A forensic pathologist who participated in Jeffrey Epstein's 2019 autopsy has called for a new inquest into the sex offender's death in an interview with the British newspaper The Telegraph. Dr. Michael Baden, 91, is not convinced that Epstein committed suicide.

Baden was present during the autopsy, at the request of Epstein's family. He immediately contested the conclusion of the New York City Medical Examiner's Office that the sex offender had committed suicide.

“In my opinion, his death was likely due to strangulation and compression of the neck, not hanging,” Baden said. “Given the new information available, a more thorough investigation into the cause and circumstances of death is warranted.”

Final answer

According to Baden, he and the forensic pathologist who performed the 2019 autopsy had already agreed at the time on the need for further information to provide a definitive answer. “We couldn’t be certain at that point.”

An abridged version of Epstein's autopsy report, published by the US Department of Justice in December, appears to corroborate his claims. It shows a checkmark in the "Ongoing Investigation" box for "cause of death," while the "murder" and "suicide" boxes are blank.

However, Baden claims that Dr. Barbara Sampson, then director of the New York City Bureau of Medical Examiner's Office, rejected the autopsy report's findings five days later and ruled that Epstein had died by hanging and that it was a suicide. Baden asserts that she was not present during the autopsy.

Baden commented on the decision in the media, notably stating on Fox News that "the evidence points to murder rather than suicide." He reiterated to the Telegraph that this remains his professional opinion. According to him, there is no indication that a further investigation has been conducted.

The Justice Department and the FBI maintain that Epstein committed suicide and that there is no evidence of murder.

Nevertheless, Baden's call resonates, fueled by numerous unanswered questions surrounding Epstein's death.

A crucial minute

A crucial minute of footage from the prison's security cameras is missing, right at the moment of Epstein's death. The guards, who were supposed to check on him every half hour, left him alone for hours.

According to Baden, crucial evidence was also lost due to errors at the crime scene. For example, Epstein's body was moved, and the guards refused to reveal how they had discovered it. Furthermore, again according to Baden, it was later established that the noose found in Epstein's cell was not the one that had caused the sex offender's death.