Accused sexual abuser Jeffrey Epstein found dead in jail cell
Deroy Murdock weighs in on whether or not prosecutors will continue to pursue the Jeffrey Epstein case now that he is deceased.
Jeffrey Epstein, who was accused of sexually abusing dozens of girls, was found dead early Saturday morning in his Manhattan jail cell.
The initial call to the jail was cardiac arrest. There was no immediate confirmation on how he died, but multiple reports said Epstein died by suicide.
Epstein's attorney Martin Weinberg told Fox News on Saturday that he could not "confirm the rumor" that his client had killed himself.
Here is a timeline of the Epstein case leading up to his eventual death:
March 2005 - Florida police investigate Jeffrey Epstein for "sexual battery" following accusations that he paid female minors for sex.
JEFFREY EPSTEIN FOUND DEAD IN MANHATTAN JAIL CELL; MULTIPLE REPORTS CLAIM DEATH BY SUICIDE
March 2005 - Florida police investigate Jeffrey Epstein for "sexual battery" following accusations that he paid female minors for sex.
Oct. 20, 2005 - With the police probe in full swing, investigators execute a search warrant on Epstein’s Florida home.
May 2006 - A probable cause affidavit is filed against Epstein by Palm Beach police, accusing him of four counts of unlawful sex with minors and one count of molestation.
June 2006 - The grand jury hears from only one accuser and returns an indictment for a single count of solicitation of prostitution.
July 2006 - FBI opens a federal investigation on Epstein that involves multiple accusers in various states, including New York.
2007 - 2008 - Epstein’s legal team negotiates terms of a plea deal with then-U.S. attorney Alexander Acosta in Miami.
June 30, 2008 - Epstein pleads guilty to one count of solicitation of prostitution and one count of solicitation of prostitution of a minor under the age of 18. Epstein is given a sentence of 18 months in jail plus a year of community service, and he required to register as a sex offender.
October 2008 - Epstein begins work release from the Palm Beach County stockade. He is picked up by his private driver six days a week and transported to an office in West Palm Beach, where he accepts visitors for up to 12 hours a day. He returns to the stockade in the evenings to sleep.
July 7, 2009 - Epstein is released after a 13-month stint at the Palm Beach County stockade, five months early.
September 2009 - Details of Epstein's plea deal are made public. Additionally, at this time, there were at least a dozen civil lawsuits filed by women who allege they were molested by Epstein when they were underage.
November 2011 - A New York appeals court upheld a lower court's ruling that Epstein must register as a Level 3 sex offender. According to the NY state guidelines, A Level 3 classification means the offender is a "high risk of repeat offense and a threat to public safety exists"
Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell together in 2005 (Getty)
June 2017 - President Trump nominates former Miami -U.S. attorney Alexander Acosta as U.S. secretary of labor. During his confirmation hearing, Acosta briefly addresses questions about the deal he approved for Epstein and one lawmaker requests more records from the Epstein case. Acosta is confirmed.
February 2019 - The DOJ opens an investigation into federal prosecutors' handling of Epstein’s plea deal
February 2019 - A federal judge rules that Acosta violated the Crime Victims’ Rights Act, a statutory bill of rights for victims of federal crimes, by not informing Epstein’s victims about the plea deal that shielded Epstein from federal charges.
July 2, 2019 - A sealed indictment is filed charging Epstein with one count of .sex trafficking of minors and one count of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of minors.
July 6, 2019 - Epstein is arrested at New Jersey's Teterboro Airport. U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said that a search of Epstein's NYC apartment found photos of underage girls.
This March 28, 2017, file photo, provided by the New York State Sex Offender Registry shows Jeffrey Epstein. (New York State Sex Offender Registry via AP)
July 12, 2019 - Labor Secretary Acosta announces he will step down
July 18, 2019 - Epstein is denied bail
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July 23, 2019 - Epstein is reportedly found unconscious and with neck injuries in his Manhattan jail cell
August 9, 2019 - More than 2,000 documents are unsealed by federal prosecutors that include affidavits and depositions of key witnesses in a 2015 civil lawsuit against Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
August 10, 2019 - Epstein, who had previously been placed on suicide watch, is found dead in his Manhattan jail cell
