Premium

‘Epstein was strangled not hanged,’ claims doctor who witnessed sex offender’s postmortem

The deceased financier was found dead in his prison cell in 2019 while awaiting his trial on sex trafficking charges.

2 min readFeb 13, 2026 11:15 PM IST First published on: Feb 13, 2026 at 11:15 PM IST
Justice Department Jeffrey EpsteinDocuments that were included in the US Department of Justice release of the Jeffrey Epstein files are photographed. (AP Photo/ File)

Disgraced sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was allegedly strangled, and did not die due to hanging in his New York prison cell, according to a doctor who was reportedly present during the postmortem of the paedophile’s body and has called for a re-investigation into the cause of his death.

The deceased financier was found dead in his prison cell in 2019 while awaiting his trial on sex trafficking charges. New York Medical Examiner’s Office, at the time of Epstein’s death, had ruled it as a suicide.

However, according to Dr Michael Baden, Epstein did not take his own life rather died of strangulation, The Telegraph reported.

In an interview to The Telegraph, Dr Baden said, “My opinion is that his death was most likely caused by strangulation pressure rather than hanging. Given all the information now available, further investigation into the cause and manner of death is warranted.”

Dr Baden, who was present during the postmortem as an observer on behalf of Epstein’s family, did not carry out the postmortem himself.

Story continues below this ad

“At the time that the autopsy was done by the medical examiner, we both agreed that, on the basis of the autopsy report and the information available, more information was needed to determine the cause and manner of death,” Dr Baden told The Telegraph.

More questions have been raised regarding the death of Epstein after the release of more than three million files related to late sex offender by the US Department of Justice.

The report further added that Dr Baden’s concerns have been mirrored by Epstein’s lawyers, who have allegedly said that they too were “not satisfied” with the findings carried out by New York Medical Examiner’s Office.

Dr Baden has pushed for further examination into the cause behind Epstein’s death. In 2019, Baden had raised concerns over the medical examiner’s ruling and told Fox News that “the evidence points toward homicide rather than suicide”.

The Express Global Desk at The Indian Express delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis. A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students. All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. The desk prioritises clarity, accuracy, and accountability, ensuring readers can navigate complex global systems with confidence. Core Team The Express Global Desk is led by a team of experienced journalists and editors with deep expertise in international affairs and migration policy: Aniruddha Dhar – Senior Assistant Editor with extensive experience in global affairs, international politics, and editorial leadership. Nischai Vats – Deputy Copy Editor specialising in US politics, US visa and immigration policy, and policy-driven international coverage. Mashkoora Khan – Sub-editor focusing on global developments, with a strong emphasis on Canada visa, immigration, and study-related policy coverage. ... Read More

Advertisement
Loading Recommendations...
Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments