Nearly seven years after Jeffrey Epstein was found lifeless inside a New York jail cell, the circumstances surrounding his passing are once again under scrutiny.
Dr. Michael Baden, the pathologist who observed Epstein’s post-mortem examination in August 2019, has renewed his claims.
His revelations come after a fresh release of Justice Department documents in January 2026.
Highlights
- Pathologist Dr. Michael Baden argued that the specific neck fractures Epstein witnessed during the post-mortem were more consistent with strangulation than suicide.
- Newly released footage from the night of the incident captured an unidentified figure moving toward the housing tier.
- Baden asserted that the orange bedsheet recovered from the scene did not match the specific markings found on the neck during the examination.
- The pathologist claimed the exact time of passing was never properly established and criticized the immediate removal of the body before the scene was documented.
The files reportedly include surveillance footage, investigative notes, and internal records that have revived the debate around one of the most controversial passings in U.S. criminal history.
The pathologist who witnessed Jeffrey Epstein’s autopsy claimed the findings did not fully support a s*icide ruling
Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City chief medical examiner hired by Epstein’s family as an observer, revealed he remains unconvinced by the official ruling reached after the autopsy conducted on August 11, 2019.
“My opinion is that his d*ath was most likely caused by strangulation pressure rather than hanging,” Baden told The Telegraph, adding that “further investigation into the cause and manner of d*ath is warranted.”
Image credits: Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
Image credits: ToDearDaughter
According to Baden, three fractures were discovered in Epstein’s neck, one in the left hyoid bone and two in the thyroid cartilage.
He stated that such injuries were unusual in his experience of reviewing prison fatalities over decades, noting he had rarely seen similar fracture patterns in confirmed s*icides by hanging.
He further claimed the de*th certificate initially left the manner of his passing listed as “pending,” suggesting investigators had not concluded immediately after the examination.
However, Dr. Baden’s theory was rejected by a medical examiner, and she ruled Epstein’s passing a s*icide
Image credits: Department of Justice
Five days after the autopsy, New York’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Barbara Sampson, officially ruled Epstein’s passing a s*icide by hanging.
She publicly dismissed Baden’s interpretation at the time, stating that fractures of the hyoid bone and neck cartilage can occur in both s*icides and homicides.
Image credits: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Image credits: sol__girl
Moreover, Federal investigators later supported her conclusion. The FBI and the Department of Justice reaffirmed in June 2023 that there was no credible evidence of foul play.
The late financier had been held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan since his arrest on July 6, 2019. He was awaiting trial on s*x trafficking charges and was found unresponsive on the morning of August 10, 2019.
The disagreements between medical experts have continued to fuel skepticism surrounding Epstein’s passing
Image credits: Atilgan Ozdil/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
In January 2026, the DOJ released more than three million documents connected to the case. Among them were surveillance clips showing the moments before guards discovered Epstein unresponsive.
Investigative notes referenced an unexplained “orange flash” seen moving toward the stairwell leading to Epstein’s housing area around 10:39 p.m. on August 9, 2019.
Image credits: CBSMornings
Image credits: Department of Justice
While the FBI suspected it was another inmate, the Inspector General said at the time, “Inmates are currently on lockdown; it is possible someone is carrying inmate linen or bedding up.”
“At approximately 10.39 pm, an unidentified CO [correctional officer] appeared to walk up the L Tier stairway, and then reappeared within view of the camera at 10.41 pm,” he wrote.
These details appeared to conflict with earlier public statements from officials who had claimed that the footage showed no one entering the area during the night.
Besides the orange flash, footage also revealed several prison failures on the night of Epstein’s passing
Image credits: Federal Bureau of Prisons
Image credits: AlfredEWorry
Official reports confirmed a series of security failures at the jail on the night Epstein passed away.
Facility regulations required inmate checks every 30 minutes; however, these were reportedly missed for hours, including rounds at 3 a.m. and 5 a.m.
Furthermore, investigators found that at least two cameras near Epstein’s cell malfunctioned, creating gaps in surveillance coverage.
According to reports, a noose made from an orange bedsheet recovered from the scene was later determined not to match the markings on Epstein’s neck. Baden claimed this discrepancy raised concerns during the post-mortem review.
Image credits: Department of Justice
“It wasn’t smooth like the sheet, the markings [on Epstein’s neck] would have required a different type of material,” he said.
He also argued that moving the body before fully documenting the scene may have compromised key evidence.
“[They] moved the body, guards refused to say how the body was found, and he was moved to the infirmary,” he said, claiming it was a “highly unusual” chain of events.
Most importantly, he alleged that Epstein’s time of passing was “lost.”
The release of new documents continues to challenge official findings as debate intensifies online
Image credits: CBSMornings
Epstein’s brother, Mark Epstein, has repeatedly questioned the s*icide ruling. In a July 2025 interview with NBC News, he claimed, “More and more, I believe he was m*rdered. And everyone who looks at all the information that’s out there on facts comes to the same conclusion.”
While authorities have rejected those claims, stating there is no evidence of homicide, public fascination with the case has only intensified as new documents have surfaced.
Following Baden’s startling revelation, online users expressed confusion.
“One expert says s*icide, another says something else — it’s hard not to wonder,” wrote one commenter, while another added, “The more details come out, the less it sounds simple.”
Even after seven years, the official conclusion has not changed. However, the combination of conflicting expert opinions, security failures, and newly released records ensured the debate surrounding Epstein’s passing remains far from settled.
"What a surprise. If only his cell cameras were working," wrote one netizen
Image credits: CAMusicOnline
Image credits: bboygoggs
Image credits: itsmethatswhoo
Image credits: Libertymama888
Image credits: _Leyanelle_
Image credits: Arya_Ghovat