A previously missing minute of CCTV footage from outside Jeffrey Epstein's jail cell on the night of his death has been discovered, contradicting Attorney General Pam Bondi's assertion that the recording was overwritten. The footage was part of a cache of materials released late Tuesday by the US House oversight committee, which has been investigating Epstein's August 2019 death at Manhattan's Metropolitan Correctional Center.
The so-called 'missing minute' had fuelled conspiracy theories about Epstein's death after the FBI released hours of surveillance footage in July, with observers noting a gap from 11:59pm to midnight on 10 August. Bondi had claimed the prison's CCTV system was routinely reset every 24 hours, causing a 'missing' minute each night. However, CBS reported later in July that a full version existed, and Tuesday's congressional release confirmed the footage shows nothing out of the ordinary, with guards working outside the cell.
The release includes 33,000 pages of records and two hours of previously unseen video, including Epstein being escorted to make a phone call. Most files are already publicly known, with many being court documents related to Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, who is reportedly pressing the Trump administration for a pardon. The release comes amid renewed scrutiny of President Donald Trump's relationship with Epstein.
A number of Republicans have joined Democrats in demanding more transparency, with Congressman Thomas Massie filing a discharge petition to force the release of all Epstein files. House Speaker Mike Johnson has called the effort 'meaningless', prompting Massie to accuse him of fearing Trump. Epstein's victims are rallying in Washington DC on Wednesday to demand justice.
