Mike Norris, Co-Editor, The American Dossier
This weekend, Jeffrey Epstein was found unresponsive in his jail cell. The disgraced financier, 66, was found hanging in his cell shortly before 7 a.m. Saturday and was rushed to nearby New York Presbyterian-Lower Manhattan hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Epstein had been placed on suicide watch just over two weeks ago, after he was found with bruising on his neck. On July 24, he was rushed to the hospital under police guard after he was discovered semi-conscious on the floor of his prison cell in the fetal position.
Epstein spent several hours receiving medical attention before he was transported back to Metropolitan Correctional Center (“MCC”). It has not been confirmed whether he attempted suicide, or whether he was attacked inside his cell.
Epstein was taken off suicide watch by the end of July and was not on it at the time of his death. His removal from suicide watch would have been approved by both the warden of the jail and the facility’s chief psychologist.
A law enforcement source told the New York Times that Epstein was alone in his cell early Saturday after his cellmate was transferred. An official with knowledge of the investigation told the paper that the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) was told that he would have a cellmate and would be monitored by a guard every 30 minutes.
According to a report from the Times, the staff at MCC failed to follow protocols leading up to Epstein’s death. Guards in MCC’s Special Housing Unit were working extreme overtime shifts to make up for staffing shortages the day of his death. The unit was staffed with one guard working a fifth straight day of overtime and another who was working mandatory overtime.
Epstein’s death cuts short a criminal prosecution that could have pulled back the curtain on the inner workings of a sex trafficker with connections to celebrities and presidents. He had been denied bail and faced up to 45 years behind bars on federal sex trafficking and conspiracy charges unsealed last month.
He plead not guilty and was awaiting trial.
Epstein’s death also set off a wave of conspiracy theories surrounding the circumstances. Among those gaining traction: He was murdered by someone fearful of what he may say.
Epstein’s relationships with former President Bill Clinton, Britain's Prince Andrew and President Trump were at the center of those theories, many of which question what politicians knew about his sex crimes. Both President Clinton and President Trump have denied being privy to Epstein's alleged scheme.
One theory, #ClintonBodyCount, has trended at various points over the years. The theory first emerged in 1993, in a newsletter published by Indianapolis attorney Linda Thompson.
In the newsletter, titled, “COINCIDENCE OR THE KISS OF DEATH?” Thompson suggested that numerous people close to Bill and Hillary Clinton had died under “mysterious circumstances.” Thompson’s list included Vince Foster, a longtime aide whose mysterious death would spark a number of conspiracies.
Politicians also took to social media to question the circumstances. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) called on corrections officials to explain what happened at the MCC and suggested the possibility that others might have been involved in Epstein's death.
Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, now an attorney for President Trump, tweeted out several questions about Epstein's death: "Who was watching? What does camera show? ... Follow the motives.”
The FBI and the DOJ's Office of the Inspector General will investigate the circumstances surrounding Epstein's death, Attorney General William Barr said. The FBI does not normally look into suicides at a federal Bureau of Prisons facility, but a senior law enforcement official told NBC News that it was investigating given the nature of this case and out of an "abundance of caution."
Epstein's suicide was likely recorded by jail cameras, according to former federal prosecutor Preet Bharara. "One hopes it is complete, conclusive, and secured," Bharara tweeted.
On Sunday, the New York City medical examiner's office said that it had completed an autopsy of Epstein but that it needed more information before determining the cause of death.
THE #CLINTONBODYCOUNT (Reprinted from lasvegas.cbslocal.com)
1- James McDougal – Clintons convicted Whitewater partner died of an apparent heart attack, while in solitary confinement. He was a key witness in Ken Starr’s investigation.
2 – Mary Mahoney – A former White House intern was murdered July 1997 at a Starbucks Coffee Shop in Georgetown. The murder happened just after she was to go public with her story of sexual harassment in the White House.
3 – Vince Foster – Former White House counselor, and colleague of Hillary Clinton at Little Rock’s Rose Law firm. Died of a gunshot wound to the head, ruled a suicide.
4 – Ron Brown – Secretary of Commerce and former DNC Chairman. Reported to have died by impact in a plane crash. A pathologist close to the investigation reported that there was a hole in the top of Brown’s skull resembling a gunshot wound. At the time of his death Brown was being investigated, and spoke publicly of his willingness to cut a deal with prosecutors. The rest of the people on the plane also died. A few days later the air traffic controller committed suicide.
5 – C. Victor Raiser, II – Raiser, a major player in the Clinton fund raising organization died in a private plane crash in July 1992.
6 – Paul Tulley – Democratic National Committee Political Director found dead in a hotel room in Little Rock, September 1992. Described by Clinton as a “dear friend and trusted advisor.”
7 – Ed Willey – Clinton fundraiser, found dead November 1993 deep in the woods in VA of a gunshot wound to the head. Ruled a suicide. Ed Willey died on the same day his wife Kathleen Willey claimed Bill Clinton groped her in the oval office in the White House. Ed Willey was involved in several Clinton fund raising events.
8 – Jerry Parks – Head of Clinton’s gubernatorial security team in Little Rock. Gunned down in his car at a deserted intersection outside Little Rock. Park’s son said his father was building a dossier on Clinton. He allegedly threatened to reveal this information. After he died the files were mysteriously removed from his house.
9 – James Bunch – Died from a gunshot suicide. It was reported that he had a “Black Book” of people which contained names of influential people who visited prostitutes in Texas and Arkansas.
10 – James Wilson – Was found dead in May 1993 from an apparent hanging suicide. He was reported to have ties to Whitewater.
11 – Kathy Ferguson – Ex-wife of Arkansas Trooper Danny Ferguson, was found dead in May 1994 in her living room with a gunshot to her head. It was ruled a suicide even though there were several packed suitcases, as if she were going somewhere. Danny Ferguson was a co-defendant along with Bill Clinton in the Paula Jones lawsuit. Kathy Ferguson was a possible corroborating witness for Paula Jones.
12 – Bill Shelton – Arkansas State Trooper and fiancée of Kathy Ferguson. Critical of the suicide ruling of his fiancée, he was found dead in June, 1994 of a gunshot wound also ruled a suicide at the grave site of his fiancée.
13 – Gandy Baugh – Attorney for Clinton’s friend Dan Lassater, died by jumping out a window of a tall building January, 1994. His client was a convicted drug distributor.
14 – Florence Martin – Accountant & sub-contractor for the CIA, was related to the Barry Seal, Mena, Arkansas, airport drug smuggling case. He died of three gunshot wounds.
15 – Suzanne Coleman – Reportedly had an affair with Clinton when he was Arkansas Attorney General. Died of a gunshot wound to the back of the head, ruled a suicide. Was pregnant at the time of her death.
16 – Paula Grober – Clinton’s speech interpreter for the deaf from 1978 until her death December 9, 1992. She died in a one car accident.
17 – Danny Casolaro – Investigative reporter, investigating Mena Airport and Arkansas Development Finance Authority. He slit his wrists, apparently, in the middle of his investigation.
18 – Paul Wilcher – Attorney investigating corruption at Mena Airport with Casolaro and the 1980 “October Surprise” was found dead on a toilet June 22, 1993, in his Washington DC apartment had delivered a report to Janet Reno three weeks before his death.
19 – Jon Parnell Walker – Whitewater investigator for Resolution Trust Corp. Jumped to his death from his Arlington, Virginia apartment balcony August 15, 1993. He was investigating the Morgan Guaranty scandal.
20 – Barbara Wise – Commerce Department staffer. Worked closely with Ron Brown and John Huang. Cause of death: Unknown. Died November 29, 1996. Her bruised, naked body was found locked in her office at the Department of Commerce.
21 – Charles Meissner – Assistant Secretary of Commerce who gave John Huang special security clearance, died shortly thereafter in a small plane crash.
22 – Dr. Stanley Heard – Chairman of the National Chiropractic Health Care Advisory Committee died with his attorney Steve Dickson in a small plane crash. Dr. Heard, in addition to serving on Clinton‘s advisory council personally treated Clinton’s mother, stepfather and brother.
23 – Barry Seal – Drug running TWA pilot out of Mena Arkansas, death was no accident.
24 – Johnny Lawhorn, Jr. – Mechanic, found a check made out to Bill Clinton in the trunk of a car left at his repair shop. He was found dead after his car had hit a utility pole.
25 – Stanley Huggins – Investigated Madison Guaranty. His death was a purported suicide and his report was never released.
26 – Hershell Friday – Attorney and Clinton fundraiser died March 1, 1994, when his plane exploded.
27 & 28 – Kevin Ives & Don Henry – Known as “The boys on the track” case. Reports say the boys may have stumbled upon the Mena Arkansas airport drug operation. A controversial case, the initial report of death said, due to falling asleep on railroad tracks. Later reports claim the 2 boys had been slain before being placed on the tracks. Many linked to the case died before their testimony could come before a Grand Jury.
29 – Former DNC employee Seth Rich, who was murdered on a darkened street in a rough neighborhood of Northwest Washington D.C. two weeks before the Convention, on July 10, 2016. D.C. police say the murder was a botched robbery.
THE FOLLOWING PERSONS HAD INFORMATION ON THE IVES/HENRY CASE:
30 – Keith Coney – Died when his motorcycle slammed into the back of a truck, 7/88.
31 – Keith McMaskle – Died, stabbed 113 times, Nov, 1988.
32 – Gregory Collins – Died from a gunshot wound January 1989.
33 – Jeff Rhodes – He was shot, mutilated and found burned in a trash dump in April 1989.
34 – James Milan – Found decapitated. However, the Coroner ruled his death was due to natural causes”.
35 – Richard Winters – A suspect in the Ives/Henry deaths. He was killed in a set-up robbery July 1989.
THE FOLLOWING CLINTON BODYGUARDS ARE ALSO DEAD
36 – Major William S. Barkley, Jr.
37 – Captain Scott J. Reynolds
38 – Sgt. Brian Hanley
39 – Sgt. Tim Sabel
40 – Major General William Robertson
41 – Col. William Densberger
42 – Col. Robert Kelly
43 – Spec. Gary Rhodes
44 – Steve Willis
45 – Robert Williams
46 – Conway LeBleu
47 – Todd McKeehan
After serving as an Airborne Infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division, Mike attended Florida State University, where he received his Bachelors Degree in Political Science and George Washington University, where he received his Masters in Political Management.
Since 2004, Mike has worked in the Florida Senate, where he was one of only two Chief’s of Staff under 30 and in the Michigan Senate, where he served as the Legislative Aide to the Assistant Minority Floor Leader. The 2018 election cycle was Mike’s eighth as a Political Consultant.
Mike previously served as the Secretary and Vice President of the Tampa Bay Young Republicans, Regional Vice Chair for the Florida Federated Young Republicans and attended the 2012 Republican National Convention as an Alternate Delegate. He currently lives in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan, with his rescue Pit Bull, Ike.
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