By Gloria Nosa
Nearly seven years after the death of financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, fresh controversy has emerged over what really happened inside his New York jail cell.
Dr. Michael Baden, a veteran forensic pathologist who observed the autopsy on behalf of Epstein’s family, has reiterated his belief that the injuries were more consistent with strangulation than suicide by hanging.
Epstein was found unresponsive on August 10, 2019, at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, where he was being held while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. The New York City medical examiner officially ruled his death a suicide by hanging.
Baden Calls for Fresh Review
Although Dr. Baden did not personally conduct the autopsy, he attended as an independent observer. Speaking recently, he argued that certain neck injuries described in the report raised unanswered questions.
“In my opinion, the findings were more in line with strangulation pressure than typical suicidal hanging,” he said, adding that a renewed investigation into the cause and manner of death would be appropriate given ongoing public concern.
At the time of the autopsy, Baden reportedly maintained that additional information would be necessary before drawing firm conclusions.
New Documents Renew Scrutiny
Interest in the case has resurfaced following the release of millions of pages of documents by the U.S. Department of Justice. Among the materials were surveillance details and internal communications from investigators reviewing the circumstances surrounding Epstein’s final hours.
Recently disclosed footage reportedly shows correctional officers approaching Epstein’s cell early that morning before discovering him unresponsive. According to official records, he was declared dead at approximately 6:39 a.m., effectively ending one of the most high-profile federal criminal cases in recent history.
Additional internal notes referenced a brief “orange flash” seen on CCTV footage the night before his death, which investigators speculated could have been an inmate moving on the tier where Epstein was housed. Authorities reportedly debated what exactly the footage showed, though no formal change has been made to the official ruling.
Official Position Remains Suicide
Despite ongoing public skepticism and conspiracy theories, federal authorities have consistently maintained that Epstein died by suicide. The Office of the Inspector General later cited serious negligence and misconduct by prison staff, including failures in required monitoring procedures, but did not find evidence contradicting the medical examiner’s conclusion.
The renewed comments from Dr. Baden are likely to reignite debate over a case that continues to attract global attention years later.
Whether any formal re-examination will take place remains uncertain, but the circumstances of Epstein’s death continue to fuel questions far beyond the prison walls where it occurred.
