We may never know what happened on August 10 at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in downtown Manhattan.

What we know for sure is that Jeffrey Epstein died, officially by taking his own life, although there is no shortage of theories as to how and why he was actually murdered.

Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Prince Andrew – there are many powerful men who would have been glad to see the back of Epstein.

The latest twist in the saga comes via a private forensic pathologist hired by Mark Epstein to monitor his brother’s autopsy. Dr. Michael Baden, who spoke with the Miami Herald about his findings, had this to say:

[He] was present at the autopsy — held Aug. 11, the day after Epstein was found dead at the notorious Metropolitan Correctional Center in downtown Manhattan.

In an interview with the Miami Herald, Baden described Epstein’s jail cell, the ligature he allegedly used to hang himself, and his own suspicions that federal authorities have not conducted a thorough probe into Epstein’s cause and manner of death…

Baden’s observations, first aired in an interview on “Fox & Friends” Wednesday, include that Epstein suffered multiple fractures in his neck — injuries he said are more consistent with strangulation than suicide by hanging. Epstein, who was found dead Aug. 10, had three fractures on the left and right sides of his larynx, Baden said.

He told the Herald that it is rare for any bones to be broken in a hanging, let alone for multiple bones to be fractured.

“Those fractures are extremely unusual in suicidal hangings and could occur much more commonly in homicidal strangulation,” said Baden, who added that there were hemorrhages in Epstein’s eyes that are also more common in strangulation than in hangings.

His findings will likely fuel online conspiracy theories that have suggested, with no evidence, that Epstein was killed to keep him from incriminating other wealthy and powerful men involved in his sex trafficking crimes.

It seems like the more doubt that is cast around the circumstances of Epstein’s death, the less the nature of his crimes is discussed.

Plus, if you want to feature on Fox News and bank those appearance fees, it never hurts to fuel the conspiratorial fires.

As we have covered before, New York City Chief Medical Examiner Barbara Sampson believes Epstein’s injuries are consistent with death by hanging:

Sampson, in a statement Wednesday, said she is confident in her conclusion that Epstein hanged himself.

“Our investigation concluded that the cause of Mr. Epstein’s death was hanging and the manner of death was suicide. We stand by that determination. We continue to share information around the medical investigation with Mr. Epstein’s family, their representatives, and their pathology consultant. The original medical investigation was thorough and complete. There is no reason for a second medical investigation by our office.”

But Dr. Baden isn’t having it, saying that there was some nefarious tinkering that went on behind the scenes:

Baden told the Herald that the pathologist who actually conducted the autopsy, Dr. Kristin Roman, also had trouble determining that Epstein hanged himself, and initially determined that the manner of death was “pending.’’

“The autopsy did not support suicide,’’ Baden said. “That’s what she put down. Then Dr. Sampson changed it a week later, manner of death to suicide. The brother has been trying to find out why that changed. … What was the evidence?”

He goes on to further outline some other issues he has with how the autopsy was conducted, which you can read in full here.

I guess the mystery continues, although I’m inclined to believe much of the noise drummed up by Epstein’s brother, and Dr. Baden, is done in order to distract from the truly heinous crimes committed by Jeffrey.

[source:miamiherald]