Who could possibly have seen this coming? According to a supposed “guard,” it is all management’s fault, because of staffing shortages.
One of Jeffrey Epstein’s guards the night he hanged himself in his federal jail cell wasn’t a regular correctional officer, according to a person familiar with the detention center, which is now under scrutiny for what Attorney General William Barr on Monday called “serious irregularities.” …
…It wasn’t clear what the substitute’s regular job was, but federal prisons facing shortages of fully trained guards have resorted to having other types of support staff fill in for correctional officers, including clerical workers and teachers.
And here we go, with the precise problem we noted yesterday. It is plausible that staffing shortages did contribute to the inability to follow protocols that are impressive on paper. Yet how the ever-living … never mind, how are we to ever trust that finding?
After all, even IF there were shortages in regular guards, why would you allow that shortage to hinder guarding the single most notorious prisoner you have at that point? If you have one single fully trained guard, would he not be dedicated to guarding the potentially suicidal and potentially targeted prisoner? Were the regular guards too busy overseeing DUI offenders in for their three day weekend?
And just who is this person “not authorized to speak” to the matter? Bill Barr?
Could be him just as sure as anyone, so why not?
The problem is that this was a federal correctional facility (as opposed to county which are run by the sheriff, and opposed to state prisons run by the state) and thus falls somehow under Barr’s supervision, and – as we’ve already discussed – William Barr has proven on multiple occasions that he will say whatever is necessary to protect Republicans and Trump.
The ability to trust anything, even plausible and non-conspiracy explanations, has been shot before it is even studied, due to the person who will have to sign off on the investigation.
Let me tell you what comes next, should this explanation, “management is to blame because of staffing shortages” thing stick. “Management” will then state that of course they are not to blame because Congress caused the shortages by not allocating enough money.
Of course that is what “management” will state.
That way, blame gets shifted over to another branch, comprised of 535 people, with half controlled by Democrats, who control initiation of budgets. How perfect!. And every member of congress can state with a stern face: “Well, had someone told me staffing was an issue, I would certainly have voted for …” and blame goes away. Poof.
I am not making light of suicide. However, when it comes to inept, and all too predictable excuses? What is that old song?
The sun rose in the east this morning. It did, I watched it. And the excuse is that the facility was short-staffed. That is the excuse, I read it, just now.
I will tell you how this ends. As Barr announced yesterday, a full “investigation” will be declared with very serious-sounding promise-like things. The investigation will be half-assed and edited at the highest levels. The investigation will note staffing shortages due to Congressional failure to allocate sufficient funds to hire well-trained guards to be the root cause. The investigative findings will come out on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, when most Americans are shopping and-or enjoying family and friends. Worse? It could come out on Christmas Eve, not an official federal holiday, when people couldn’t care less what happened to Epstein. Yes, Christmas Eve sounds right, perhaps the only time of year when many believe in hope reborn.
The song above is an old song, indeed.
****
Peace, y’all.
Jason
Oh, no big deal then. Fancy that.
Well before the Epstein suicide, this facility DID have some serious problems nobody bothered dealing with, as recounted here:
https://www.wonkette.com/cut-that-epstein-conspiracy-sh-t-out-right-now
Like the author of the linked article, I have no use for any of the speculation. It distracts from what we NEED to do and at worst, makes us act like the righties so many of us despise with the conspiracy peddling. It’s not worth it, folks.
I find speculation entirely different than throwing one’s hands up because Barr is so untrustworthy, such a proven political animal (think of the “memo” of the Mueller report), that regardless of the findings, we have no reason to trust it and all the reasons to not. That is different than speculation. I will admit to speculation as to the “process” blamed, that it goes to funding, which will go to congress, but that is just so likely that I’ll call it out like I see it going down, and I will admit if I am wrong. But, stating I don’t trust the investigation already, with Barr, and so many moneyed-up people with an interest? I am willing to do that.
Distrust is fine, Jason, especially given the cast of characters involved here. However, my own distrust extends into thinking that distrusting that I have the slightest clue on what actually happened outside of the known facts.
At this point I’m not inclined to trust the autopsy report on cause of death. Perhaps I’ve missed it but if it has been stated I’m not sure if authorities have stated a preliminary cause. Hanging? Some other form of strangulation? It is possible to strangle yourself manually if you have the right stuff to do it with.
There IS surveillance of the corridors but not inside the individual cells. However in the digital age in particular it can be manipulated. From what I understand the design of the cells would make hanging next to impossible and that prisoners wouldn’t have access to the items needed to successfully self strangle themselves. But what if Epstein was allowed what he needed to do it? What if he shouldn’t have been taken off suicide watch in the first place?
What if someone “let it be known” that it would be “ok” and/or “better” if Epstein were to kill himself?
And ever so subtly let it be known that if “accidently on purpose” Epstein were allowed to take another crack at suicide those involved in it actually happened would be taken care of once the heat died down.
As you point out there are all manner of ways to spread blame around, although in the end one or two people will get singled out and get demoted or maybe lose their jobs. There are any number of rich and powerful people who want nothing more than for the Epstein case to lose steam who would gladly step up and make sure those key (to allowing Epstein to kill himself) people made out like bandits in the end.
I agree completely that if the MCC was short staffed that putting a guard in that unit who wasn’t really a guard, or properly trained on Special Housing Unit protocols was a glaring fuckup. For me it’s hard not to wonder if the intention was to create that “accidently on purpose” scenario I noted above.
There’s also one other aspect I believe is worth focusing on. Protocols require those coming off suicide watch to have a cell mate. This procedure was followed with Epstein – for a while. But by the time his death occurred he no longer had a cellmate! There should be a LOT of focus on that detail.