Epstein's 2019 Bail Denied After Second Appeal — August 2019
After a second bail hearing, Judge Richard Berman orders Jeffrey Epstein detained without bail pending trial, rejecting Epstein's offer to be confined to his Manhattan townhouse under armed guard at his own expense. The judge cites the weight of the evidence, the degree of danger Epstein poses, and his ability to flee as reasons for detention. Epstein would die in custody five days later.
People Involved
On August 5, 2019, U.S. District Judge Richard Berman issued a written decision denying Jeffrey Epstein bail for the second and final time, ordering him held without bail pending his sex trafficking trial.
The Bail Hearing
At the second hearing, Epstein’s defense attorneys proposed an extraordinary bail package — house arrest at his Manhattan townhouse, 24-hour private armed guards paid at his own expense, ankle monitoring, and surrender of his passports. They argued the package would ensure he appeared for trial.
The Government’s Opposition
Prosecutors argued that Epstein was an obstructionist and a flight risk of the highest order. They noted his private aircraft, his multi-country property holdings, his Austrian passport with a false name, and his $577 million estate — all of which gave him the means and motivation to flee. They also argued the charges were extremely serious and the evidence was substantial.
Judge Berman’s Decision
Judge Berman sided with prosecutors. The written opinion detailed his reasons: the strength of the evidence, the seriousness of the offenses, Epstein’s documented history of evading sex offender registration requirements, the substantial flight risk posed by his resources and foreign ties, and the danger he posed to potential witnesses.
Five Days Until Death
Epstein was returned to the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in lower Manhattan following the denial. He died there on August 10, 2019 — just five days after the bail denial.
Significance
The bail denial was consequential both procedurally and in terms of what it prevented — Epstein’s death in custody came less than a week after the final denial, ending the possibility of trial testimony from the principal defendant.