Forensic Expert Reignites Mystery: Was Jeffrey Epstein Strangled?

In the aftermath of the autopsy, Dr. Barbara Sampson, the then-Chief Medical Examiner of New York City, stood firmly by her ruling of suicide. She argued that fractures of the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage could occur in both hangings and homicides. While she was not present during the physical autopsy, she issued the final certificate five days after the initial exam. The professional disagreement between Sampson and Baden highlights the subjective nature of forensic interpretation in complex cases where political and social stakes are high.