicide note say?

The note was scribbled on a yellow legal pad, reports said.

"They investigated me for months — FOUND NOTHING!!! It is a treat to be able to choose one's time to say goodbye," it said according to an image of it released in Wednesday's court file.

The note purportedly written by Epstein continues to say: "Watcha want me to do —  Bust out cryin!!"

"NO FUN," it concludes, with the words underlined. "NOT WORTH IT!!"

The note is undated, unsigned and does not bear Epstein's name

What did the New York court say?

Judge Karas observed that the note qualified as a ​judicial document subject to the public's right of access because it was submitted in connection with Tartaglione's criminal case.

He found no legal reason to keep it under seal. The judge also did not attest to the document's authenticity and made no assessment of the note's chain of custody.

The issues were treated as irrelevant to the unsealing decision.

Federal prosecutors did not oppose the request from The New York Times to release the note.

"No party has identified any competing consideration that would justify sealing the Note," ‌the judge said in his ruling.

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US Commerce Secretary testifies over Epstein ties

In another development in the Epstein saga, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Wednesday faced some sharp questions about a visit ​to the disgraced financier's island in a voluntary interview to members of a congressional committee.

Documents released earlier this year showed Lutnick maintained contact with Epstein longer than he had previously acknowledged.

During a Senate hearing, Lutnick said he had visited Epstein's private Caribbean island in 2012, years after Epstein was convicted for sex offences involving minors in 2008.

However, in a podcast last year, Lutnick said that he had decided to "never be in a room" with Epstein again after a tour of Epstein's home in 2005, during which the commerce secretary and his wife saw a massage table that disturbed them.

Lutnick said in Wednesday's private testimony that he couldn't recall why he and his family had lunch on Jeffrey Epstein's private island, members said.

"We asked him over and over again, 'Why did you go to the island?'" said Representative Suhas Subramanyam.

"He says he doesn't remember, that it's inexplicable and he simply didn't know ‌how to answer the question," the Virginia Democrat added.

What did Lutnick say?

Representative James Comer, a Kentucky Republican who chairs the House Oversight ‌and ​Government Reform Committee, said Lutnick told the panel Epstein found out his family and friends were vacationing in the Virgin Islands and invited them all over lunch.

"The only thing that I'd seen that Lutnick did wrong ​was wasn't 100% truthful on the brief visit to the island with his family. He corrected that in his opening statement," Comer told the media.

"If we find that there were any misstatements by Lutnick, it's a felony to lie ⁠to Congress ​and he'll be held accountable," he added.

Lutnick was the latest powerful political figure to appear before the House Oversight Committee, which is probing the network around Epstein.

The cabinet member is also the highest-ranked administration official, besides President Donald Trump, to be named in the Epstein case files.

Trump consistently denies any knowledge of Epstein's crimes and has said he severed ties between them years ago.

After Epstein: How to hold powerful abusers accountable

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If you are suffering from serious emotional strain or suicidal thoughts, do not hesitate to seek professional help. You can find information on where to find such help, no matter where you live in the world, at this website: https://www.befrienders.org

Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko