Barr removes federal bureau of prisons acting director after promising 'accountability' in epstein's death

Attorney General William Barr on Monday removed the Federal Bureau of Prisons' acting director a week after saying he was "appalled" and "angry" over the death of

Jeffrey Epstein. Hugh Hurwitz has been reassigned after taking over as the acting director of prisons in May 2018, reports _The Associated Press_. Barr did not mention the Epstein case in

his announcement, in which he thanked Hurwitz for his "dedication and service." Kathleen Hawk Sawyer is to take over Hurwitz's position, which she previously held from 1992

through 2003. This comes after Epstein, the convicted sex offender who was facing federal sex trafficking charges, was found dead in his jail cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center on

Aug. 10, with reports later emerging that he was not checked on for hours prior to his death and that two guards fell asleep on the job and falsified paperwork. The warden of the jail was

later reassigned, with the guards being placed on leave. "Additional actions may be taken as the circumstances warrant," the Justice Department said last week. An autopsy has since

confirmed that Epstein died by suicide. SUBSCRIBE TO THE WEEK Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives. SUBSCRIBE & SAVE SIGN UP

FOR THE WEEK'S FREE NEWSLETTERS From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox. From our morning news

briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox. Barr in a speech following Epstein's death blasted the "serious

irregularities" at the prison, saying they are "deeply concerning" and "demand a thorough investigation." Explore More Speed Reads