JEFFREY Epstein claimed his cellmate tried to kill him just 18 days before his suicide, shocking new documents have revealed.
The paedophile, 66, told prison guards he was being harassed by a murderous inmate with the alleged abuse causing him to try and take his own life, according to police files.
Sat among the huge cache of documents released in the past week as part of the Epstein files is a report from the New York jail where the paedo was being held.
Epstein was awaiting trial over a slew of sex trafficking charges inside the Metropolitan Correctional Centre.
Notes by prison officers record an attempt by Epstein to take his own life on July, 23, 2019 – less than a month before his eventual death by suicide.
A guard wrote: “Epstein had indicated that his cellmate had attempted to kill him and had been harassing him.”
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The internal prison service memo, headed “Possible Suicide Attempt”, detailed how an officer had been called to Epstein’s cell at 1.27am.
The guard said: “I observed inmate Jeffrey Epstein lying in the foetal position on the floor of his cell, wearing a T-shirt and boxers.
“He was breathing heavily.”
Epstein was wheeled out of his cell on a stretcher and taken to a special prison unit to be observed before being placed on suicide watch.
When he was quizzed by officers and a psychologist over what sparked the panicked state he was found in, Epstein claimed he was being targeted.
He accused Nicholas Tartaglione, his cellmate at the time, of attempting to “extort” and “kill” him, according to the docs.
Tartaglione, a former cop, was behind bars serving four consecutive life sentences for murdering four people.
Despite his claims, a prison psychologist ired on the side of caution once hearing the story and examining Epstein’s injuries.
He questioned whether it was a suicide attempt writing in the memo: “We don’t know if it was a ploy, if someone else did it or he just gave himself a ‘rug burn’ with the sheet to call attention to his situation.”
Epstein claimed the threats on his life had been going on for a week, the files show.
He was later made to wear a suicide smock – a heavy duty vest designed to stop prisoners from ripping apart to aid with any attempts.
Disturbing images show the convicted sex offender looking disheveled in the vest.
One showed a tired Epstein looking straight at the camera as another captured him laying on his back with his eyes closed – appearing as if he had been crying recently.
And an even more haunting image showed the disgraced financier’s hands swollen and red following the suicide attempt.
Other photos showed the back of his head as well as his feet.
Eighteen days after the images were taken, on August, 10, officers discovered Epstein dead inside his cell.
The medical examiner stated the death was a suicide by hanging after a “homemade noose” was found next to the body.
Wild conspiracy theories claiming Epstein was actually killed rather than took his own life have existed ever since his death.
These have all been debunked through the official version of events.
But speculation again emerged after the Department of Justice (DoJ) were forced to pull footage released in the latest batch of files that they claimed showed evidence of the suicide.
The 12-second video was posted on the DoJ website and showed a white-haired man in an orange jumpsuit appearing to take his own life.
It later turned out to be a fake video from 2010 and appeared to have been made through CGI animation.
Depraved docs
A disturbing slew of docs from the Epstein files also feature snaps of young girls posing on beds wearing long white dresses.
Many are partially-redacted photographs, but the new batch does not appear to show any high-profile figures, unlike some of the latest rounds.
The same batch of Epstein files on Tuesday also includes an email “from Balmoral” asking Ghislaine Maxwell for “inappropriate friends”.
The chilling message is then signed “A xxx”.
It is part of a series of haunting emails exchanged between Epstein’s former accomplice Maxwell and “The Invisible Man” whose address is “abx17@dial.pipex.com”.
There is no indication that anyone from the Royal Family sent the email to Maxwell – and it is unclear who the person exchanging emails with her was.
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor has been pictured multiple times in recent rounds of new images, but the former Prince has always denied any wrongdoing.
In the email from August 2001, an unidentified person who signs his messages “A xxx” writes to Maxwell: “I am up here at Balmoral Summer Camp for the Royal Family.”
He goes on to say that he is “totally exhausted”, before asking how Maxwell is.
The man then writes: “How’s LA? Have you found me some new inappropriate friends?
“Let me know when you are coming over as I am free from 25th August until 2nd Sept and want to go somewhere hot and sunny with some fun people before having to put my nose firmly to the grindstone for the Fall.”
He adds: “Any ideas gratefully received! See ya A xxx.”
Maxwell then replies: “So sorry to disappoint you, however the truth must be told.
“I have only been able to find appropriate friends.”
The man then responds on August 18: “Distraught!”
Suicide helplines
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support: