US government closes jail where Epstein killed himself

Several issues have plagued the Metropolitan Correctional Centre, which has had many high-profile inmates in the past

File: The Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York where Epstein took his life has been marred with controversies (AP)

The US government decided on Thursday to shut the New York City jail, where convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein took his own life, until conditions improved in the facility.

Several issues with the federal prison in Manhattan had emerged after an enquiry was carried out into the reasons for Epstein’s death in August 2019.

The federal Bureau of Prisons, under the US Department of Justice, said in a statement that the Metropolitan Correctional Centre’s officials had “assessed steps necessary to improve conditions” in the prison, after which the call to temporarily shut the facility was taken.

“In an effort to address the issues at MCC NY as quickly and efficiently as possible, the Department has decided to close the MCC, at least temporarily, until those issues have been resolved,” said the statement.

The Justice Department added that it’s “committed to ensuring that every facility in the federal prison system is not only safe and secure but also provides people in custody with the resources and programs they need to make a successful return to society after they have served their time.”

The facility currently holds 233 inmates who will be moved to a federal jail in Brooklyn.

There’s no deadline under which the changes need to incorporated or any clarity on when the facility will reopen. The Manhattan jail has been controversial – especially after Epstein’s death in his prison cell – for several years because of its alleged mismanagement and poor conditions for inmates.

The two guards assigned to watch Epstein had not checked in on him for hours. They also ultimately pleaded guilty for faking prison records.

Several inmates from the jail also recently tested positive for the coronavirus and an investigation found those with symptoms were neglected. There have also been allegations of gun smuggling and sexual misconduct by the staff.

The jail has had several high-profile inhabitants in the past, including several close associates of Osama bin Laden, mobster John Gotti and Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.