MCC Corrections Officer Michael Thomas And His OIG Interview Related To Epstein's Death (Part 18) (3/6/26)

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1:01Let's go places. What's up everyone and welcome to another episode of the Epstein Chronicles. In this episode, we're going to dive right back in to the Michael Thomas deposition with the OIG inspectors. Question. So we have a few follow-up questions and it's going to be by multiple different people. Unfortunately, their names are adapted. Question. With regard to when you conducted the indesernable Thomas. No problem. Question. Agent just mentioned it too. So you walked in. Is Epstein to your right or your left? Thomas my right. Question. Okay. And when you see him, right? Is he hanging? Thomas. Question. And where was, in comparison to this, in comparison to this picture, where about was his head? Thomas. Maybe a little bit below the circle. Maybe right here, I guess. I can't remember exactly or maybe a little bit below that circle. Question. And his whole body on the floor was his butt on the floor.

2:03Thomas. No. Question. What part of his body was on the floor? Thomas. I don't recall what was on the floor. I don't think anything was on the floor. I don't really remember. Question. Was his legs on the floor? Feet on the floor? Thomas. Well, I'm going to say his feet was on the floor. Question. You would assume because it doesn't look up that high. Thomas. Yeah. Because it doesn't have the, yeah. Question. So you think his feet were on the floor? Thomas. I really don't remember exactly, but I mean I would assume his feet were on the floor. Question. Now see, there's a knot on the news right here. What part of the neck was that knot on? When you see it, did you try to loosen it or tried to take it off? What part of the neck was that on? Do you recall at all? Thomas. I really don't. I really don't. Question. When you pulled it, it looks like there's a portion left back on here. Was that attached to this? Thomas. Like I said, he said he was a portion of that. Like I said, when I remember ripping all that down, I don't know if I just, if it slipped

3:06through or whatever, maybe the case. I just remember going like this and he going to the ground. And then we started doing chest compressions. Question. And he came off easily. Thomas. Yes, he came off easily. It didn't come off too hard. Question. And you don't recall trying to get cut off Thomas. I don't recall taking the news off. I really don't. I don't recall taking that thing off from around his neck. Question. Do you remember if the linen ripped so it's separated from this or if this is possibly the same thing as that? Do you recall when it ripped? Do you remember if it liked tore and broke and came into two separate pieces? Thomas, I don't. Question. No. Thomas, I don't remember. Question. So when you looked into his cell, were the lights on or off? Question. I want to say the light was on. I think the light was on. Question. Okay. So you knocked on the cell and he didn't answer. So you had to open it. Thomas. Yeah. Question. Do you recall actually opening, turning the key to open the cell or was the cell already

4:07open? Thomas nod the cell. I had to open the cell. Question. Okay. You walked in. You saw this. Now I want to in this picture. I saw something. This picture right here. The one you initialed. You see the mattress on the floor? Thomas. Okay. Question. Was that on the floor when you walked in? Thomas. I don't remember. I don't know. Question. Because he would have been technically. He would have been just laying here. Right? Thomas. Yeah. He's off to the side. Yeah. You can't see. Right here. But he's off to the side. Question. And he gets caught off by Thomas. Because there's a lip like you said. There's a lip right here is covering that side of the wall. Question and this mattress. Where does it belong up here on top? Thomas. Yeah. If that's one on the floor. Yeah. That belongs on top. Question. And you don't recall all of this laying around or anything? Thomas. No, I don't. No, I don't. Question. We're just trying to get an idea. Does it sell a mess or anything like that?

5:07Thomas. It could be a totally different thing because I've seen inmates look like that. And their mattress on the floor. Some inmates sleep on the floor just because it's a bunk bed. They don't have to sleep on the top. Some people just sleep on the floor. And then I mean, I'm just saying because all that stuff was up top there, maybe he just slept on the floor. I don't know. Question. Okay. All right. Now we're going back to the linens. Thomas. Question. Was Epstein given special privileges to have extra clothing or linens? Thomas. I don't know. Question. You're not sure. If he was, what shift would typically take care of that? Thomas. It could be day watch or evening watch. Question. So either one of those two other shifts. Thomas. Yeah. Question. Do you know if anything was in Epstein cell that should not have been there? Thomas. I don't know. Question. Can you tell me a little bit about cell searches and how they work in the shoe? Thomas. They usually conduct it on day shift because that's when most people are around just in case you have an uncooperative inmate.

6:10And you check the cell for contraband. Contraband can be anywhere from a leftover tray being in there to too much paper in May to get mail to many papers left in there, which is called nuisance trash. Question. Okay. Thomas. But it all depends on anybody else who is conducting it. Question. And this isn't regarding your specific shift. I mean to discuss your shift, but for cell searches it shows it's the MCC New York Special Post Order Special Housing Unit. For here it says all shoe staff are expected to conduct searches of the special housing unit. The morning watch officer will conduct conduct searches of the common areas and document their findings in the search section of the true scape page. The day watch officers will conduct a search of every inmate cell who attends recreation. The evening watch officer will conduct a minimum of five cell searches during their shift. The entire special housing unit will be searched each and every week. Do you know is that your understanding of what the policy is?

7:12Thomas. Yeah. Question. Do you know if the other if MCC was following this policy? The officers that were assigned were they actually conducting the searches? Thomas, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Question. Do you have any knowledge of anybody conducting cell searches in the shoe? Thomas, I'm sure that they do. Like I said, I'm not custody up there during the day and during the evening. So I don't know what they're what the time and no specific time when those have to be done. So I don't know. Question. All right. And again, just because I showed it to you, do you mind just initialing page five of 14 on the special post orders from the shoe? Do you know of any other interactions that Epstein had with other inmates? Thomas, no. Question. And you said the last time that you interacted with Epstein was when you fed him in the morning? Yeah. Thomas, yes. Question. And I apologize now. It was so many hours ago. What was his state of mind at the time? Could you tell? Thomas, no. Question.

8:13Did he see him unusual? Thomas, no. Question, no. Thomas, no. Question. Did it all strike you that maybe he was getting ready to kill him? himself or anything? Thomas, no. Question. In distress. No. Did he complain about anything? Thomas, no. Question. Did you talk with him at all? Thomas, no. Question. You didn't say good morning or anything. Thomas, if I did, I don't remember. If I did, here's your tray. Question. Do you know any of the threats that were made to Epstein? Thomas, no. Question. Do you know why Epstein was in prison? Thomas, now I do, yes. Question. Did you at the time? Thomas, I really didn't know who Epstein was. Question. You didn't. Thomas, or the stipulation behind everything, behind them, no. Question. All right. So at the time, did you have any specific feelings in regard to Epstein? Thomas, no. Question, no. Did you speak about Epstein with other inmates? Thomas, no. Question. When the medical emergency was discovered, do you believe that you and Noel acted appropriately

9:16per B.O.P. policy? Thomas, yes. Question. Were you and Noel supposed to take immediate action? Or should you have waited for responding staff? Thomas, I think we're supposed to take immediate action. Question. Okay. Did B.O.P. policy say that you should have called the lieutenant and wait for their arrival prior to entering Epstein's cell? Thomas, I don't know what the policy says. Imagine that to your comment. Bro, you're a corrections officer here. How do you know the policy? Thomas, no. Question. So have you ever been taught like it could be a ruse and if you go in there by yourself without responding staff, they could then overtake you and potentially have you as a hostage? Thomas, yeah, I've heard that. I've heard that before. But then I've always heard it has to be two staff members to one inmate. Question. Okay. Thomas and me and Noel was there. So question. Okay. So you believe because Noel was there. You followed the policy? Thomas, yeah. Question.

10:17Thomas, I'm not worried about. Question. So you said that after the medical emergency, you actually went down with them to the second floor. Did anything happen with Epstein's body on the way? Did you guys like drop the stretcher or Thomas, no? Question. He remained his body getting maintained. What about when you were getting him onto the stretcher? Did he do a smooth transition from the floor up to the stretcher? Thomas, as far as I remember, I don't really recall. Question. Thomas, I don't think it was any different. Question him dropping or landing or anything like that. Thomas, I don't remember any of that. Question. What about when he was going from the stretcher to whatever they put him in? When they got to the second floor. Thomas, yeah. Once we got him to the second floor, he got into the room. I was hands off though. There were so many other people around. I wasn't part of that. Question. And did you leave at the time? Leave the room? Thomas, yeah. I left the room at that time. Question. Where did you go? And what did you do?

11:17Thomas, I don't remember exactly where I went. I think I went to my office and then I stepped outside. Question. Okay. Did any supervisor or staff talk to you about the incident? Thomas, no. Question. Did you make any statements to anyone? Thomas, no. Question. Did you do or sign any paperwork? Thomas, no. Question. What time did your shift end? Thomas. Right after the incident. And okay. What time did you depart the MCC? Thomas, maybe about 930-ish. Question. All right. So it happened at like 633. But you did stay until, Thomas, no. I stayed until because eight. Let's say about eight. Something because when I was trying to leave and go home, I kept getting calls, of course, from everybody. Then the warden called me and told me he was just concerned about me because of what I've seen and me being traumatized. And so he sent somebody to talk to me and they met me further down from the thing to come and talk to me. Question. Okay.

12:18Thomas, somebody from the crisis support team. Question. Okay. All right. Folks, we're going to wrap up right here and in the next episode dealing with the topic we're going to pick up where we left off. All the information that goes with this episode can be found in the description box.