Epstein Autopsy Doctor Delayed Suicide Ruling Due to High-Profile Threats
Dr Kristin Roman, the medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Jeffrey Epstein, has revealed she delayed ruling his death a suicide because of the financier's infamy and the numerous people who wanted him dead. In a newly-released interview with the Department of Justice from May 2022, Roman stated that if Epstein had been a less high-profile individual, she would have likely called it a hanging on the day of the autopsy. She described the case as "pretty clear cut" and ultimately concluded it was suicide after reviewing photographs from his cell at the Metropolitan Detention Center.
Conflicting Medical Opinions Emerge
Dr Michael Baden, hired by Epstein's brother Mark, has consistently argued that the death should be reinvestigated as a homicide. Baden, who observed the post-mortem on behalf of Epstein's family, disputes Roman's findings, particularly regarding fractures in Epstein's neck. Roman maintains these fractures support a suicide, while Baden claims such breaks are extremely rare in hangings and more indicative of strangulation. Baden noted he has only seen three similar fractures in suicides by hanging during his 25-year career as a medical examiner.
Roman had the advantage of examining the nooses found in Epstein's cell, which Baden did not see. She admitted the multiple nooses created confusion, stating she was "not as convinced as I would like to be" about which one was used, but this did not affect her suicide determination. Baden, who saw only photos of the nooses, argued the ligature marks on Epstein's neck did not match typical hanging patterns.
Newly-Released Documents Raise Questions
The release of over three million documents by the DOJ has fueled ongoing speculation about Epstein's death. Buried in these files is never-before-seen footage showing prison guards discovering Epstein's corpse on August 10, 2019. The video reveals guards moving between a security desk and Epstein's cell around 6:30 am, with Epstein declared dead at 6:39 am. Investigators also flagged suspicious CCTV footage from the night before, showing an orange shape moving up a staircase toward Epstein's cell at 10:39 pm. While the FBI suggested it might be an inmate, the Inspector General speculated it could be someone carrying linen.
These findings contradict public statements by former US Attorney General Bill Barr and former FBI deputy director Dan Bongino, who both claimed security footage showed no one entered Epstein's area that night. The documents also highlight systemic failures at the detention center, including missed guard checks at 3 am and 5 am, malfunctioning surveillance cameras, and a noose made from an orange bedsheet that was later determined not to be used in the death.
Discrepancies in Official Accounts
A federal statement announcing Epstein's death, dated August 9, 2019, incorrectly states he had already been found unresponsive, though official records show he was discovered on August 10. In December, a censored version of Epstein's post-mortem examination was released, with the "manner of death" marked as "pending" and boxes for homicide and suicide left blank. Dr Baden claims his initial findings were "inconclusive," but five days later, Dr Barbara Sampson, New York's then-chief medical examiner, ruled the death a suicide by hanging without being present at the autopsy.
Epstein's lawyers expressed dissatisfaction with Sampson's conclusion, echoing Baden's concerns. Baden has repeatedly called for further investigation, stating, "The evidence points toward homicide rather than suicide." Meanwhile, Donald Trump's justice department and the FBI maintain Epstein took his own life with no evidence of murder.
Unusual Handling of Epstein's Body
The newly released files allege that jail guards used a decoy body to mislead reporters after Epstein's death. According to an internal memo, staff arranged boxes and sheets to resemble a human body, loading it into a white van marked as belonging to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. As reporters followed this vehicle, Epstein's actual body was secretly removed in a separate black vehicle. The records also note a handwritten found in Epstein's cell, which investigators described as difficult to read and listing grievances about jail conditions, but it was not treated as a suicide note.
Epstein, 66, was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges when he died. His brother Mark remains convinced of murder, stating of Roman's interview, "They're either lying, they're incompetent, or they're wrong." With discrepancies persisting and calls for reinvestigation growing, the circumstances of Epstein's death continue to be a subject of intense scrutiny and debate.
