Jeffrey Epstein sustained multiple breaks in his neck bones, according to reports citing sources familiar with the convicted sex offender's autopsy.
Officials at the Metropolitan Correctional Center say Epstein was alone Saturday morning and hanged himself.
According to reports, the autopsy by New York City's chief medical examiner found that among the bones broken in Epstein's neck was the hyoid bone, which in men is near the Adam's apple.
Jonathan Arden, president of the National Association of Medical Examiners, said a hyoid can be broken in many circumstances, but is more commonly associated with homicidal strangulation than suicidal hanging.
The office of New York City's chief medical examiner, Barbara Sampson, completed an autopsy of Epstein's body on Aug. 11 and Sampson said the cause of death was pending. Sampson's office did not comment on the injuries found in the autopsy.
Sampson's office is reportedly seeking additional information on Epstein's condition in the hours before his death. "That could include video evidence of the jail hallways, which may establish whether anyone entered Epstein's cell during the night he died; results of a toxicology screening to determine if there was any unusual substance in his body; and interviews with guards and inmates who were near his cell," The Washington Post reported.
The Post, citing a person familiar with the matter, reported that "Corrections officers had not checked on Epstein for 'several' hours before he was found hanging in his cell."
Judicial Watch chief investigative reporter Micah Morrison noted that Epstein "for decades cultivated the rich and powerful: heads of state, barons of commerce, royalty. He skated on earlier Florida sex charges, a controversy that eventually brought down Labor Secretary Alex Acosta.
According to conspiracy theories cresting on the Internet, Epstein’s recent federal indictment on sex trafficking charges threatened too many prominent people — so somebody, somehow, bumped him off."
Morrison said the following questions could decide the fate of the case:
Is the unit where Epstein died a crime scene? Preservation of evidence is critical. Fingerprints, hair samples, body fluids, location of body, method of death. Many investigations have been ruined at the outset from a failure to preserve the scene. Sound an alarm bell if the Epstein death location was not processed as a crime scene.
Are records preserved? A source at the Bureau of Prisons tells us there would be a “huge paper trail” on Epstein — documents, logs, interviews with prison psychologists and others related to an alleged July 23 suicide attempt, recordings of phone calls, text messages. Some of us with long memories remember the suicide of Deputy White House Counsel Vincent Foster. The Foster case dragged on for years and gave birth to numerous conspiracy theories in part because the crime scene was mishandled and documents disappeared from his White House office.
Can the money be followed? Epstein’s finances were carefully concealed, but he was known for spreading money around to ease his problems. Prosecutors alleged he tried to buy off witnesses. And serving time at a Palm Beach county jail in 2008 and 2009 on a Florida prostitution charge — negotiated to keep him out of federal prison — Epstein managed to steer $128,000 to officials running the jail. Investigators should search for similar arrangements in New York.
Are Bureau of Prison insiders corrupt? Most Bureau of Prisons employees are honest, but the organization has been repeatedly buffeted by corruption cases. Investigators will take a close look at everyone connected to Epstein at the facility.
Are the Epstein lawyers complicit? How far can a lawyer go for a client? Did any of Epstein’s lawyers facilitate illegal acts? Getting information from Epstein’s lawyers is central to the case. Epstein met repeatedly with his legal team while in jail. The New York Times reports that two lawyers closely involved in Epstein’s finances have hired lawyers of their own — criminal defense specialists. The Times elsewhere reports that Epstein’s lawyers brought in their own pathologist — famed forensic examiner Michael Baden—to observe the Epstein autopsy. According to the Wall Street Journal, Epstein was taken off suicide watch, after the July 23 incident, “at the request of his attorneys.” Expect a big legal battle if investigators move on Epstein’s lawyers.
Is the Department of Justice incompetent? The Epstein case is a major challenge for Attorney General William Barr. He says both the FBI and the Justice Department inspector general will open investigations into the Epstein death, but that may not be enough. Years of controversy and mismanagement related to the Clinton emails, the Clinton foundation and other matters morphed into turmoil over the 2016 election, FBI leadership, the Russia case and President Trump. The Justice Department is now an institution in crisis.
Judicial Watch has launched its own investigation into the Epstein case. "We’ve been hearing from sources connected to the incident and we’ve brought a series of Freedom of Information actions to make sure key documents don’t get buried," Morrison said.
The Gateway Pundit listed what it said were a number of questions and inconsistencies surrounding Epstein's death:
- Epstein said he was considering cooperating in “naming names” in his international sex ring.
- He was found unconscious in his prison cell just three weeks earlier.
- Two days prior to his death documents released for the first time implicated several top Democrats in his pedophile sex ring.
- He was taken off suicide watch after a failed attempt just two weeks earlier.
- He was in isolation (unusual for a suicidal individual).
- The cameras malfunctioned — There is no video.
- Even Mexico had video of El Chapo’s escape from prison.
- Then later we hear the cameras showed the guards did not do rounds? Which is it?
- The prison guards had worked several extra shifts last week.
- One prison guard on his floor was not even a certified guard.
- The prison guards “forgot” to check on Epstein.
- The prison guards slept through their shift.
- The guards did not check Epstein for several hours.
- There were reports of screaming the morning Epstein died.
- The MCC had not seen a successful suicide in 40 years.
- Epstein said he was the victim of attempted murder three weeks ago.
- Epstein’s former roommate is facing mass murder charges.
- Epstein had dirt on numerous globalist elites.
- Epstein was not given paper sheets.
- Epstein had sheets in his cell to hang himself.
- Epstein was not suicidal according to medical professionals.
- Epstein told his lawyers on Friday, a day before his death, “See you Sunday.”
- Epstein’s former roommate heard nothing.
- Epstein reportedly had to get on his knees to hang himself from his bed.
- Epstein autopsy showed broken bones in neck common in strangulation deaths.
