One difference for Epstein upon his return was the absence of a cellmate such as Nicholas Tartaglione, a ex-cop turned accused quadruple murderer. Tartaglione claims to have saved Epstein during the earlier possible attempt.

And there were no more inmate companions keeping watch.

Epstein was with just Epstein in a cell whose architectural priority was more security than suicide prevention.

A man who had acted in the outside world as if the rules did not apply to him was now left without the protection of prison rules that had been promulgated over the years to prevent incidents such as the suicide of mobster Louis Turra in 1980. Turra embarrassed everybody by hanging himself at lunchtime in the MCC’s psychiatric unit.