US federal investigators have launched a probe into the death of financier Jeffrey Epstein, following his apparent suicide in his prison cell.
The move follows calls from elected officials and prison policy experts for answers to questions surrounding Epstein’s death at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in Manhattan.
The multimillionaire financier was found unresponsive in his cell in the Special Housing Unit at the MCC on Saturday morning.
The 66-year-old was awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges of underage girls in New York. He had pleaded not guilty.
Epstein had been placed on suicide watch after he was found a little over two weeks ago with bruising on his neck, according to a person familiar with the matter. But he was taken off the watch at the end of July.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted an article that reported on his death, writing: “We need answers. Lots of them.”
Her fellow Democrat Lois Frankel called for an investigation by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform on Twitter.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted that an investigation into how the “federal government let this happened” needs to happen immediately.
Attorney General William P. Barr said Epstein’s death in custody raises “serious questions”.
“I was appalled to learn that Jeffrey Epstein was found dead early this morning from an apparent suicide while in federal custody,” he said in a statement. “Mr. Epstein’s death raises serious questions that must be answered.”
Barr also noted that in addition to the FBI’s investigation, Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz will open an investigation into Epstein’s apparent suicide.
Last month, Epstein was found semiconscious in his cell at MCC with marks on his neck. Prison officials were investigating the incident as a suicide attempt or possible assault.
Epstein’s removal from suicide watch would have been approved by both the warden of the jail and the facility’s chief psychologist, said Jack Donson, a former prison official who worked for the Bureau of Prisons for more than two decades.
Other Twitter users, including criminal justice activists, called for more information on how Epstein was watched during his detainment.
The MCC did not respond to HuffPost’s request for comment on how it monitored Epstein.
Epstein avoided federal criminal charges in 2008 in Florida due to a plea agreement he reached with then-U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta, in which he was ordered to register as a sex offender following his conviction on an underage prostitution charge. He served 13 months in jail with broad work release allowances.
