Defense attorneys pushed for Epstein to be taken off suicide watch: report

Defense attorneys pushed for Jeffrey Epstein to be taken off suicide watch ahead of his death on Saturday, an unidentified source told ABC News. 

The financier, who was jailed on federal sex trafficking charges, had been on suicide watch after an apparent earlier attempt, but was taken off ahead of his death. 

Sources told ABC News that Epstein had to undergo multiple psychiatric evaluations before officials decided to take him off suicide watch.{mosads}

There is likely no video showing Epstein’s apparent suicide death, as sources told ABC News it does not appear that cameras are trained on individual cells in the special housing unit where he was held. 

Attorney General William Barr said the FBI is launching an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Epstein’s death. 

Epstein was reportedly supposed to be checked by guards every 30 minutes. The New York Times, citing an unidentified law enforcement official, reported on Sunday, however, that guards had not been monitoring Epstein twice an hour the night he died.