A U.S. federal judge has ordered the release of a document described as an alleged suicide note written by late financier Jeffrey Epstein which includes the line: “It is a treat to be able to choose one’s time to say goodbye.”
Epstein, a disgraced financier and convicted sex offender accused of trafficking minors, was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell in August 2019. His death was officially ruled a suicide.
The handwritten note was reportedly submitted in connection with a separate criminal case involving Epstein’s former cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione, a convicted murderer and former police officer.
Tartaglione is said to have come across the document during their brief time together in a Manhattan detention facility in 2019.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas authorized the unsealing of the note after a request from The New York Times, ruling that it qualifies as a judicial record and is therefore subject to public access.
In his decision, Judge Karas clarified that the court did not assess the authenticity of the note or examine its chain of custody, stating that such issues were not relevant to the question of disclosure. He further noted that no sufficient legal grounds were presented to justify keeping the document sealed.
According to court filings the note written on a yellow legal pad contains references to ongoing investigations and expresses frustration over legal proceedings faced by Epstein at the time.
Epstein was previously convicted in 2008 in Florida for soliciting prostitution from a minor, resulting in a controversial plea deal and a reduced jail sentence. He was later arrested again in July 2019 on federal charges of sex trafficking of minors involving allegations from New York and Florida.
Following his death at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York the case continued to attract significant public attention and speculation particularly regarding the circumstances surrounding his detention and death.
The document had not been included in earlier federal disclosures related to the Epstein investigation and reportedly resurfaced after being referenced in public accounts before gaining media attention.
Judge Karas ultimately ordered its release, citing Epstein’s death and the strong public interest in the case as key factors in making the document public.
