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Document DOJ-OGR-00023451

AI Analysis

Summary: The document details an investigation into a DVR recording issue at MCC New York, where cameras in the SHU were not recording due to a hard drive failure. The Electronics Technician was responsible for fixing the issue but was delayed due to access issues and historical practices of not prioritizing such repairs. The failure to record footage is significant as it relates to the investigation into Epstein's death.
Significance: This document is potentially important as it reveals a series of miscommunications and technical issues that led to the failure to record crucial footage of Epstein's surroundings on the day of his death. It highlights potential negligence or oversight within the institution.
Key Topics: DVR recording issue at MCC New York Camera malfunction in the SHU Investigation into events surrounding Epstein's death
Key People:
  • SIS Lieutenant - Informed Captain about camera issue, discovered camera problem
  • Electronics Technician - Responsible for fixing DVR recording issue
  • Captain - Institution head, claimed not to have known about DVR issue until after Epstein's death
  • Associate Warden 1 - Present when camera problem was discovered, had limited knowledge of issue
  • Correctional Officer (CO) 4 - Denied Electronics Technician access to DVR room
  • Epstein - Inmate whose death is being investigated
Document Type
Report
Date
Unknown
Pages
1
Folder
IMAGES009

Full Text

the SIS Lieutenant assumed that the Electronics Technician would remain at the institution after his shift ended that day to correct the issue. The Electronics Technician told the OIG there must have been some miscommunication because he did not say he was going to work overtime and resolve the problem that same evening since he knew the problem could not be fixed in one evening. The Electronics Technician told the OIG that, in hindsight, he should have stayed at the institution to begin work on the problem that same day. The SIS Lieutenant told the OIG that she verbally informed the Captain on August 8 that the cameras were down, but BOP records reflect that the Captain left the institution before the malfunction was discovered. The Captain told the OIG that he did not learn about the DVR recording issue until after Epstein's death on August 10 when he asked to see video related to the Epstein incident. Associate Warden 1 confirmed she was with the SIS Lieutenant on August 8 when the camera problem was discovered, but she told the OIG she only knew video could not be replayed. She did not know the recording system for certain cameras was down. She could see live video from the cameras on that date, and therefore assumed they were recording. According to the Electronics Technician, after he reported to work on August 9, 2019, and attended to other matters throughout the day, the Electronics Technician obtained the replacement hard drives and attempted to perform the repair sometime late in the day. However, the Electronics Technician told the OIG that no SIS staff were present at that time to give him access to the room in which the DVR room was located, so he requested access from the only other individual who had a key to the space, Correctional Officer (CO) 4.52 According to the Electronics Technician, CO 4 denied him access to the room because CO 4's shift was ending at 4 p.m., and CO 4 was unable to stay and accompany him in the space while the Electronics Technician performed the work. According to the Electronics Technician, CO 4 said he would be at the institution the following day to provide the Electronics Technician access to the room, so the Electronics Technician decided to postpone the repair until the following day. The Electronics Technician said his decision was influenced by the fact that he had historically been told by MCC New York supervisors that such matters did not have to be attended to until the following day, and even if he had replaced the hard drives that day, the rebuilding process would have taken 24 hours to complete and would therefore not have finished until the following day anyway. C. SHU Camera Locations and Operational Status on August 10 The Electronics Technician arrived at the institution around 6 a.m. on August 10, 2019, and shortly thereafter, before he could begin working on the DVR system, he heard the staff body alarm sound and he reported to the SHU to assist. Later that day he was asked to pull potential video from cameras located in and around the SHU. The Electronics Technician eventually determined that most of the cameras in the SHU area were assigned to record to DVR 2. While the cameras assigned to DVR 2 were providing live video streams on August 9 and 10, 2019, no recordings from those cameras were available due to the DVR 2 hard drive issue, which the FBI later determined had occurred on July 29, 2019. Among the cameras whose video was not recorded was the camera at the end of L Tier, the SHU tier in which Epstein was housed. 52 The DVR system was located in a locked room, and access to the room was limited to the institution's SIS unit, staff assigned to inmate phone monitoring, and the Electronics Technicians.