Doctor present at Epstein's post-mortem claims he was strangled and didn't take own life
Jeffrey Epstein didn't take his own life, according to a forensic pathologist who was present at his post mortem.
The convicted paedophile's death was officially ruled as a suicide after he was found hanged in his New York prison cell on 10 August, 2019.
Epstein was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges when officers found him hanging off the side of his cell's bed at 6:30am.
Dr Michael Baden, who was an observer on behalf of Epstein estate, is now calling for a reinvestigation following the latest release of the files.
Advert
“My opinion is that his death was most likely caused by strangulation pressure rather than hanging,” the pathologist told The Telegraph.
Known for his work investigating high-profile deaths, the American physician blames a number of things, including the way the on-duty guards, who required to check on Epstein every 30 minutes, didn't.
There have even been question marks about why the two cameras near his cell were either were not working or failed to record.
CCTV footage from the night Epstein died also had a 'missing minute' from 11:58pm and 58 seconds, to 12:00am.
In the latest release of the files is a redacted version of Epstein’s post-mortem examination, as Dr Baden said: “I have not seen any evidence of further study, nothing that indicated further investigation into the cause of death.
“The diagnosis was made a number of days after the first cause of death given,”
In 2019, he told Fox News that 'the evidence points toward homicide rather than suicide'.
“That was my opinion at that time, and I still stand by it,” he said further to The Telegraph.
“The autopsy findings are much more consistent with a crushing injury caused by homicidal strangulation than caused by hanging by suicide.”
Notably, the noose made out of an orange bedsheet was later determined not to be one used in Epstein’s death.
Dr Baden said: “Even one fracture, we have to investigate the possibility of a homicide. Two definitely warrant a full investigation.
“Findings in textbooks never see those fractures, and neither have I.”
Explaining why 'the noose didn’t match the [injury]', he added: “It wasn’t smooth like the sheet, the markings [on Epstein’s neck] would have required a different type of material,” he said.
Overall, Dr Baden thinks critical evidence was lost due to mistakes and a lack of care from the handling of Epstein’s body.
The FBI and Donald Trump’s justice department, meanwhile, say there was no evidence that Epstein was killed.
Topics: Jeffrey Epstein, US News, Crime
Anish Vij