'Strangled, not hanged': Doctor calls for fresh probe into Epstein death

A pathologist who observed the autopsy of American financier Jeffrey Epstein has called for a fresh investigation into his death, saying the injuries were more consistent with strangulation than suicide by hanging, reports NDTV.

Dr Michael Baden challenged the conclusion of the New York Medical Examiner's Office that Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

In his view, the death was "most likely caused by strangulation pressure rather than hanging," he told The Telegraph in an interview.

Baden, who attended the post-mortem examination as an observer for Epstein's family, said the findings at the time were not definitive and argued that additional information was needed to determine the cause and manner of death.

He said that based on all the information now available, a further investigation was warranted.

According to the Telegraph report, a redacted version of Epstein's post-mortem examination was released in December 2025 as part of an initial batch of files made public by the US Department of Justice.

The document reportedly listed the "manner of death" as "pending", with the boxes for suicide and homicide left blank.

Baden said his initial assessment following the 11 August 2019 examination was "inconclusive".

He claimed that five days after the death certificate was issued pending further review, the determination was changed by Dr Barbara Sampson, who ruled the death a suicide by hanging.

Baden noted that Sampson was not present during the examination. Sampson has publicly rejected suggestions of strangulation and has said she stands firmly by her findings.

Epstein's legal team said that Baden's concerns reflected their own and that they were "not satisfied" with the medical examiner's conclusions, NDTV reports.

Baden had earlier questioned the suicide ruling in August 2019, telling Fox News that the evidence pointed more towards homicide than suicide.

Reiterating his stance to The Telegraph, he said the autopsy findings were more consistent with injuries caused by homicidal strangulation than by suicide through hanging, in his opinion.

However, the FBI and the US Justice Department under President Donald Trump have maintained that Epstein died by suicide.

The official report noted three fractures in Epstein's neck. Baden said he had not encountered a suicide hanging involving three fractures during his decades of reviewing inmate death post-mortems.

He said even a single fracture would warrant an investigation into the possibility of homicide, while two fractures would definitely require a full inquiry.

He also said he had concerns during the post-mortem examination that the noose used in the alleged hanging did not match the injuries observed.