COVID-19 live updates: Israel approves fourth vaccine dose

COVID-19 live updates: Israel approves fourth vaccine dose
COVID-19 live updates: Israel approves fourth vaccine dose
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.4 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 826,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering.

About 62% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Jan 03, 3:28 am
South Korea reports first 2 omicron deaths

South Korea on Monday reported the deaths of two patients in their 90s who tested positive for omicron.

Both were receiving treatment in Gwangju, about 200 miles south of Seoul, the semi-official Yonhap News Agency said.

South Korean health officials reported 111 new omicron cases on Monday, bringing its total to 1,318 omicron cases.

About 83% of South Korea’s population has been fully vaccinated, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. About 36% received a booster.

Jan 03, 2:17 am
Israel approves 4th vaccine dose for people 60 and over

Israel’s Ministry of Health approved a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine for health care workers and people over 60 years old, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said.

“Israel will once again be pioneering the global vaccination effort,” Bennett said at a press conference in Jerusalem. “Omicron is not Delta — it’s a different ball-game altogether.”

Fourth doses will be administered four months after booster shots, Bennett said.

ABC News’ Jordana Miller

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Police chief confident Capitol won’t see attack like Jan. 6 again

Police chief confident Capitol won’t see attack like Jan. 6 again
Police chief confident Capitol won’t see attack like Jan. 6 again
Samuel Corum/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) — One year after a mob of former President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the halls of Congress — sending lawmakers fleeing and leaving the building ransacked — the chief of the U.S. Capitol Police expressed confidence in an interview with ABC News that his force would be able to effectively prevent any similar kind of attack on the nation’s legislative branch from happening again.

“I believe we can, and I don’t say that as a challenge to anybody, ” Chief Tom Manger said in a new interview with ABC News Chief Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas. “But I do believe we can. I mean, one, when you look at what went wrong on [Jan. 6], we didn’t have enough people, there were training issues, equipment issues. You know, there were things that we — that with regard to intelligence that we probably should have addressed, but we didn’t.”

“Those issues have been addressed,” Manger said.

A bipartisan report on the Jan. 6 attack at the Capitol released by the Senate Homeland Security Committee in June showed there were widespread security failures on the part of the Capitol Police and law enforcement.

The intelligence division of the Capitol Police ​​”knew from online posts of a plot to breach the Capitol and posts that contained Capitol Complex maps of the tunnel systems, yet did not convey the full scope of known information to USCP leadership, rank-and-file officers or law enforcement partners,” the report found.

A comprehensive review of police officer body camera footage from the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol found roughly 1,000 instances of assault against members of law enforcement who were trying to protect the building, according to Department of Justice court filings. Approximately 140 officers suffered injuries as they battled for hours with the pro-Trump mob, and, according to Manger, some are still unable to return to regular duties.

While some officers were back the next day “even though they were hurting and they’ve worked every day since that,” Manger said, “We’ve had some officers that have been out because of their injuries. The healing process is happening, and we’re doing everything we can to provide assistance to these officers. What we had in place prior to Jan. 6 for employee wellness and employee assistance is minuscule compared to what we have in place today.”

Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, a Capitol Police officer who defended the Capitol on Jan. 6, recently tweeted a photo of injuries he said he sustained in the attack and repudiated those who have since sought to minimize the seriousness of the insurrection.

“To some, my efforts and injuries are just an exaggeration,” he tweeted along with a bruised foot and hand. “THEY did this to me. This why it matters to me and should matters to you.”

Manger said he is “concerned” about some of the lessons he feels people around the country seem to have taken away from the Jan. 6 attack.

“I think there’s a lot of folks that in our country, regrettably, in my opinion, that if they have disagreements with someone else, political disagreements or just disagreements about anything, that instead of having a civil conversation about something, if you disagree with me, then you’re my enemy,” Manger said. “And if you’re my enemy, I can hurt you. I mean this — I don’t know how this, this notion, you know, became so acceptable to so many people, but that that really is what concerns me the most.”

Manger, who was retired from a more than four-decade career in law enforcement at the time of the Capitol assault, told ABC News the department is still facing issues with its staffing levels despite what he called an “apparent” bump in recruitment interest from those like himself who watched the insurrection unfold.

“We’ve had no trouble recruiting people to join the Capital Police Department,” the chief said. “Of course, our challenge is to make sure we’re hiring the right people in terms of our staffing. We are right now probably at least 200 people down from where we were a couple of years ago, and we’re about 400 people down from where we should be.”

Assessing the current threats leading up to the one-year anniversary of Jan. 6, Manger told ABC News that he has seen no indication of any significant demonstrations that would be a cause for concern. However, he stressed that if that changes, Capitol Police are more than capable of quickly putting up the steel fencing around the complex to guard against any potential threats.

“I’m going to be very judicious about recommending that we put the fence up for anything,” Manger said. “There’s nothing that I’m hearing now that’s of concern. There’s a lot, of course, a lot of chatter about Jan. 6, but so far I’m not aware of any big demonstrations that are going to be here.”

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Puerto Rico’s COVID-19 positive rate jumps from 2% to over 30% in just two weeks

Puerto Rico’s COVID-19 positive rate jumps from 2% to over 30% in just two weeks
Puerto Rico’s COVID-19 positive rate jumps from 2% to over 30% in just two weeks
RICARDO ARDUENGO/AFP via Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Just two weeks ago, Puerto Rico had a COVID-19 test positivity rate of 2% — the lowest it had ever been, according to the island’s health department COVID-19 dashboard.

As of Monday, that rate (an indicator of community spread) jumped to 33%, an explosive increase that tracks with the emergence of the highly contagious omicron variant and has sparked concerns among the scientific community and health officials on the island.

“This is not the time to get together, “ said Puerto Rico’s Health Secretary Carlos Mellado in a press conference ahead of New Year’s Eve gatherings.

The rapid surge of cases comes after multiple events, concerts and holiday festivities had been held on the island. Many of these events required proof of vaccination to be able to attend.

“What happened was a perfect storm,” said the president of Puerto Rico’s Scientific Coalition Daniel Colón-Ramos. “We didn’t expect to happen this fast.”

The island has seen an uptick in hospitalizations as well.

“Hospitalization cases have increased considerably in just two days,” Secretary Mellado added in the press conference.

According to the health departments dashboard, current hospitalizations are over 400 and the total death toll is at 3,310.

Puerto Rico’s increase in COVID-19 cases is on par with the rest of the nation. Other U.S. jurisdictions like New York, Florida, New Jersey and Washington D.C. have also reported a spike in cases in the last weeks.

The island’s vaccination rate is 80% one of the highest in the U.S., but 26.8% have received booster shots — a key factor in battling the omicron variant. In other states like New York health officials are also trying to encourage citizens to get the booster shot as soon as possible.

The omicron variant in Puerto Rico account for 92% of the COVID-19 cases, according to the island’s health department.

After cases started to increase, Puerto Rico’s governor implemented new restrictions including limiting capacity in restaurants, bars and theaters, requiring domestic travelers a negative test within 48 hours and demanding international travelers proof of negative test 24 hours prior to arrival even when the person has been fully vaccinated. The island’s mask mandate implemented since the beginning of the pandemic remains in place.

The government recently announced that booster shots would be required for first responders, restaurant employees and public employees that work in the educational system.

According to scientist Mónica Feliú-Mójer from the organization Ciencia PR, which focuses on scientific education in the island, the case increase in Puerto Rico reported such a rapid increase in cases is attributable to several factors, including people’s behavior.

The combination of massive events, the holiday season and a highly transmissible variant sparked the spike in positivity rate in the island, experts say.

“The holidays are culturally very, very important and everyone thought this would be a different Christmas. People were eager to get together,” Feliú-Mójer told ABC News.

Amid the surge in cases, the island’s health department announced they will not follow the new CDC guidelines that shorten the isolation period for asymptomatic patients.

“We cannot wait to see what happens with the hospitalizations before decisions are made because our healthcare system is frail,” Colón-Ramos told ABC News.

Puerto Rico’s healthcare system is still recovering from the impact of Hurricane Maria, the 2020 earthquakes and the ongoing economic depression. Some municipalities still don’t have functional clinics.

The scientific community applauded the government’s decision to take into consideration the island’s context and to not implement the new CDC guidelines.

“We need to put all of the preventive measures front and be conservative,” Colón-Ramos said. “In Puerto Rico we need to bring the cases down, we cannot wait.”

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3 people still missing after devastating Colorado wildfire

3 people still missing after devastating Colorado wildfire
3 people still missing after devastating Colorado wildfire
GETTY/Bloomberg Creative

(COLORADO) — Three people are still missing after devastating Colorado wildfires destroyed hundreds of homes, authorities said.

Thousands of people were forced to evacuate in Boulder County on Thursday when high winds and dry conditions helped fuel two fast-spreading wildfires, the more destructive of the two being the Marshall Fire.

No casualties have been officially reported, though three people have been reported missing in the region of the Marshall Fire, Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said during a press briefing Saturday.

“I suspected we would have loss of life just based on the size of this fire, the speed and the ferocity,” Pelle said. “I think it’s miraculous that it is three and not 100 or hundreds. So I’m grateful for that, but I’m also extremely sorry for the families.”

Two people were reported missing in the town of Superior, while one person is missing in the Marshall area, Pelle said.

Their homes have been destroyed, and search and recovery efforts have been further impeded after 8 inches of snow fell on the structures, the sheriff said.

First responders plan to bring in cadaver dogs on Sunday to help find potential human remains in the homes, he said.

“We unfortunately believe these are going to turn into recovery efforts,” Pelle said.

The Marshall Fire has destroyed 991 total structures and damaged 127, based on preliminary assessments, authorities said. In the city of Louisville, 553 structures were destroyed and another 45 were damaged. In Superior, 332 structures were destroyed and another 60 were damaged.

Parts of Boulder County are still under evacuation due to “active hot spots, downed power lines and damaged trees at risk of falling,” according to the Boulder Office of Emergency Management.

Authorities are still working to determine the cause of the fires, which were first suspected to be sparked by downed power lines. The sheriff’s office executed a search warrant on a property based on a tip it recently received, said Pelle, who did not provide any further information on that case.

“We’re looking at any cause for the wildfire,” he said. “If it turns out to be arson, or reckless behavior with fire, we’ll take appropriate actions.”

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Off-duty NYPD officer shot while sleeping in car between shifts, authorities say

Off-duty NYPD officer shot while sleeping in car between shifts, authorities say
Off-duty NYPD officer shot while sleeping in car between shifts, authorities say
GETTY/Jack Berman

(NEW YORK) — An off-duty New York Police Department officer is in stable condition after he was struck in the head by a bullet while sleeping in his car between shifts, authorities said.

The officer was resting in his personal car, which was parked in the lot of a Manhattan police precinct, after finishing a late-night shift at a New Year’s Eve event in Central Park, according to NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell.

While reclined in the driver’s seat, a bullet came through the rear passenger window, striking him in the temple, according to NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig.

The officer awoke at 6:15 a.m. in pain to find his rear window shattered, according to Sewell. An on-duty officer rendered aid and the injured officer was transported to a nearby hospital, where he underwent surgery and had bullet fragments removed from his wound, the commissioner said.

The officer, who officials said is a seven-year veteran of the force and father of two, was not identified. He has a fractured skull but is expected to make a full recovery, officials said.

“We are grateful that our officer is recovering, as we know this could have been a very tragic outcome,” Sewell told reporters outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, where the office is recuperating. “I also truly believe this incident underscores that there are far too many guns out there in the wrong hands and too many people willing to fire those weapons, and that is something we intend to tackle head-on.”

Detectives don’t have a motive at this time, and it is unclear if the officer was the intended target, authorities said.

“It appears that the bullet was fired from a significant distance away,” Sewell said. “It’s hard to tell who the intended target was, if any.”

There is a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person who fired the gun, Essig said.

Newly-inaugurated New York City Mayor Eric Adams visited the officer in his hospital room on Saturday.

“I knew that this could have turned out differently,” Adams, a former New York City police captain, told reporters. “I know that a bullet, when it strikes an individual, it does not stop its path. It continues to rip apart the anatomy of a family and a community.”

He vowed to “aggressively” address gun violence in the city.

“That bullet could have struck any person or individual that was walking through the streets,” he said. “And I am clear on my mission to aggressively go after those who are carrying violent weapons in our city.”

ABC News’ Aaron Katersky contributed to this report.

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New Year’s Day brings weather threats, including tornadoes as Kentucky gov declares state of emergency

New Year’s Day brings weather threats, including tornadoes as Kentucky gov declares state of emergency
New Year’s Day brings weather threats, including tornadoes as Kentucky gov declares state of emergency
GETTY/Mike Hollingshead

(KENTUCKY) — A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Kentucky and Tennessee on Saturday, effective until 6 p.m. CT.

The tornado watch warning includes areas devestated by an outreak of tornadoes that left 93 dead across five states last month.

The severe weather system brought heavy rain, thunderstorms, tornadoes, hail and strong straight-line winds impacting much of Western, Eastern and South Central Kentucky, according to a press release issued by the governor’s office.

“The severe weather caused flash flooding, loss of power and damage of public infrastructure and private properties,” the governor’s office said in the release.

A total of between 2 to 5 inches of rain is expected to fall on Saturday, with a cold front arriving in the evening, which could complicate the response, according to the governor’s office.

At least one tornado has already been reported in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency Saturday due to severe weather across most of the state.

“A tornado touchdown was reported in Hopkinsville, causing severe damage to downtown businesses, and a possible tornado touchdown was reported in Taylor County, where numerous households have been damaged,” the governor’s office said.

Strong thunderstorms have been hitting parts of Kentucky Saturday morning, bringing a high risk of torrential rain and flash flooding.

“It is devastating that we are once again experiencing severe weather just weeks after the deadly tornadoes hit Western Kentucky. Sadly, some counties have been affected by both of these events,” Gov. Beshear said. “We will continue to monitor the weather and provide needed updates. Everyone be aware, stay safe and seek shelter when advised.”

Major flash flooding is ongoing in Pike County and surrounding areas of Kentucky as numerous flash flood warnings remain in place across southern parts of the state.

Flash flooding was also reported in Green, Barren, Taylor, Adair, Owsley, Breathitt and Casey counties resulting in road closures and water rescues, according to the governor’s office.

The threat of severe thunderstorms and possible tornadoes will increase in the next few hours, with possible damaging wind gusts and tornadoes in the watch area Saturday evening.

Kentucky Emergency Management activated the State Emergency Operations Center. Personnel from the Kentucky National Guard, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Kentucky State Police and Kentucky Department of Public Health are monitoring the situation, according to the governor’s office.

“Please give way to emergency responders operating in numerous counties and stay off of transportation routes today if at all possible,” Michael Dossett, director of Kentucky Emergency Management, said in the press release.

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As governor commutes trucker driver’s sentence, prosecutors vow to release new information from case

As governor commutes trucker driver’s sentence, prosecutors vow to release new information from case
As governor commutes trucker driver’s sentence, prosecutors vow to release new information from case
GETTY/Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post 

(DENVER) — Prosecutors who charged Rogel Aguilera-Mederos following a deadly crash vowed to release previously undisclosed information from the case to the public after Colorado Gov. Jared Polis granted the truck driver clemency on Thursday, commuting his 110-year sentence to 10 years.

“We look forward to sharing more information with our community that we were ethically prohibited from releasing while the case was pending,” Jefferson County District Attorney Alexis King, the prosecutor in the case, said in a statement on Thursday.

It is unclear when the DA will release the new information or what it would include. ABC News has reached out to King’s office, but a request for comment was not immediately returned.

Mederos was sentenced on Dec. 13 to 110 years in prison for a 2019 fatal crash on Interstate 70, outside Denver, that killed four people and injured several others — a sentence the judge said he wouldn’t have chosen if he had the discretion.

Aguilera-Mederos’ attorneys, Leonard Martinez and James Colgan said they were “surprised” by how fast Polis acted, adding that it is “unusual” for a governor to act on clemency before the appellate process takes place.

But now that Polis has acted, Colgan said they believe that the case is no longer in the jurisdiction of the courts or the DA’s office and King’s promise to release new information is a case of “sour grapes” and based on “political motivations.”

“It wouldn’t matter what she disclosed now,” Colgan told ABC News.

“I’m not aware of any law that allows [the DA’s office] to have jurisdiction over the case,” he added.

Asked what the new information may be, “I have no idea,” the attorneys both said.

Polis commuted Mederos’ sentence two weeks after his legal team applied for clemency and ahead of a scheduled hearing next month requested by King for the court to reconsider the sentence.

“After learning about the highly atypical and unjust sentence in your case, I am commuting your sentence to 10 years and granting you parole eligibility on December 30, 2026,” Polis wrote in a statement on Thursday.

Martinez said he was on the phone when Polis’ office called Mederos to inform him that his sentence was commuted.

“He was shocked … and he said he was very grateful,” Martinez said.

“Rogel is very grateful for all the support he’s gotten not only locally, but nationally. He’s humbled by it,” Martinez said.

His mother, Oslaida Mederos, who spoke exclusively with “Nightline” earlier this week, is also “grateful” and “celebrating” the decision but would like her son home “even sooner,” Martinez added.

Amid mounting public backlash over the sentence, King filed a motion earlier this month asking the court to reconsider the 110 years and suggested a sentencing range of 20-30 years instead.

King said that the range was determined after conversations with the victims and their families.

“We are disappointed in the Governor’s decision to act prematurely,” King said on Thursday.

“We are meeting with the victims and their loved ones this evening to support them in navigating this unprecedented action and to ensure they are treated with fairness, dignity, and respect during this difficult time,” she added.

Martinez said he believes that the clemency from the governor takes any other legal avenues, including an appeal, off the table.

But because it is so “unusual” that Polis acted before the appellate process took place, the legal team needs to “review” all options, he added.

The court has not officially vacated the hearing to reconsider the original sentence, which is set for Jan. 13, but Mederos’ attorney said they expect the judge to do so next week.

Mederos was charged with 42 counts and found guilty by a Jefferson County jury of 27 counts — the most serious was first-degree assault, a class-three felony.

The number of the charges, mandatory minimum laws and a classification that mandates some sentences be served consecutively resulted in the lengthy sentence.

Mederos testified that his brakes failed – a point not contested by prosecutors, but some points of contention in the case appear to be decisions Mederos allegedly made before the crash took place and once he found out that he was having brake problems.

ABC News’ Jeffrey Cook and Mark Osborne contributed to this report.

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1 suspect in custody, another still at large in connection with shooting of Illinois officers

1 suspect in custody, another still at large in connection with shooting of Illinois officers
1 suspect in custody, another still at large in connection with shooting of Illinois officers
GETTY/Chicago Tribune

(ILLINOIS) — Police have arrested a suspect wanted in connection with the shooting of two Illinois police officers that left one of them dead, while a second suspect remains at large, authorities said.

Darius Sullivan, 25, was taken into custody Friday morning without incident after authorities conducted a search warrant on a home in North Manchester, Indiana, police said. Narcotics and multiple weapons were found inside the home, according to Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield.

Sullivan had warrants out of Illinois for his arrest on first-degree murder, attempted murder and aggravated battery with a firearm charges, Fifield said, in connection with Wednesday’s fatal shooting at a hotel in Kankakee County, Illinois.

Bradley Police Department Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, 49, was killed after responding to a noise complaint at a Comfort Inn, authorities said. Her partner, Officer Tyler Bailey, 27, was wounded in the shooting and remains hospitalized in critical condition, Illinois State Police said in an update Thursday night.

Sullivan, of Bourbonnais, Illinois, will be transferred to the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Department, Fifield said. Police are still determining his connection to the North Manchester residence. It is unclear if he has an attorney.

An arrest warrant has also been issued for a second suspect in connection with the shooting, Xandria Harris, 26, of Bradley, Illinois, state police said. She was not present at the North Manchester home when Sullivan was taken into custody, according to Fifield.

“We are actively looking for her,” Fifield said.

The Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office was offering a $25,000 reward for information that led to the arrest of Sullivan. Fifield said the reward still stands for information leading to the arrest of Harris.

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Naples Zoo supports deputy’s decision to shoot tiger after attack

Naples Zoo supports deputy’s decision to shoot tiger after attack
Naples Zoo supports deputy’s decision to shoot tiger after attack
GETTY/KONTROLAB

(FLORIDA) — An official at the Naples Zoo, where a tiger attacked a man who allegedly stuck his hand in the cage, said on Friday that it supports that deputy’s decision to shoot the animal.

The man had called 911 after the tiger attacked him at the Florida zoo. Initial reports suggest that the tiger grabbed the man’s arm and pulled it into the enclosure after the man jumped over the initial fence barrier and put his arm through the fencing, authorities said on Thursday.

The tiger, named Eko, died after being shot in the neck by a responding deputy. Eko was a Malayan tiger, a species that is critically endangered due to poaching and habitat loss, according to the Naples Zoo.

President and CEO of Naples Zoo, Jack Mulvena, said the zoo hasn’t considered pressing charges against the man, identified as a 26-year-old River Rosenquist.

“It was a bad mistake, a bad decision, but we only wish him well in the recovery,” he said during a press conference Friday.

Mulvena said he spoke with the zoo’s weapon’s team and they said if they were in the officer’s position, under the same circumstances, they would have made the same decision.

“The deputy faced a very difficult decision and we support that decision,” Mulvena said.

Rosenquist, who worked for a third-party cleaning company, had entered an unauthorized area of the Florida zoo. Authorities said on Thursday that he could face criminal charges.

Mulvena said that third parties hired to work for the zoo, including HMI Commercial Cleaners, where Rosenquist worked, were aware they should not be in certain areas.

“Their responsibilities were very specific; cleaning of our new hospital and commissary, our gift shop, admissions and our two public bathrooms,” Mulvena said.

The zoo’s security team never saw Rosenquist or any cleaning crew members depart from what they were supposed to be doing, Mulvena said Friday.

“In this instance, unfortunately, River made the decision to breach a visitor barrier and get close to the exhibit itself. We don’t know what happened and why he did that. We suspect it was to pet or to feed, but we don’t know that for certain. Only River knows that,” Mulvena said.

The zoo is in the process of conducting an internal investigation and review of all its policies and protocols, he said.

“[We] don’t believe our policies and protocols were in any way responsible for this,” Mulvena said.

The zoo will also consider whether it should install security cameras.

“I think the lesson learned here is you can’t 100% prevent people from making really, really horrible decisions,” Mulvena said.

The zoo established the Eko Tiger Conservation Fund in memory of the tiger. All the proceeds from the fund will be going to the Wildlife Conservation Society, which Mulvena said has been doing some of the best work in the world on Malayan tiger conservation.

“We want his memory to live on and we want it to live on in terms of saving Malayan tigers in the wild,” Mulvena said.

Eko’s body is currently in the zoo’s hospital and a necropsy is scheduled for Monday.

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Prosecutors drop charges against two correctional officers in connection with Jeffrey Epstein suicide

Prosecutors drop charges against two correctional officers in connection with Jeffrey Epstein suicide
Prosecutors drop charges against two correctional officers in connection with Jeffrey Epstein suicide
GETTY/Spencer Platt

(NEW YORK) — Federal prosecutors in New York officially dropped charges against Tova Noel and Michael Thomas – the two correctional officers on duty when Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide in a federal lockup there.

In August 2019, Epstein was found dead in his cell in the early hours of the morning at the now-closed Metropolitan Correctional Center, where he was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Noel and Thomas allegedly falsified government records and fell asleep on the job according to a November 2019 indictment. Leaders from the federal correctional officers union argued this case was unprecedented and typically would be handled administratively.

In May, the two officers entered into a deferred prosecution agreement – contingent on Thomas and Noel completing community service and having good behavior.

In a Thursday court filing, prosecutors said they were dropping the case, formally ending the prosecution of the two officers.

The Justice Department has yet to release any report regarding the timeframe leading up to Epstein’s suicide or days after.

Documents obtained by ABC News through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request in early December from the Bureau of Prisons do shed a little light on what occurred.

“I have no interest in killing myself,” Epstein told a BOP psychologist two weeks before he died by suicide, according to the documents.

Epstein also previously attempted suicide on July 23, according to the records, which were first obtained by the New York Times.

Included in the records was an e-mail from an unnamed inmate who worked in the kitchen at MCC.

“Jeffrey Epstein definitely killed himself. Any conspiracy theories to the contrary are ridiculous,” this inmate wrote to the BOP. “He wanted to kill himself and seized the opportunity when it was available.”

This inmate told BOP officials he heard Epstein ripping up the bed sheet he used to hang himself.

Former Attorney General William Barr told The Associated Press shortly after the suicide that it was the “perfect storm of screw ups” that lead to his death.

Earlier this week, Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime associate of Epstein, was convicted on five of six counts related to the abuse and trafficking of underage girls.

Maxwell faced a six-count indictment for allegedly conspiring with and aiding Epstein in his sexual abuse of underage girls between 1994 and 2004.

Prosecutors alleged that Maxwell played a “key role” in a multi-state sex trafficking scheme in which she allegedly “befriended” and later “enticed and groomed multiple minor girls to engage in sex acts with Epstein” and was also, at times, “present for and involved” in the abuse herself.

 

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