A prominent pathologist has called for a new investigation into the death of Jeffrey Epstein. He says evidence points to the possibility of homicide, not suicide.
Dr. Michael Baden, former chief medical examiner of New York City, observed Epstein’s autopsy in 2019. Epstein was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Authorities had ruled the death a suicide by hanging.
Dr. Baden says new documents support his concerns. He told The Telegraph that the injuries in Epstein’s neck are more consistent with strangulation than hanging. He believes a crushing force caused the damage.
Baden attended the autopsy at the request of Epstein’s brother, Mark Epstein. He says that both he and then-Chief Medical Examiner Barbara Sampson initially found the results inconclusive. They wanted more information before deciding on the cause of death.
He questioned why the death was quickly ruled a suicide. “The initial cause of death was marked pending. Five days later, it was officially suicide. That was a surprise,” he said.
The pathologist highlighted three fractures in Epstein’s neck. He said such injuries are very rare in suicide by hanging. “Even one fracture demands investigation. Two fractures definitely need a full probe. Three fractures are extraordinary,” he said.
He also questioned whether the injuries match a bedsheet noose. He suggested another type of material might have caused the markings.
Dr. Baden stressed that the new information justifies a full, independent review. “Given all the facts now available, a fresh investigation is clearly needed,” he said.
Barbara Sampson has defended her office’s findings. She maintains there was no evidence of strangulation. She says Epstein’s death was a suicide, a conclusion accepted by authorities at the time.
Earlier, Dr. Mehmet Oz, head of the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under President Donald Trump, emailed a 2016 invitation to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein for a Valentine’s Day party, according to U.S. Justice Department documents.
The documents were released recently as part of a massive disclosure of Epstein-related files, required by a bipartisan act of Congress. The files continue to shed light on Epstein’s connections to high-profile figures across politics, business, finance, and academia.
The email, dated February 1, 2016, was sent from Oz and his wife to Epstein with the subject line “Mehmet and Liza Oz’s Valentine’s Day Celebration” and included a link to a digital invitation.
