Newly disclosed Department of Justice records reveal the FBI and Bureau of Prisons possess unedited surveillance footage from Jeffrey Epstein’s cell block at the Manhattan Metropolitan Correctional Center on August 9, 2019—the night Epstein died. The video shows a distinct orange-colored figure moving toward Epstein’s tier around 10:39 p.m., an observation not included in official reports.

Government documents confirm that investigators reviewing the footage initially described the figure as possibly an inmate or someone carrying bedding, but later identified it as inconsistent with standard protocols for that time of night. Correction officers Tova Noel and Michael Thomas, assigned to the unit that evening, admitted they failed to complete mandatory inmate counts at 3:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., as well as wellness checks for Epstein. Thomas stated he had no recollection of anyone walking toward Epstein’s cell around 10:30 p.m. due to sleep deprivation.

The official report released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York on August 9, 2019, states Epstein was found unresponsive in his cell and pronounced dead shortly after. Yet documents show the memo was drafted one day prior to his death date, raising questions about timing and accuracy. Additionally, the noose used in Epstein’s alleged suicide has never been confirmed—initially identified as the murder weapon but later determined not to be the object found at the scene.

CBS News analysis of the footage reveals inconsistencies between the video evidence and government statements. The released video omitted a one-minute segment from 11:59 p.m. to midnight, despite being labeled “raw” by officials. A government source confirmed the FBI, Bureau of Prisons, and DOJ Inspector General all retain unedited versions without this gap. Attorney General Pam Bondi previously attributed the missing minute to a camera reset cycle at midnight—a claim contradicted by the existence of full footage in federal records.

The investigation has further revealed that both correction officers were later charged with falsifying inmate count records but dropped charges after cooperation agreements. Thomas admitted he could not recall removing the noose from Epstein’s neck when discovering his body, and Noel stated she did not see a noose around his neck at the time. The medical examiner ruled Epstein’s death a suicide but noted they could not determine the time of death due to body movement.