Independent pathologist says evidence shows Jeffrey Epstein’s death was a homicide

By Kevin Reed
31 October 2019

A private pathologist hired by the brother of Jeffrey Epstein said on Wednesday that the Wall Street investment counselor likely died by “ligature homicidal strangulation” and did not kill himself in his jail cell on August 10 while he was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Appearing on the morning TV program “Fox and Friends,” Dr. Michael Baden contradicted the findings of the New York medical examiner that Epstein hanged himself saying, “I think the evidence points to homicide rather than suicide.”

Dr. Baden, who is a former New York City medical examiner, explained that Epstein’s injuries, including three broken bones in his neck, “are extremely unusual in suicidal hangings and could occur much more commonly in homicidal strangulation,” adding, “I’ve not seen in 50 years where that occurred in a suicidal hanging case.”

Six days after Jeffrey Epstein was found unresponsive in his jail cell in the Metropolitan Correctional Center and later pronounced dead, the New York City Medical Examiner Barbara Sampson said after a “careful review of all investigative information,” that the cause of death was suicide by hanging. Epstein’s legal team immediately challenged the findings, saying they had hired a private pathologist to observe the autopsy.

In his comments on the Fox program, Dr. Baden explained that there were three fractures in Jeffrey Epstein’s “hyoid bone and the thyroid cartilage that are very unusual for suicide and more indicative of homicidal strangulation.” The other forensic evidence pointed to by Dr. Baden that indicates Epstein was strangled included blood and hemorrhaging in the eyes and face and the depth and location of the mark in the middle of his neck.

Dr. Baden also provided important new details about the circumstances of Epstein’s death and the subsequent investigation into it by New York City and federal authorities. He said that DNA evidence exists that can prove whether Epstein was alone or with others in his cell during his strangulation.

Even though samples were taken from Epstein’s fingernails “to see if there was anyone else’s DNA on it,” nothing has been released about this evidence. Dr. Baden further said that Epstein was allegedly found hanging from a homemade ligature that “was made out of torn strips of orange sheets and whoever made it had to have a lot of DNA on it and the brother has been asking that from day one.”

Dr. Baden also revealed that the doctor who performed the autopsy originally did not think there was enough information to make a determination on the cause of death, “so she put pending further study” and a week later this was changed without any explanation. “The brother wants to know what did they get new in that week” to change their determination, Baden said. “It’s 80 days now and the brother feels he is getting a runaround.”

Michael Baden is a board-certified forensic pathologist who is known for his work on high-profile deaths and is the host of the HBO TV program “Autopsy.” He was the chairman of the House Select Committee on Assassination’s pathology panel that investigated the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and has examined more than 20,000 deaths.

Dr. Baden said that his independent investigation is not complete until all information has been collected and provided for analysis. It is the opinion of Baden and of Jeffrey’s brother Mark Epstein that if it was a homicide, a number of people had to have been involved.

In his interview with Fox, Dr. Baden also brought up the other facts in the case—guards assigned to watch Epstein’s cell had been asleep for hours, the removal of Epstein’s cellmate the day before he was found dead, and the “malfunctioning” of the video surveillance cameras near his cell—as evidence of a conspiracy. He also pointed to the contradiction in the behavior of Epstein just prior to his death—working diligently on his legal defense and optimistic about the possibility of being released on bail—as not that of someone planning a suicide.

From the initial reports of Epstein’s death, sections of the corporate media led by the New York Times have been quick to conclude that he died by hanging himself, and accusing anyone of raising questions about his death of being “conspiracy theorists,” despite the many legitimate concerns about what happened and the obvious motives by some for having him murdered. Once the New York medical examiner issued the finding of “suicide by hanging,” the New York Times began reporting it as a well-established fact and quickly dropped the story from their news coverage.

The new facts and evaluation from Dr. Baden further substantiate that there is a connection between Jeffrey Epstein’s death, his arrest and pending trial on federal charges of sex trafficking of minors in Florida and New York, and his relationships with many high-profile political and business figures internationally. There is no doubt that Epstein was preparing a defense that would have included an exposure of the participation of many elite individuals who he regularly met with and entertained at his properties in New York City, Palm Beach, Florida, and his private island in the Caribbean.