DOJ Releases Epstein Jail Footage; Observers Notice Something Odd
The Department of Justice has released previously unseen surveillance footage from the night Jeffrey Epstein died in federal custody—but skeptical viewers are already questioning the official narrative.
The video, published Monday by the DOJ and FBI, shows the hallway outside Epstein’s cell at the now-closed Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan on the night of August 9, 2019. The footage, according to federal officials, confirms that no one entered or exited the area between 10:40 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. when Epstein’s death occurred.
However, online sleuths identified a glaring omission in the footage just hours after its release: a full minute appears to be missing.
In the video’s timestamp, the footage jumps from 11:58:59 p.m. straight to 11:59:59 p.m., entirely skipping the 59 seconds in between. DOJ officials have yet to comment on the discrepancy, but the apparent gap has sparked a new wave of skepticism and growing calls for answers.
The release is part of a broader effort by federal authorities to quell persistent conspiracy theories. Along with the footage, the DOJ and FBI issued a joint two-page statement reaffirming the official account: Investigators found no credible evidence of a “client list,” blackmail operation, or ties implicating high-profile associates. Epstein died by suicide.
Before taking public office, FBI Director Kash Patel and his deputy, Dan Bongino, were among the most outspoken critics of the government’s handling of the Epstein case.
🚨BREAKING: The recently released Epstein security footage is missing a full minute.
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 7, 2025
The footage cuts out at exactly 11:59:00 and picks back up at 12:00:00.
pic.twitter.com/6RMY8RKGwd
They had previously raised questions about his ties to figures like the Clintons, Bill Gates, and members of the Royal Family—all of whom had visited his infamous compound in the Virgin Islands over the years.
However, both men have since walked back those claims, publicly affirming that Epstein died by suicide.
“You said Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide. People don’t believe it,” Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo told Patel and Bongino in a May interview.
“They have a right to their opinion,” Patel stated in response. “But as someone who’s been a public defender, a prosecutor, who’s worked in that prison system and been inside segregated housing — you know a suicide when you see one. And that’s what that was.”
Bongino then stepped up to defend his boss. “He killed himself,” Bongino said. “Again, you want me to—I’ve seen the whole file. He killed himself.”
Still, the delayed release—combined with the apparent time gap—is stoking speculation instead of putting it to rest.
According to the DOJ memo, investigators closely examined security footage from the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City, where Epstein was held on the night of August 10, 2019. The footage, reviewed by Axios, reportedly shows no one entering or leaving the vicinity of Epstein’s cell during the hours in question.
“The FBI enhanced the relevant footage by increasing its contrast, balancing the color, and improving its sharpness for greater clarity and viewability,” the memo says.
The Metropolitan Correctional Center, where Epstein was held, has since been shut down due to what federal officials described as “serious operational issues.” The facility faced intense scrutiny in 2019 after it was revealed that surveillance cameras had malfunctioned and jail staff had falsified records on the night of Epstein’s death.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Pam Bondi is under fire after claiming there was no proof that the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein retained a “client list” or was killed.
In February, Bondi told Fox News that she had an alleged client list on her desk and planned to reveal it soon. The Justice Department then sent “declassified” binders to conservative influencers, although it rapidly became evident that most of the information was already public.
Later, Bondi stated that she had been informed of the presence of thousands of pages of previously revealed records and had directed the FBI to produce the “full and complete Epstein files.”
She stated in May that the FBI was looking at “tens of thousands of videos” of Epstein “with children or child porn.”
