Investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s death: Former prison guard Tova Noel to testify before House Oversight Committee | Today’s news
A former prison guard who was on duty the night Jeffrey Epstein died in a New York prison cell in August 2019 is scheduled to appear before the House Oversight Committee on Monday (May 18) as lawmakers continue to examine the federal government’s handling of the case.
Tova Noel, who worked at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, will testify in a closed deposition about the events surrounding Epstein’s death.
Epstein, a convicted sex offender and financier with ties to powerful political and business figures, was found dead in his prison cell on August 10, 2019. The New York medical examiner ruled the death a suicide, although questions surrounding the circumstances continued to fuel public speculation and conspiracy theories.
Noel says she may have been the last person to see Epstein alive
According to previous testimony, Noel said she believed she was probably the last person to see Epstein alive before his death.
She told federal investigators that she saw Epstein at or after 10 p.m. the night before he was found unresponsive the next morning.
Noel also testified that she was present when Epstein’s body was found around 6:30 a.m
She said fellow officer Michael Thomas attempted CPR after Epstein was discovered in his cell.
Prison guards have faced charges before
Noel and Thomas were the two officers tasked with monitoring Epstein on the night he died.
Federal prosecutors charged the two officers in 2019 with falsifying prison records by claiming they performed mandatory background checks on inmates when investigators said the checks were not actually completed.
Epstein was housed in the prison’s special housing unit, where guards were required to check on inmates every 30 minutes.
Authorities claimed officers spent part of the night sleeping and surfing the Internet instead of monitoring inmates.
Charges against Noel and Thomas were later dropped in 2021 after both agreed to cooperate with federal investigators and complete community service.
Both officers were dismissed from their jobs.
DOJ report finds ‘serious failures’
The United States Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General released a report in 2023 investigating Epstein’s death.
The report found: “numerous and serious failures by MCC New York employees amounting to misconduct and dereliction of duty.”
Investigators also reviewed Noel’s Internet activity since the morning Epstein died.
According to Justice Department documents, Noel conducted a Google search including: “last Epstein in jail” less than an hour before Epstein was found dead.
When asked about the search in the 2021 affidavit, Noel replied: “I don’t remember doing that.”
The Epstein investigation
The House Oversight Committee’s investigation includes testimony from several high-profile figures associated with Epstein or his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
Lawmakers have already heard testimony from former President Bill Clinton, his wife and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and billionaire Les Wexner.