Question
What did Epstein’s death certificate say about his cause of death?
Answer
Jeffrey Epstein’s official death certificate, filed in New York following his death on August 10, 2019 at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan, records his cause of death as suicide by hanging.
This ruling was made official on August 16, 2019 — six days after his death — by the New York City Chief Medical Examiner’s office, headed by Dr. Barbara Sampson. The manner of death was classified as suicide; the mechanism was hanging.
The death certificate records the basics of the official account:
- Date of death: August 10, 2019
- Place of death: Metropolitan Correctional Center, Manhattan
- Cause of death: Asphyxia of neck structures due to hanging
- Manner of death: Suicide
Epstein’s brother Mark Epstein disputed the official ruling, hiring forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden to conduct an independent review. Baden publicly stated that the injuries to Epstein’s neck — including fractures in the hyoid bone and other structures — were more characteristic of homicidal strangulation than self-hanging.
The official death certificate has not been amended. No formal criminal finding of homicide has been made. The Department of Justice conducted a review of the circumstances of Epstein’s death, but findings were not publicly released in a form that changed the official ruling.
The contested death certificate and the underlying forensic dispute remain among the most discussed aspects of the Epstein case.
Sources
- New York City Medical Examiner’s office official ruling, August 16, 2019
- Dr. Michael Baden press conference statements
- DOJ review correspondence