Autopsy Doctor Breaks Silence on Why Jeffrey Epstein’s Death Wasn’t Immediately Ruled Suicide

The release of the Epstein Files has led to scrutiny over the convicted s– offender’s death. Jeffrey Epstein was found hanging in a New York jail while awaiting trial for his crimes on August 10, 2019. While his death was ruled a suicide, numerous conspiracy theories have circulated about what actually happened to him.

What complicated the case further was that the doctor who performed his autopsy did not initially declare whether he died by suicide or homicide. On August 11, 2019, New York City medical examiner Kristin Roman was tasked with Epstein’s autopsy. On his death certificate, the doctor chose ‘pending studies’ in the ‘Manner of Death’ column, instead of suicide or homicide.

Meanwhile, the autopsy was observed by forensic pathologist Michael M. Baden at the behest of Epstein’s brother, Mark Epstein. Baden concluded that Epstein’s cause of death was homicide, citing three fractures in his neck bones that he said could not occur from suicide.

However, on August 16, 2019, New York City’s chief medical examiner, Barbara Sampson, officially announced that the cause of Epstein’s death was determined to be suicide. Ever since, Roman avoided media attention and remained silent on why she had ticked the ‘pending studies’ option on Epstein’s death certificate.

The newly released Epstein Files have finally answered the question. The documents include a May 2022 interview of Roman with the Department of Justice. In the interview, Roman revealed that once she conducted the autopsy, she was certain that Epstein had died by suicide after hanging himself.

According to Roman, she wanted further investigation because of the high-profile nature of the case. “It was pretty clear cut," Roman said, adding, “If he had been a less high-profile person who there weren't people wanting to kill, I would have probably called it a hanging on the day of autopsy.”

The doctor wanted to see Epstein's prison cell to gather more details about the incident and ensure a thorough investigation. While she was not given permission to visit the prison, she was shown pictures of the cell. Roman said that looking at the pictures reaffirmed that it was indeed a suicide case. She examined the fractures on Epstein’s neck and concluded that they were consistent with hanging.

However, Baden still believes otherwise. In an interview with Business Insider, the physician argued that he has never seen those fractures in a suicide case in his 25-year-long career as a medical examiner. “That doesn't mean it can never happen, but it sure as hell is very rare if it happens,” Baden added.

Mark Epstein also thinks there is more to his brother’s death than authorities have revealed. He believes Epstein was murdered as he had dirt on a lot of influential people. “You don't get away with murdering my brother, where I come from. I want a real investigation to get done. That's my goal,” Mark said in a statement to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Apart from Roman’s interview, the Epstein Files also revealed that a prison guard monitoring Epstein's cell had searched him on Google just minutes before his death. The guard has denied any wrongdoing and claims she does not remember looking him up on the search engine.