Inside The OIG Interview: MCC Captain's Statement Detailing The Death Of Jeffrey Epstein (Part 7) (3/28/26) - The Epstein Chronicles

The Epstein Chronicles

Host: Bobby Capucci
Episode: Inside The OIG Interview: MCC Captain's Statement Detailing The Death Of Jeffrey Epstein (Part 7)
Air Date: March 28, 2026

Overview of the Episode

In this episode, host Bobby Capucci continues an in-depth examination of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) interview with the unnamed MCC (Metropolitan Correctional Center) Captain about the events and protocols surrounding Jeffrey Epstein's death. The focus is on internal communication practices, responsibilities regarding inmate supervision—especially high-profile inmates like Epstein—and the aftermath concerning staff accountability. This is part 7 of a multipart series diving into the captain's detailed statements from the OIG investigative interview.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Chain of Responsibility and Protocols

The Captain explains his role in disseminating protocol and supervision guidance for high-visibility inmates, particularly Jeffrey Epstein.
Communication occurred via emails and in-person meetings, but the Captain underscores difficulty in reaching all staff across overlapping shifts.
- [01:35] Captain: “A lot of the communication that me and the lieutenants had were through email. Because you can't catch them all on one shift.”
The Captain particularly emphasizes his reliance on the "SHU Lieutenant" (Special Housing Unit) as the primary conduit for relaying guidance down to officers.

2. Cellmate Requirement for Epstein

The OIG asks multiple times about whether staff were aware of or executed the policy that Epstein required a cellmate due to his status as a high-visibility, high-risk inmate.
- The Captain confirms that he told the responsible staff, especially the SHU Lieutenant, about the cellmate requirement and the need for increased vigilance.
- [04:30] Captain: “I would talk about vigilance after doing 30-minute rounds, making sure this is done, making sure that is done... making sure this guy... that’s what I did because that's what [Redacted] wanted.”
There’s uncertainty expressed about whether all lieutenants understood the importance of having a cellmate present with Epstein, but the Captain maintains that guidance was issued.

3. Challenges with Communication and Staff Dynamics

The Captain points to a difficult working relationship with the lieutenants, citing self-serving attitudes and resistance to oversight.
- He describes reinforcing directives both verbally and through email, but many staff brushed off these efforts.
- [06:40] Captain: “I can give you the playbook to success, but if you don’t read it, it's just words. And then I had a lot of issues with the lieutenants... the relationship between me and the lieutenant corps was not good.”

4. Specific Days Leading Up to Epstein’s Death

Detailed discussion centers on August 9th and 10th, 2019—the day before and the day of Epstein's death.
- OIG and the Captain review shift schedules to determine who was responsible for Epstein’s supervision, as certain key personnel were on leave.
- [11:45] OIG: “So this is not accurate when it says in this report, in this event, the operations lieutenant had oversight that day and took over responsibility for the SHU. Who actually had oversight then since [Redacted] was out?”
- Captain confirms the chain of command for those critical days, clarifying responsibilities among the shifting staff roster.

5. Accountability & Host Reluctance to Assign Blame

The Captain expresses strong reluctance to place blame on any one lieutenant or staff member, emphasizing the climate of confusion and turnover.
- [02:45] Captain: “I'm not going to be the guy to say whatever, whatever. Because I'm going to tell you what sir, to be real with you, it was so much going on through that time frame that I don't want to put my statement to something like that that could detrimentally harm one of these lieutenants.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Staff Friction and Leadership Style:
- [06:30] Captain: “People thought me trying to just talk to them about correctional services or trying giving them, you know, helping them out... that I was trying to be a know-it-all... You're not sociable, but now you're down here telling us what to do... I can give you the playbook to success, but if you don't read it, it's just words.”
On Reluctance to Assign Blame:
- [02:55] Captain: "I'm not going to put that on the lieutenant, you know, I’m not going to do that."
OIG Investigator Clarifying their Role:
- [10:00] OIG Investigator: “We're asking you the questions directly. You're not placing blame on anybody.”
On the Complexity of Shift Coordination:
- [03:15] Captain: “Like catch them passing and coming. So I would put out guidance that way.”
On Policy Awareness:
- [04:00] Captain: “With the guidance I put out, I got to give you that email, that email was saying that hey, these guys with the orange cards, you, you need to ensure high visibility, vigilance, ensure that these guys, you know, are alive and all of this…”

Important Timestamps & Segments

[01:00 – 08:09]: In-depth discussion of communication with staff, cellmate policy, and supervisory protocols for Epstein.
[09:40 – 13:54]: Detailed breakdown of staffing shifts for August 9–10, 2019, and clarification of who was responsible during crucial periods.
[06:00 – 07:00]: The Captain’s reflections on accountability, staff friction, and the challenges of maintaining vigilance with limited support.

Episode Tone & Style

The conversation retains a measured, serious, and sometimes weary tone—the Captain is both defensive and conscientious, careful not to overstep or blame colleagues, while the OIG investigator presses for clarity and accountability on procedural failures. Host Bobby Capucci facilitates a thorough, no-nonsense dissection of bureaucratic ambiguities and the human factors that may have contributed to one of the most disputed deaths in modern criminal justice history.

Additional Information

All related materials are available in the episode’s description box, including further reading on the MCC investigation and previous parts of this multipart series.

End of Summary

Transcript

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OIG Investigator (1:00)

What's up everyone? And welcome to another episode of the Epstein Chronicles. In this episode we're getting right back to the unnamed captain from MCC and his interview with the OIG investigators. Question. Sure. Then as far as conversations with redacted. Answer. Redacted. Was one of the lieutenants as far as again, speaking to as lieutenants as a forum, you know, hey, gotta make sure that you guys are doing it, you know, like that. But I know for a fact the only person that I spoke to that I pulled in my office was the shoe. Oh, I see. Was the shoe Lieutenant. Because they're in charge of that unit. So I disseminate the information and the guidance out to him and. And he's supposed to take that guidance and push it forward. Question for the unit. So he's in charge of the unit. So you went to the guy in charge of the unit and you said, hey, you're in charge of the unit. Make sure he's got a cellmate at all times. Yes. Question and he then is supposed to take that and anybody that works within the unit should know? Yes. Okay, what about these lieutenants though? Especially the ones that are acting and as like ops lieutenants and activities lieutenants. Answer okay, yeah, people like that. Should they have known during these shifts, specifically on the 9th and 10th, should they have known that Epstein was required to have a cellmate? Answer I believe so. Question okay. Answer but like again, I would have to go back through my emails, you know, because a lot of the communication that me and the lieutenants and had were through email. Because you can't catch them all on one shift. Question. Sure. Answer. You know, like catch them passing and coming. So I would put out guidance that way. Question. But as far as you, you said that everyone knew that he had an orange card and that he was high visibility inmate and therefore he was required to have a cellmate. So should that have been known through that? Answer. Yeah. Question and is there any excuse for any of them to say I didn't know? Answer I'm not going to put that on the lieutenant, you know, I'm not going to do that. Question. Okay. Answer I'm not going to be the guide to say whatever, whatever. Because I'm going to tell you what sir, to be real with you, it was so much going on through that time frame that I don't want to put my statement to something like that that could detrimentally harm one of these lieutenants. I'm not going to say that hey, I talk to right. Gets cut off on this day. I'm not going to do that. Question And I'm not saying about speaking. I'm just saying the fact that there was. And again you're saying that you don't recall specific conversations about the cellmate requirement aside from redacted. But the fact that if there was an orange card, is that something that just is common knowledge? If someone has an orange card, a lieutenant should know he's got an orange card, he needs a cellmate. Answer. Right. But then again also it was high visibility guys. What do you call that on G. Okay, so with the guidance I put out, I got to give you that email, that email was saying that hey, these guys with the orange cards, you, you need to ensure high visibility, vigilance, ensure that these guys, you know, are alive and all of this, you know, report any, you know, I went into detail with that. Okay, so maybe not. If it's an orange card, it doesn't necessarily mean then that they require a cellmate. They just gets cut off by the captain hire supervision. Okay so you just need to know what they're doing at all times and make sure what they're doing. Answer. Yeah. Question alright, so in this instance it wouldn't be necessarily cellmate. It would be everybody knows to keep an eye on Epstein, make sure that he's alright. So redacted is the only one that you can specifically recall. And again what you said. Answer. And then again When I went on evening watch, morning watch, those shifts, when I had to talk to the teams together, yeah, I would talk about vigilance after doing 30 minute rounds, making sure this is done, Making sure that is done. Question. Okay, answer. Making sure this guy, you know, that's what I did because that's what Redacted wanted. So I did that question. All right. And then again, just to make sure that I'm not misunderstanding you, you said you talked to Redacted specifically about, but when you did visit the shoe, not only were you telling them to keep high visibility on Epstein, were you also telling them, the people that you did interact with, that he needed to have a cellmate? Yes. Okay. On Friday, August 9th, or. Sorry, when is the last time can you recall that you had a conversation with Shustaff? I can't remember, sir. No problem. I don't remember because like I said, the guidance came out between the time of him being upon his release from suicide watch, from the last time to the time during the time he was doing the vetting for the cellmate. So, you know, it was a short period of time that this guidance and these conversations took place. And then the reinforcement was when he would walk through the unit and just do rounds. And then I'm like, hey, this is a high visibility guy. Why has this guy got trays in the cell and extra trades in his cell? Why is this guy got this? So then of course, you know, a lot of people at mcc, they didn't like me because I was trying to hold people accountable. But I didn't always write people up. That's how I did. I came up like that. I'm trying to help you. People thought me trying to just talk to them about correctional services or trying giving them little, you know, helping them out, talking to them, you know, that I was trying to be a know it all, be all, be that guy. You know, you're not sociable, but now you're down here telling us what to do. You're not one of those. That's the way it felt like. So like, again, I can give you the playbook to success, but if you don't read it, it's just words. It's just words. And then I had a lot of issues with the lieutenants. You know, lieutenants, you know, we're self serving. Even though in my previous statement, I would never say anything statement to hurt them, I'm not doing that. But what I'll tell you was that the relationship between me and the lieutenant corps was not good. So again, as we move forward through today. You know, the statements that I make is not to try to put blame or try to hurt anybody. The only thing I'm doing is telling you that when the warden gave me the directions, he said he wanted X, Y and Z and X, Y and Z. Not only did I talk to the staff, I also reinforced it by putting out emails because I know I can't catch everybody and I know that staff is going to blow you off. I mean, like, yeah, whatever. I'm glad to be in the unit. Let's go ahead and go back to whatever he was doing. It is what it is.