Forensic experts are questioning the federal government’s explanation for a mysterious orange figure seen in surveillance footage outside Jeffrey Epstein’s cell on the night of his death. The shadowy form, captured around 10:40 p.m., ascends the stairs leading to Epstein’s unit at the Metropolitan Correctional Center. While federal officials initially claimed it was a guard carrying linens, specialists now argue it more likely depicts an inmate in an orange jumpsuit.

Retired NYPD sergeant and video analyst Conor McCourt told CBS News that the figure appears to be “a person in an [orange] uniform.” CBS’s investigation further revealed troubling gaps in the surveillance system. The stairwell is barely visible, the entrance to Epstein’s cell isn’t captured, and the footage itself appears to be a screen recording—complete with a visible cursor, on-screen menu, and an unexplained jump forward of a full minute just before midnight.

Forensic expert Jim Safford and four others dispute the Justice Department’s claim that no one could have accessed Epstein’s cell undetected. They argue the video evidence contradicts the government’s narrative. Despite these criticisms, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has not changed its stance, continuing to attribute oversight failures to chronic understaffing and poor camera coverage within the federal prison system.

The Department of Justice also reaffirmed earlier this month that there is no evidence Epstein was murdered and stated there is no incriminating “client list,” countering years of speculation and conspiracy theories.

Meanwhile, Ghislaine Maxwell’s legal team has publicly pleaded for a presidential pardon or a commuted sentence from former President Trump. Maxwell remains in custody, serving a 20-year prison term for her role in Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation.