Tova Noel And The Transcript From Her Congressional Testimony (Part 8) (6/22/26) - The Epstein Chronicles

Summary5 min read

The Epstein Chronicles – Episode Summary
Episode Title: Tova Noel And The Transcript From Her Congressional Testimony (Part 8)
Host: Bobby Capucci
Date: June 22, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Bobby Capucci explores the Congressional testimony of Tova Noel, one of the correctional officers on duty the night Jeffrey Epstein died. The focus is on the operational details inside the Special Housing Unit (SHU) at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC), covering inmate movements, protocols, Epstein’s activities, and the broader context of his time in custody. This episode continues the deep dive into primary sources and firsthand accounts to piece together the real story behind this controversial chapter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Inmate Movements in the SHU

Timestamp: 01:04 – 03:50

Several inmates departed the SHU the day of Epstein’s death: Fernandez (3:15 PM, for a dry cell), Hemingway (6:34 PM), Reed (few minutes later), Felix and Williams (8:21 PM, for suicide watch), and Garcia Pena (arriving at 8:30 PM).
Tova Noel: “To be honest, I don’t recall these two inmates leaving.” (01:33)
Noel states she was present in the SHU for her entire shift unless she left for the bathroom on 10 South.

2. Epstein’s Activities and Cell Conditions

Timestamp: 03:52 – 07:18

Epstein spent most of the day out of the SHU with his lawyers.
Epstein Alone: At night, Epstein was the only inmate alone in his cell; all others had cellmates.
- “To the best of my recollection, I think everybody had one except Epstein.” (10:40)
Noel notes this was not seen as suspicious due to frequent population changes.

3. Protocols for Counts and Phone Calls

4 PM Count:

Noel's signature was on the 4 PM count slip, but she claims she did not conduct it and cannot recall if the other two officers did.
Quote: “I didn’t conduct the 4 pm count.” (04:08)

Epstein’s Unmonitored Phone Call (around 7 PM):

Officer Bullock escorted Epstein to the shower area, provided a phone, and left Epstein unsupervised for an unmonitored call.
Noel took the phone when time was up but did not overhear the call.
This setup was not out of the ordinary for her, as inmates were sometimes put in the shower area for phone calls.
Quote: “Bullock placed him in the shower, plugged in the phone and gave it to him… He called, I answered the phone, and he said, take the phone from Epstein because his time is up.” (05:10)
Epstein was left in the shower area approximately 10 minutes after the call ended due to the presence of orderlies.

4. Special Accommodation for Epstein’s Meals

Timestamp: 08:55 – 09:45

Epstein received “common fare” (prepackaged kosher meals) while other inmates ate regular prepared food.
Noel and another officer delivered Epstein’s warmed meal once he returned from the phone call.
Quote: “He eats what we called common fare. Because he's kosher.” (09:15)
Epstein was polite and thanked Noel for the meal.

5. Security Protocols and Staffing

Timestamp: 09:45 – 11:00

It’s supposed to be standard that two guards accompany meal delivery into the SHU.
Not all cells always had two inmates; solo occupancy was not automatically suspicious.

6. The 10 PM Count Controversy

Timestamp: 13:00 – 15:50

The Inspector General’s (IG) report questioned whether the 10 PM count was performed as required.
Noel acknowledges conducting the 10 PM count “improperly,” as she did it by herself.
She filled out a count slip, recounts the process, and notes that Epstein slept on the floor rather than his bed.
She clarifies that the official timing of counts was flexible due to coordination with control and building-wide procedure.
Quote: “From my point of view, sitting here today, I conducted the 10 pm count improperly because it was done by myself.” (14:15)

7. Protocols for Inmate Transfers to the SHU

Timestamp: 11:00 – 12:40

The arrival of inmate Garcia Pena into the SHU was due to a tobacco-related infraction—common for disciplinary transfers.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the SHU environment:
“To be honest, I don’t recall these two inmates leaving.”
—Tova Noel (01:33)
On Epstein’s solitary cell:
“To the best of my recollection, I think everybody had one except Epstein.”
—Tova Noel (10:40); hostess: “Meaning everybody had a cellmate?” Noel: “Correct... Epstein was the only person alone in his cell in the entire SHU that night.”
On the 10 PM count:
“From my point of view, sitting here today, I conducted the 10 pm count improperly because it was done by myself.”
—Tova Noel (14:15)
On phone call protocol:
“Bullock placed him in the shower, plugged in the phone and gave it to him… He didn’t say anything to any of us, and he left after a long while. He called, I answered the phone, and he said, take the phone from Epstein because his time is up.”
—Tova Noel (05:10)

Important Timestamps

01:04 – Initial discussion of inmate traffic in/out of SHU
03:52 – Description of Epstein’s time outside SHU and cellmate status
04:08 – 4 PM count procedure and lack of recollection
05:10 – Epstein’s unmonitored phone call and shower procedure
08:55 – Feeding Epstein his kosher meal
10:40 – Epstein as the only inmate alone in a cell
11:00 – Context on Garcia Pena’s arrival and disciplinary infractions
13:00–15:50 – The 10 PM count, how it was performed, and procedural ambiguity

Tone & Approach

Bobby Capucci’s tone remains critical and persistent, focusing on clarity, transparency, and direct testimony, often pressing for specifics and putting testimony under a microscope. The approach is no-nonsense, thorough, and skeptical of official narratives.

Summary Use:
This episode offers critical firsthand context about Epstein’s environment, correctional operations, and breakdowns in protocol, emphasizing gaps in memory and procedure that fuel ongoing debate and suspicion. With meticulous questioning and detailed testimony, it lifts the veil on the chaotic, sometimes haphazard, operation of the SHU in Epstein’s final days.

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Transcript9 lines

[00:01]
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[00:30]
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[01:00]
Podcast Host or Interviewer
What's up everyone? And welcome to another episode of the Epstein Chronicles. In this episode, we're going to pick up where we left off with the Tova Noel interview with Congress. Question okay, some of these other inmates coming and going at 3:15, inmate Fernandez left the Shoe for a dry cell in RA. That's 45 minutes before you arrived. Did anybody mention that to you at the time? Answer no question. And then during your shift there were a few more departures. So somebody named Hemingway departs at 6:34pm and then a few minutes later, an inmate named Reed also leaves. Those are both in your first two to three hours of work. Do you recall anybody mentioning or I guess would you have seen Hemingway or Reed leave the Shoe? To be honest, I don't recall these two inmates leaving. Got it. Would that likely be. Would you physically be in the Shoe essentially during your entire shift? I would be in the shoe my entire shift unless I went to the bathroom on 10 South. Understand? And so I guess is it the likeliest scenario is these guys leave. But you don't necessarily recall sitting here today that happening? Answer Correct question. Okay. And then at 8:21pm Felix and Williams leave for suicide watch. And you just described before what suicide watch was. Do you recall those two inmates leaving? Answer I don't. Question okay. And around 8:30am an inmate named Garcia Pena moved into the Shoe. That's the only inmate we're aware of coming into the SHU that day. Do you have any recollection of Mr. Garcia Pena arriving? Answer no question okay, so it ends up being, I think, a total of six inmates leaving, one arriving that day, you don't really have any recollection, gets cut off by Noel of any of that? No Question. Okay. Is it right that as far as you remember, Mr. Epstein was out of the shoe most of the day with his lawyers? Answer. Correct question. Okay, so you started your first shift at 4pm and. And right away it would have been time for the 4pm Count, is that right? Answer. Correct question. That count slip, I think, was signed by yourself and the evening watch officer in charge. There was some question about whether or not that count happened sitting here today. To the best of your recollection, did you or your colleagues conduct the 4pm Count? I didn't conduct the 4pm count. Since there was a total of three of you, do you know whether the other two guards conducted the 4pm count? I don't recall. Okay. I think your signature was on the 4pm Count slip, though. Is that correct, as far as you know? I think so. With respect to Mr. Epstein's phone call, which we understand to be sometime around 7:00pm Mr. Epstein, this is our best understanding. And then I'll ask you answer. Okay. Question our understanding. Mr. Epstein was escorted to the shoe shower area. So that gets cut off by Noel. Correct. Question. So that he can make a phone call. The phone call was not monitored or recorded, and Mr. Epstein was left alone for the conversation. Do you have any knowledge of that personally? Answer yes. Question. Okay, what's your recollection of that? Answer. Mr. Epstein came into the shoe with Bullock. Bullock placed him in the shower, plugged in the phone and gave it to him. He didn't say anything to any of us, and he left after a long while. He called, I answered the phone, and he said, take the phone from Epstein because his time is up. I went to the shower cell and I told him that his time was up, and I took the phone from Mr. Epstein. Quick question. And the he is Bullock. Answer. Bullet. Correct. Redacted. Okay. Did you. Would you have been able to overhear any of the conversations from wherever you were sitting at the time? Answer no. Question. Did you overhear any conversation when you came in to take the phone from Epstein? Answer no Question. Did Epstein. Well, let's do this. What did you say to Mr. Epstein when he entered the shower area? That Bullock told me to take the phone from him because their time was up, and he told me, okay, and he told the person, bye. And that's it as far as you remember? Correct. It sounds like Epstein was on a line that's supposed to be for calls with lawyers, which this was Not. Were you familiar at the time with how inmate phone calls were normally supposed to work at the mcc? Not in the Shoe? I'm not familiar. If you remember, did you have a sense at the time that this was an unusual setup for an inmate's phone call? No. Question. It didn't look out of the ordinary to you? No. Because the jacks don't work, so you have to put them where the jack is working. But I learned that after it was unmonitored. As far as what's monitored and what's not monitored, I don't know. Question. Do you recall in your time in the Shoe seeing Bullock or anybody at Bullock's level, I guess anybody from MCC staff putting an inmate in that shower area for a phone call? Answer yes. Question. Okay, can you estimate maybe roughly how many times? Answer I can't. Maybe two. Question and if you can recall, would that have occurred with an inmate other than Epstein? Answer Yes. Okay. So it did not strike you as something unprecedented that you had never seen before? No. Question. You also mentioned to the IG that you fed Epstein dinner sometime after his phone call, after he went back to his cell. Is that right? Correct. Do you recall roughly what time that would have been? I don't have a time. Would it have been before or after the 10pm Count? Answer. It would have been before. Question. Okay, and roughly what time would he have gone back to his cell from the phone call? I guess 7:15 or 7:30. Answer. Or about eight. After eight. Question. Got it. Okay. Answer. Because after the phone was taken from him, he wasn't moved right away. He was left in the. In there, in the shower. Because you can't move an inmate when order leads are out because they can't cross each other. So he wasn't moved right away. He was left in there. And then I went to the bathroom, and when I came back, he was moved. He was in his cell. Question. Could you estimate to the best of your recollection how long he would have been left in the shower area after the phone was taken from him? Answer about 10 minutes. Question and it sounds like there were orderlies out and about doing work at the time? Answer. Correct. Question. Was this normal that the orderlies sort of every night in the shoe would be out doing work, or did that change from day to day? It would change. Okay. Just on the particular day they were out? Correct. Okay. With respect to feeding Mr. Epstein dinner, was that at the same time that you fed everybody in the shoe? No. Question. Okay, it was. Specifically, Mr. Epstein, correct. Was that just because that's when he got back from the phone call. Because feeding would have been at four, when I come onto my shift, where everybody eats from downstairs. Epstein doesn't eat from downstairs. He eats what we called common fare. Because he's kosher. Question. Got it. So he's getting food from a different source because of a kosher restriction? Answer yeah, so the inmates get like. Like prepared, cooked food. He's like a prepackaged. Like you warm it in the microwave and you give it to him. Question. And would he typically have his dinner? What time does everybody else have dinner? Answer at four. After four. Question okay. And his would typically be later because he's not getting back from the conference room. Correct. Question can you recall other inmates that got their meals from a similar kind of prepackaged arrangement, whether it's kosher or some other restriction? Was that common or uncommon? Answer in the shoe. Nobody else had that. Only Epstein, that I can recall. And what can you recall about your interaction, if there was one with Epstein? When you brought him his dinner, did he say anything to you? No. There's a food slot in the door. So Davis put the food in the microwave. And then Davis had the grill key. So he opened the grill and I, like, opened the food slot and I gave it to him and he took it and he said, thank you, and I closed the food slot back. Question. Got it. So two people traveled to bring a meal to a cell. Answer. Right. Because every time it's always going to be two in the shoe because somebody has to open the grill. Question. So is it right that anytime a guard goes into a tear in the shoe, there have to be two guards? Answer. Supposed to. Question. Supposed to be. Answer. Correct Question. Okay, all right. I know I mentioned the one inmate that arrived into the shoe. Garcia, Pena, I think you said it. But you have no recollection or knowledge of him as an inmate or his arrival. Is that correct? Answer. Correct Question okay. And we found a document somewhere that suggested his transfer into the shoe had to do with a tobacco related infraction. Would that be something that you had seen before? The type of thing that would land an inmate in the shoe? Answer. Correct Question this is to be the best of your memory. Were any of the cells in the shoe? How about just an altier, if you can recall. Empty that night? Or in the whole shoe, did every cell have at least one inmate in it? To the best of my recollection, I think everybody had one except Epstein. Can you say that one more time for me? To the best of my recollection I think everybody had one except Epstein. Meaning everybody had a cellmate. Correct to the best of your Epstein was the only person alone in his cell in the entire shoe that night. Answer to the best of my recollection? Yes.
[11:14]
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[11:38]
Podcast Host or Interviewer
Visita to Lois Mastercano
[11:43]
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[12:14]
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[12:37]
Podcast Host or Interviewer
los muntokon pisita to Lois Mastercano. Question and you have no recollection of any of your colleagues or yourself having any kind of conversation? Because that would look even more out of the ordinary that there's only one inmate alone and it's Epstein. There was no conversation about that answer. No, if it wasn't Epstein and it was another inmate alone. It's not uncommon, though, if they're alone because people leave all the time to go to general pop or if people get released so the one inmate is not like suspicious. Like if I saw one person in a cell and it just happened to be him, but it wouldn't have raised suspicion. Just to be clear and question, and I'm just thinking out loud, but if six people left the shoe that day, is it possible that not every cell had? Because you would never have a cell with three inmates in the shoe. Right answer, Right question. So is it possible that there may have been some other cells somewhere in the shoe gets cut off by Tova? Noel probably they didn't have one, but I can't recall who or if at this present time. Question I understand with respect to the 10pm Count, there's some question in the IG report about the extent to which you or your colleagues conducted that count. We know that there were movements around the time and some debate about whether that is officially part of the count or not. Uh huh. From your point of view, sitting here today, did you conduct that 10pm count? From my point of view, sitting here today, I conducted the 10pm count improperly because it was done by myself. What do you recall? Can you describe your recollection of conducting that 10pm count for us? What do you remember about what you did and around when you did it? I entered every tier and, and counted the inmates. Epstein doesn't sleep on his bed, he sleeps on the floor. He puts the mattress on the floor. So when you're conducting a count, you look in the window of each tier and you count. And I went up and down every tier and I counted by myself. Question and did you fill out a count slip? Answer yeah. Question and there was some mention in the IG report that all may have occurred, you know, around 10:30 after the official account had been cleared. The 10:00pm count by control. Is that possible from your point of view? Answer about the consulate. Question yeah, that your counting may have occurred maybe around 10:30 when the control, central control had already cleared the paperwork. Oh, that I don't know. Noel. Just to clarify, the starting count time is 10, but you're not. It's an institutional count. So on the other units, they're waiting for internal to come and count with them. So the count would never be cleared, like directly at 10, because you're going through the whole building, going to each unit for everybody to count, and you're waiting on them. So the count, the count time is at 10, but you're not necessarily. So you're in the vicinity of after 10 counting. It could be 10 15, it could be 10 30. And then after the whole building has counted, then they would have to clear the count. I don't know anything about them clearing the count before. Before I counted. All right, folks, we're gonna wrap up this episode right here. And in the next episode dealing with the topic, we're gonna pick up where we left off, all the information that goes with this episode. Can be found in the Description box.
[15:58]
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