Summary5 min read

The Epstein Chronicles

Episode: Tova Noel And The Transcript From Her Congressional Testimony (Part 9)

Air Date: June 23, 2026
Host: Bobby Capucci

Episode Overview

In this episode, Bobby Capucci continues the deep dive into the congressional testimony of Tova Noel, a correctional officer on duty at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) the night Jeffrey Epstein died. The examination focuses on details from the testimony transcript, particularly surrounding unusual events during the 10pm inmate count, including mysterious video footage and speculation over unexplained movements within the Special Housing Unit (SHU). Capucci walks listeners through critical testimony and questioning, aiming to illuminate lingering questions about what truly happened the night Epstein died.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The 10pm Count and the “+1” Notation

[01:00 – 03:30]

Tova Noel describes standard procedures for inmate counts, explaining the use of "+1" to note an outcount (when an inmate is temporarily out of their cell).
Noel isn’t certain if she wrote the "+1" on the count slip, confirming she doesn’t remember exactly who did.
The count was delayed because someone (Reyes) failed to return, requiring control to call Noel for clarification.

“I wasn’t aware that Reyes was coming back… I guess that’s how they documented on the count slip.” — Tova Noel [01:20]

The CPAP Machine Cord

[03:31 – 03:55]

Short affirmation that Epstein could have accessed a CPAP machine cord, which was reportedly outside his cell, possibly introducing a variable in theories about his death.

“Epstein could have grabbed that cord, which was out in the hallway and snaked it into his own cell. Is that right?”
“Correct.” — Testimony exchange [03:45]

CBS News Article & Flash of Orange in Video Footage

[03:56 – 10:52]

Attention shifts to Minority Exhibit B—an article analyzing video footage the night of Epstein’s death.
Both FBI and IG charts review a “flash of orange” moving up L tier stairs at 10:39pm.
The “orange” could be an inmate, linen, or purely an artifact in the blurry footage.
Noel testifies that after her 10pm count, she did not return to L tier, never distributed orange linen or clothing, and did not carry anything up the stairs.

“Everything in the shoe is orange. Like linen, clothes, shoes, everything’s orange. I never distributed linen the entire time I worked at MCC to any inmate at all.”
— Tova Noel [05:40]

Repeated pressing on whether the movement could have been her; Noel maintains it was not, adding she was not present in that area after the count and that inmates were all locked in.

“Is it possible that that 10:39 movement is part of you doing the count?”
“No, because I didn’t go back up the stairs… I don’t know what the shadow could have been.”
— Tova Noel [07:20, 08:30]

Staffing, Overtime, and Officer Roles

[10:52 – 12:54]

Noel was assigned the midnight-8am shift at the last minute due to a personal engagement, which was not her usual post.
Extended discussion on mandatory overtime, compensation, and her GS5 salary classification.
Clarifies that Officer Thomas, a “materials handler,” oversaw laundry but she herself was never responsible for linen distribution.

“You mentioned that you had a personal engagement… and it was because of that that you had a shift on August 10th. Is that correct?”
“Correct.” — Congressional examiner and Tova Noel [11:36]

Revisiting the Flash of Orange – Congressional Follow-Up

[12:54 – 17:20]

Extensive re-examination of the video footage showing the “flash of orange.”
Noel confirms having watched the video multiple times, reiterating that due to poor visual quality, she cannot say what or who it is—but insists it was not her.
She explains that inmates could not have exited their cells, and Officer Bonhomme (her colleague) was asleep.
Only correctional officers could have distributed linen, but Noel would have needed to let any such person in, and she did not.
The possibility of a supervisor being the person is dismissed, as Noel would have seen them enter.

“It just looks like a shadow of orange. I never said a person nor somebody carrying. You can’t see anything other than the shadow of orange.”
— Tova Noel [16:30]

“Any individual that would have been transporting the linen to Epstein’s cell would have been in the shoe, correct?”
“Correct. And to get into the shoe, I would have had to let them in.” — [17:03]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the investigation’s uncertainty:
“That leaves a little bit of a conundrum. Is it possible that it was you?”
“No… I didn’t go back up the stairs. I don’t know what the image illusion is…” — [08:11]
On the mysterious footage:
“I watched it numerous times, and I don’t know what it could have been. Only thing I can tell you, rest assured, it wasn’t me.” — Tova Noel [16:10]
On protocols and procedures:
“If I’m in the bathroom and I’m closed, I can’t see it. If I just walk to the door, like where we stick the slip, then I can see the [L tier]…” — Tova Noel [14:07]

Timestamps for Important Segments

[01:00] — Episode content begins: discussion of the 10pm count
[03:31] — Clarification of the CPAP machine cord’s accessibility
[03:56] — Examination of video footage and “flash of orange”
[05:40] — Noel’s statements on orange linens and inmate movement
[08:11] — Congressional question about identity of “flash of orange”
[10:52] — Shift schedule, overtime, and staff roles discussion
[12:54] — Further questioning about the video and vision lines
[14:07] — Noel clarifies what she could see from her location
[16:10] — Closing remarks on the inconclusive nature of the footage
[17:20] — Episode wraps up; host signals continuation next episode

Episode Tone and Style

The dialogue is meticulous, at times repetitive, reflecting the careful approach demanded by congressional investigations. Noel is deliberate, sometimes unsure, consistent in denying responsibility for the mysterious movement in the video. Capucci presents the testimony straightforwardly, with focus on transparency and accountability—a tone that matches the podcast’s stated mission to leave "no stone unturned."

For listeners and readers:
This episode provides a granular look at the uncertainties and procedural questions that complicated the investigation around Epstein’s death. The heart of this segment revolves around what seems like minor details—count slips, video footage ambiguities, staff assignments—that ultimately represent the bigger unanswered questions in the case.

Next episode will continue dissecting this testimony, as Capucci and the congressional transcript probe persistently for clarity amidst circumstantial evidence.

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Transcript34 lines

[00:01]
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[01:00]
Epstein Chronicles Interviewer
What's up everyone and welcome to another episode of the Epstein Chronicles. In this episode we're going to pick up where he left off with the Tova Noel interview with Congress. Question thank you. And the 10pm Count slip, I think said 73 plus one. Do you have any knowledge of why it said that? Answer. So to the best of my recollection, just like I said earlier, I wasn't aware that Reyes was coming back. I know like when somebody leaves they're supposed to be on an outcount and I guess that's how they documented on the count slip. So if you're on the count and you're putting plus one indicating that there's an outcount, but for some reason that night, I think at some point in time the count couldn't clear because he didn't come back. So they had to Control had to call me to tell me the count to have the count clear. Question do you recall whether or not it was actually you who wrote the plus one? Because there's a question that it might have been down in control. Answer yeah, I'm not. I. I can't remember. Question okay, a quick note on the CPAP machine. Am I saying that right? Answer yeah. Question I think I heard you mention, but I just wanted to confirm the best that you can recall, Epstein could have grabbed that cord, which was out in the hallway and snaked it into his own cell. Is that right? Answer Correct. Question okay, I've got One more before we break for this round. And I'm going to introduce Minority exhibit B. This is an article. You do not have to read the whole article. Maybe just scanning the second page and the third page might be helpful for the court reporter. This is the CBS News article titled who entered Epstein's jail tier the night of his death. And the article is dated February 6, 2026. And I'm just going to. Whenever you're ready. Bring your attention to the second and third pages of the article. Answer. Okay, question. So there's a chart here you can see on the second page. It's called FBI Analysis of Video Footage. That's the FBI trying to figure out based on that one recording, shoe camera, kind of what happened when and. And who was going where. You can see at 10:39, it's highlighted here that quote, a flash of orange. I think that's probably supposed to be of orange. Looks to be going up the L tier stairs. Could possibly be an inmate escorted up that tier. And then if you flip to the next page, there's another chart. And this is where the IG did their best to figure it out. And again for 1039, here it says, a flash of orange can be seen going up the stairs of eltir. Inmates are currently on lockdown. It's possible someone's carrying inmate linen or bedding up the stairs. Both agencies agree that the two minutes before, two minutes after, it seems like somebody is moving around the shoe. We took a look at the video ourselves. It's hard to make out. It's blurry. But from our point of view, it seems likely that this was part of your movements around the time of 10pm Count. It seems possible to us that. That the orange may be just you carrying something up the stairs to L tier. From your point of view, do you know whether that was you at the 10:39 marker going up to L tier? So after I would have conducted the 10pm count where I started on that first tier. Like, if you watch the video, I'm going the opposite way. And I ended at the left tier. I never went back up to L tier after that. Again, I never distributed anything orange, whether linen or clothing. Everything in the shoe also is orange. Like linen, clothes, shoes, everything's orange. I never distributed linen the entire time I worked at MCC to any inmate at all. And I never went back up the tier, nor did I carry anything up the tier, nor did I enter the tier after the time that I did the count. Question. Is it possible that that 1039 movement is part of you doing the count. But I started there first. Question and what do you mean by started where? Answer so like L, the double tears and then going to the next one in the middle and then going to the other one. I started on L, working my way this way. So I think to the best of my recollection, this would have been after, because on the video I was walking like towards the door. It looked like I walked towards off camera. And then you see whatever that orange is, there was nobody out in the shoe, There was nobody carrying anything. And I never went back after. I would have did that 10 o' clock where you saw me. I never went back to the tier until the morning when it was time for breakfast. Question it sounds like, and we also, it sounds like you've seen that video as well. Is that right? Answer Correct. Question Are you as close to 100% confident as you can be that the 1039 flash of orange is not you? Answer yeah, I don't know what it is, to be honest. To be very honest, I don't know what it is, who it is, because I never went back to the tier and I was never carrying anything orange at all. And I never issued anything orange to anyone in the shoe, not just only Epstein, just anyone. Question Is it right, and I think you had said at this point in the night, all the inmates in the shoe are locked in, Is that correct? Answer Correct. Question and do you have any memory of anybody somehow leaving their cell for any reason in terms of inmates? Yeah. No. They can't get out. And from our understanding, from the IG report and testimony of not just you, but also your colleagues, was that at this point in the night your two colleagues would have been sleeping, is that right? It would have been just one question, just one. It would have been because this was 10:30, so it would have been just me and Bonhomme. Question Got it. And Bonhomme, I think has been established in the reports, was asleep. Answer Correct. So is it from your point of view, is there anybody left that could have been other than you? No, it wasn't me. Question well, that leaves a little bit of a conundrum. Is it possible that it was you? Answer no, because I didn't go back up the stairs. You see me, you see me walking off and going this way and then you see that, but I don't know what that is. And like I said before, I never carried. I didn't go back up the stairs. And you can in that video, it's hard to tell. It's very hard to tell it because you really see like remember his, his is up. You just like see a a shadow. I don't know what the shadow could have been. In fact, I want to say that I don't know what it is because I never issued linen or anything at all. Question Is it right? It sounds like I hear from you that the person moving around at 10:38, the minute before and like two minutes after 10:41, that is you. Is that right? Answer Correct Question okay, is it right then that as you sit here today some other person going up LTR basically at the exact same time you're moving around, you would have noticed that I would think. Answer Correct Question and you did not see anyone go up LTR Answer no Question so it kind of feels like either it's you or nobody at all. It's some kind of weird image illusion. Answer I don't know what the image illusion and Epstein cell the cell block was never opened after I closed that gate. That when I went after 10 doing that count, nobody went up there nor was his door open or the slot or anything. No one went up there. Question okay, we can go off the record and then that'll do it for this round. Thank you. Questions Back now to Ms. Fairbend. Question I'd like to start by asking you a few follow ups from topics that we covered in the last two hours. You mentioned that you had a personal engagement and it was that came up on August 9th and it was because of that that you had a shift on August 10th. Is that correct? Answer Correct. Question So you typically did not have shifts from 12am midnight and until 8am correct. Why was it it was because of a personal engagement. Right. That I couldn't do the 8 to 4 and then the 4 to 12 question so just to be clear, you weren't originally assigned to shift on the morning of August 10th. I wasn't assigned the shift from the midnight to 8pm in the morning. Yes, I was originally o originally no. I got called in and I was mandated on the 9th. Question okay, and we also mentioned the mandated overtime hours that you had to work. Was there special overtime pay that was included in that? Answer so it was. I don't remember if it was time and a half or it was just 16 hours but the pay would be more because there's overtime. Question okay, and you don't remember if it was time and a half? Answer no, I don't remember how they do it. Question okay, were you paid a salary or was it an hourly rate Answer Salary. Question. Okay. And you said, I think the first hour that you don't remember what your salary was. Answer. Yeah, no. So I was GS5. So like, if I Google what GS5 would have the base pay been, but I don't remember. Question. Okay, thank you. You also mentioned, I think in the last hour that Officer Thomas was, quote, materials handler. Correct. Question. What does that mean? So he's not like a regular correctional officer. He works like downstairs, I don't know, handling, for example, when the inmates go down to do laundry. Like he oversees like stuff like that. But as far as like what his main duties are, I don't know. Question. So he would be responsible for laundry? Answer. Like overseeing the inmates that's doing like laundry and other stuff. I'm not sure like exactly what. Question. Okay. And you weren't a materials handler. Answer. No. Question. So I think you mentioned that you were never responsible for overseeing laundry. Is that correct? Answer. Correct question. Okay. I know the minority touched on it as well, the flash of orange that was seen in the video. But I'd like to ask you some follow ups about that.
[10:52]
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[12:54]
Epstein Chronicles Interviewer
Question Just to be clear, have you seen the video that we're referencing? And Answer yes. Question okay, and you said that what you saw was moving about the shoe Station at 1038? Answer correct. Question Was that the time that you conducted the 10pm institutional count? Answer so as far as I remember from the video, I conducted the count. I was done and I went back to the desk like maybe, I don't know how many minutes in between. Then you see me walking off going this way. But the video, you can't see, it cuts off. Question okay, so it should have been like minutes apart. Okay. Do you remember where you were walking to? So the only direct, the only thing that's that way is the door in the bathroom. Do you remember going to the bathroom at 10:30? I don't recall. Do you think that would have been something that you would have done? I don't recall. It could have been when I was done. You stick the count slip in the sally port. I could have walked there to stick the count slip. So I'm not sure exactly, like what's the reason that I walk that way? Question so it seems like you were not let me back up. Were you at your station at 10:39pm when the flash of orange could be seen going up the stairs? Answer no, I was off the camera that way. Question could you have seen the L tears from where you were at? Answer from the door, if I'm like, like I said, I, I don't remember what I'm doing. If I'm in the bathroom and I'm closed, I can't see it. If I just walk to the door, like where we stick the slip, then I can see the altar. Question so the best of your recollection, you don't recall whether you could see LTR stairs or not? Answer I could see the LTR stairs If I'm standing by the door, but because I don't know where I went. Okay. Question so you didn't see in person any sort of flash of orange going up the lstairs? Answer no. Question and you said that you never distributed any linen. Is that correct? Answer Correct. Question and it's also your testimony that it was not you going up the ltr stairs. Answer Correct. Question okay, do you have any thoughts or opinions as to what or who could have been in the video? Answer no. I watched it numerous times, and I don't know what it could have been. Only thing I could tell you, rest assured, it wasn't me. Question do you think that somebody that was not you or the other OC could have been in the shoe at that time? Answer it would have been Bonhami at that time, me and Bonhomme. Question could it have been Officer Bonhomme that was walking up the stairs? Answer he was sleeping. Question Is it possible it could have been one of your supervisors from downstairs going up to the shoe? I would have had to let them in, so I would have known if that was a supervisor coming in. Question okay, so let me back up. It seems like in the video it looks like a person carrying something or walking someone up. Answer I don't know what it looks like. It looks like, literally, the quality's poor. It just looks like a shadow of orange. I never said a person nor somebody carrying. You can't see anything other than the shadow of orange. And you've said that you've seen this video numerous times and. Answer yes. Question what do you think it is? Answer I don't have a clue. I think it's a poor video and I don't know what it is. Question okay, was the orange that you saw in the video that we've all seen in the video, is that a similar shade of orange to the inmate bedding or linens? Answer I can't. The quality is poor. Like, it looks like the light. Like there's some type of, like, light within the orange. Question Was there anyone else that could have or was in charge of issuing linens that was not Officer Bonhomme? Answer I mean, every correctional officer can issue linens, Emmer. But for the record, any individual that would have been transporting the linen to Epstein Cell would have been in the shoe, correct? Answer Correct. And to get into the shoe, I would have had to let them in. Question when you say let them in, do you physically open the door? Answer so the first door control pops the first door. The second door, somebody on the inside would have to let them in. Question okay, and you don't recall letting anybody in? Answer no, I did not let anybody in. All right, everybody, we're gonna wrap this episode up right here. And then 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.
[17:21]
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[18:04]
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[18:05]
Epstein Chronicles Interviewer
Come out, come out, wherever you are.
[18:07]
Lady Luck
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[18:08]
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[18:12]
Epstein Chronicles Interviewer
Did this parking lot have a waterfall?
[18:15]
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[18:17]
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