Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financial tycoon who was accused of sex trafficking and who was the subject of the Epstein Files revelations, was found dead in a New York prison cell in 2019. Her death was ruled a suicide, but years later, the ruling of suicide remains in doubt. Now, Dr. Michael Baden, who performed the autopsy on behalf of Epstein’s family, has reiterated his skepticism about the official ruling that Epstein committed suicide. In an interview with The Telegraph, Baden said, “In my opinion, she died by strangulation, not hanging. Given all the information available now, further investigation into the cause and manner of death is warranted.”
Questions about official decisions
In 2019, Epstein was found dead in his prison cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The New York Medical Examiner’s Office ruled his death a suicide by hanging. Although Baden did not perform the autopsy himself, he was present as an observer. He said that at the time of the trial, both he and the medical examiner agreed that more information was needed to determine the cause and manner of death. Baden described his professional results in 2019 as “unclear”. However, just five days after Epstein’s death certificate was issued, pending further investigation, Dr. Barbara Sampson, the Chief Medical Examiner at the time, ruled the death a suicide. Sampson always stood by her conclusion.
The next morning, two guards found Epstein unconscious. He was hanging from the top bunk in an almost sitting position, his body slightly above the ground. An orange bandage was wrapped around his neck, which was believed to be a cloth or bedsheet. Guards removed him and tried CPR before he was declared dead at the hospital. Both guards were later accused of falsifying records. However, new video logs reviewed by the Justice Department show that at 10:39 p.m. on August 9, a report showed “a flash of orange” overhead toward Epstein’s isolation room.
