'It gets weirder': Small detail in DOJ statement on Epstein's death ignites online frenzy

A small detail in a Justice Department statement on the 2019 death of Jeffrey Epstein has ignited an online frenzy of speculation, with many pointing to the document as proof that the disgraced financier’s death was known in advance.

Released last month by the DOJ as part of its publication of around 3.5 million Epstein files, the document in question appears to be a draft statement on the death of Epstein, who was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell on the Friday morning of August 10, 2019. The date on the draft statement, however, reads August 9, a full day before the disgraced financier was found dead.

“Unless it was typo (they got the day right, Friday, but date wrong, 9th instead of 10th) this is super weird,” wrote journalist and former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan in a social media post on X Saturday night.

“Why would the Trump administration draft a press release saying that Epstein died a day before he actually died?” asked another, X user “Patriot Takes,” a popular political commentary account with more than 460,000 followers. “Oh. Oh my.”

Questions surrounding Epstein’s death have circulated for years, with a number of oddities surrounding the incident that was ultimately – and controversially – ruled a suicide.

For instance, Epstein was placed on suicide watch in late July after being found semi-conscious in his cell with marks on his neck, but was taken off suicide watch just days later on July 29, five days before his death. And, while his death was ruled a suicide by hanging, his neck bone injuries were more consistant with a homicide, according to Dr. Michael Baden, who was present during Epstein’s autopsy.

Other oddities, like cameras in the Manhattan jail malfunctioning the night of Epstein’s death, footage of a supposed earlier suicide attempt accidently being erased, Epstein’s cell being littered with what appear to be dozens of articles of clothing, and the noose Epstein allegedly used never being “definitively identified” have also fueled speculation.

“Couldn't believe this was real so I double checked the DOJ site. It's real,” wrote Clint Russell, the host of the political talk show podcast “Liberty Lockdown.” “U.S. attorney [Geoffrey] Berman announced Epstein's death with letterhead dated the day before he was found dead.”

Russell also noted that Berman – whose name appears on the draft statement – ended up getting fired by President Donald Trump at the request of his then-Attorney General Bill Barr in a messy dispute.

“It gets weirder. Bill Barr announced Berman's resignation less than a year later,” Russell wrote in a social media post on X.

“Berman denied he was resigning and was then removed by Barr on June 20th, 2020. Trump denied any involvement but it was confirmed by later reporting that in fact it was Trump who had Berman removed. This rabbit hole is endless.”