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Topics: Crime, Jeffrey Epstein, News, US News, World News
Madison Burgess
Topics: Crime, Jeffrey Epstein, News, US News, World News
Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
A doctor who was present at Jeffrey Epstein's post mortem believes the convicted paedophile died by 'strangulation' rather than 'hanging'.
The criminal financer allegedly died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting his sex-trafficking trial, and last month, more than three million documents relating to his crimes were published by the Department of Justice.
Widespread conspiracy theories have long-swirled over whether or not his death was a suicide, with some questioning whether he was actually killed to prevent him from giving evidence that might incriminate politicians, royal family members and celebrities alike.
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However, an investigation by the FBI last year put these rumours to bed and clarified that he was not murdered during his 36 day stay at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan.
Now though, as we say, a doctor who was present at Epstein's post mortem, acting as an observer on behalf of his family, has called for his cause of death to be re-evaluated.
Dr Michael Baden has made it clear that he's not entirely convinced by the New York Medical Examiner’s Office's findings that Epstein took his own life.
He told The Telegraph: "My opinion is that his death was most likely caused by strangulation pressure rather than hanging.
"Given all the information now available, further investigation into the cause and manner of death is warranted.”
Speaking of the day the post mortem took place, he added: “At the time that the autopsy was done by the medical examiner, we both agreed that, on the basis of the autopsy report and the information available, more information was needed to determine the cause and manner of death."
According to the publication, Baden claims that five days after Epstein’s death certificate was published, while it was pending further investigation of the cause, this decision was then 'superseded' by New York’s chief medical examiner at the time, Dr Barbara Sampson, who ruled that the criminal died by suicide.
He added: "I have not seen any evidence of further study, nothing that indicated further investigation into the cause of death."
Doctor Baden has previously called the ruling into question and maintained that he thinks the 'evidence points toward homicide rather than suicide'.
He alleges that the 'findings are much more consistent with a crushing injury caused by homicidal strangulation than caused by hanging by suicide'.
The doctor explained that he has never seen a hanging by suicide with three neck fractures throughout his fifty year career, which was the case for Epstein.
“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," he added.
However, according to The Telegraph, Dr Sampson disagrees and says that fractures of the hyoid bone and the cartilage are seen in both suicides and homicides.
Tyla has contacted the Department of Justice for comment.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123 or contact Harmless by visiting their website https://harmless.org.uk.