BREAKING: Epstein Was OFF Suicide Watch Before His Apparent Suicide

From NYPost

Convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein was not on suicide watch in the Manhattan prison where he hanged himself Saturday morning, officials said.

Plourde refused to say whether that meant Epstein had been taken off additional monitoring or whether he had never been getting special attention to make sure he did not kill himself.Department of Justice spokesman Lee Plourde told The Post that Epstein, 66, was not “currently” on watch in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center while he awaited trial on child sex-trafficking charges.

“I’m not going to discuss his previous medical status,” he said.

Epstein was alone in his cell at the time, a law enforcement source told The Post.

Epstein had reportedly been placed on suicide watch after he was found nearly unconscious in his cell on July 23. There was some question about whether the incident was a suicide attempt or an assault, and investigators noted that the marks on his neck were “more consistent with being choked than hanging yourself,” one source told the Post.

An ex-cop housed in the same unit as Epstein who faces the death penalty for four drug-related killings upstate was questioned in the incident.

Plourde refused to say whether that incident was ruled a suicide attempt or an assault.

Plourde said Epstein was never treated outside MCC after that incident, disputing reports.

“He was never taken to the hospital,” he said.