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CBS News has uncovered new evidence that appears [music] to contradict the official account of what happened in Jeffrey Epstein's jail the night he died. We've studied surveillance video showing a glimpse of what may be a person in orange near Epstein's cell. FBI and Justice Department logs refer to it. Authorities have insisted no one entered Epstein's cell here at night before he died.
Scott McFarland has covered this case for many years. Scott, good morning. What are we learning?
>> Hey Vlad, good morning. More than 6 years after the death of Jeffrey Epstein in a federal prison, the mystery over how he died remains very much alive. A new analysis of surveillance video by CBS News shows a partial view of what may be someone possibly headed up to Epstein's cell tier the night he died.
Notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his cell in the early morning of August 10th, 2019 inside this since shuttered federal prison in Manhattan. And this was the vow of then Attorney General Bill Barr.
>> We will get to the bottom of what happened and there will be accountability.
>> Epstein's death was quickly ruled a suicide, but a technical failure that left only one working camera near his cell that night has created conspiracy theories about what happened leading up to his death. At the time, the attorney general said no one entered Epstein's housing tier the night of his death. But there's been scrutiny of a particular moment on the cell block surveillance footage where an orange looking flash could be seen at 10:39 p.m. A report from the Justice Department Inspector General notes the flash, quote, "It is possible someone is carrying inmate linen or bedding up the stairs." And the final report refers to it as quote an unidentified corrections officer.
But now, newly released Justice Department documents reveal an initial FBI review of surveillance video on the cell block says the flash could possibly be an inmate. And independent video analysts consulted by CBS News say the movement was more consistent with an inmate or someone wearing an orange prison uniform than a corrections officer. And prison employees tell CBS News it would have been highly unusual to move an inmate at 10:39 p.m. Jeffrey Epstein was found dead at 6:30 a.m. the following morning.
And last year then deputy FBI director Dan Bonino insisted >> it. There's video clear as day. He's the only person in there and the only person coming out. You can see it. A separate CBS News investigation last year also cast doubt on how the prison preserved the crime scene and why Jeffrey Epstein's body and some object removed before the FBI arrived. This does not change the assessment Epstein died by suicide, but these new details raise further questions about the thoroughess, Vlad, of that original investigation.
>> Yeah, a lot of questions. Scott, thank you very much.