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Thursday, August 15, 2019

UPDATED: Epstein Autopsy: Strangulation Probable?

Fox, citing the WaPo, is reporting suspicious results from the Epstein autopsy: Jeffrey Epstein autopsy reveals broken bones in neck, cause of death pending:

An autopsy on the body of Jeffrey Epstein revealed the convicted sex offender had several broken bones in his neck, including the hyoid bone, according to a report.
The hyoid bone, which is near the Adam’s apple, can be broken in a suicide by hanging -- especially in older people -- but is more common in strangulation murders, The Washington Post reported.

Anyone with more medical knowledge than I have is free to correct me on this. When they say that a broken hyoid bone is especially common in "older people", they mean a lot older than Epstein's 66 years. For example, a broken hyoid is common in falls suffered by the elderly. My mother died in the aftermath of such an incident--a fall at night in an assisted living home that caused a broken hyoid. My mother was 92.

Moreover, the Fox report says "several broken bones." Epstein was found hanging by a sheet from an upper bunk. In other words, his feet were touching the floor. IMO, the likelihood is that a trauma sufficient to break neck bones probably didn't come from the strangulation that caused his death--he was young enough that his bones shouldn't have been unduly brittle, and the hanging was probably not sufficiently traumatic in nature. The circumstances at this point certainly appear to indicate murder by strangulation.

Then there are the reports--unsourced at this point--of screaming from the direction of Epstein's cell. Epstein resisting? Or screaming in the efforts to revive him? It's clear that there had to have been video of corridors leading to his cell, since we're told:

Guards at the facility are suspected of falsifying log entries, to make it look like they were checking on Epstein more with more regularity than they were, as surveillance video suggested the checks weren't done as scheduled. 
Per protocol, guards were supposed to check on him every 30 minutes, but the video reportedly showed some guards didn't do so for up to three hours, even falling asleep on duty.

All very odd.

ADDENDUM: Via Don Surber:

ITEM 3: Rasmussen reported, "The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that only 29% of American Adults believe Epstein actually committed suicide while in jail. Forty-two percent (42%) think Epstein was murdered to prevent him from testifying against powerful people with whom he associated. A sizable 29% are undecided." 
But the media that pushed Russiagate for 2 years is shocked that people believe a conspiracy theory the media did not push.

UPDATE 1: The original WaPo reporting is worded more strongly than the Fox version:

An autopsy found that financier Jeffrey Epstein sustained multiple breaks in his neck bones, ...

Among the bones broken in Epstein’s neck was the hyoid bone, which in men is near the Adam’s apple. Such breaks can occur in those who hang themselves, particularly if they are older, according to forensics experts and studies on the subject. But they are more common in victims of homicide by strangulation, the experts said.

...

…People familiar with the autopsy, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive stage of the investigation, said Sampson’s office is 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.

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


UPDATE 2: More from WaPo--h/t Monica Showalter at the blacklisted AmThinker:

A handful of studies conducted over the past decade have produced conflicting results about the likelihood of a hyoid break in a suicide. In a study of 20 suicidal hangings in Thailand, published in 2010, one-fourth of the men who hanged themselves had broken hyoids. In a larger study of suicidal hangings of young adults and middle-aged people in India, conducted from 2010 to 2013, hyoid damage was found in just 16 of 264 cases, or 6 percent. The study addressed the discrepancies in academic reviews, saying wide variations in findings of hyoid breaks are “possibly due to factors like age of the victim, weight of the victim, type of suspension and height of suspension.”

I have no expertise, but I'll go out on a limb. The type of suspension (a sheet) and the height of suspension (very low) seem to militate against a broken hyoid (and thus against suicide) in the Epstein. The softer, wider, material used and the low height of suspension make sudden, sharply directed trauma, less likely. Strangulation, even with a sheet, would strongly tend to provide the factors conducive to breakage of the hyoid.


UPDATE 3: Dr. Mark Siegel agrees with me:

Dr. Mark Siegel: It certainly increased the chances that this was a murder than a suicide. Let me tell you why. The hyoid bone which is right here in the neck, a U-shaped bone… In his case the autopsy is now revealing that multiple bones were broken in his neck including the hyoid. The hyoid bone might break in strangulation about one-third to one-half of the time. In suicide, hanging, it might break 6-10% of the time, depending on which study you look at… Much less percentage. But in order to break that bone and multiple bones in the neck, David, you’ have to exert a lot of force if it’s a hanging. I don’t want to get to graphic here but he supposedly hung himself off a bunk bed with sheets. I’m thinking more a rope from a height. Something where there's a lot of torque.

9 comments:

  1. We are now at a unique inflection point in our social/cultural/political development. The wisdom of the commons has known since Epstein's arrest that he would be killed sooner rather than later because the risk to many very powerful people was too great to tolerate.

    Reality has occurred. The approved narrative has been floated. No one is buying it. What will our leadership do now? Appease and protect the power elite, or come clean and clean house?

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    1. While it's not conclusive, the circumstantial evidence appears to tilt significantly toward murder. This is a crisis point in credibility and strongly supports the contention that there is a Deep State acting outside the law. Interesting days.

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  2. ... at the blacklisted AmThinker

    I like that you wrote that.

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    1. Perhaps that could become a badge of honor or advertizing point. Like decades ago for books. Instead of "banned in Boston" we could have "blacklisted by Google."

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  3. Careful out on that limb. Wouldn't want an "accidentally" broken hyoid as a result of excessive questioning.
    Tom S.

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  4. Presumably, if there is video surveillance of the hallway/corridor outside Epstein's holding cell, they can determine who is coming and going and working backwards from the discovery of his body.

    Earlier reports indicated video wasn't available. Exactly "what" video was referenced is unclear.

    "Per protocol, guards were supposed to check on him every 30 minutes, but the video reportedly showed some guards didn't do so for up to three hours, even falling asleep on duty."

    --"some guards"? Who then were the "others"?
    --"falling asleep on duty"? Sounds like video of the guards. How else does one know that--by video, or a witness to or admission of sleeping.

    A lot of the reporting reads like massive speculation based on extremely limited evidence, facts, and questionable sources, i.e. rumor and gossip regarding "what people are saying."

    An "inside" job, with non-working video, and guards admitted to being asleep might've worked 20 years ago. But between guard & visitor logs, tracking of email, phone, and banking records, how does this get pulled off? Presumable risk takers have to be paid-off.

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    1. I agree--those are the factors that make such a plot so difficult to pull off. At least, it seems so on the face of it.

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  5. Patterns matter.

    Epstein arrested on July 6th. Denied bail on July 18th. Epstein cellmate is Nicholas Tartaglione (large body, muscular physique, ex-cop). Epstein attacked in his cell on July 23rd (neck injuries). Deep State media pitches a narrative of attempted suicide. Epstein tells his attorney that he was attacked and his life is threatened (late July). Barr visits the SDNY DOJ office and MCC in early August. Reports circulate that Epstein is motivated to make a deal. Epstein interviews a new attorney shortly thereafter. Epstein pleads with new attorney for a meeting on August 9th, but scheduling prevents it. Epstein dies mysteriously on August 10th before a second meeting with new attorney can occur.

    In March 2018, Sergei and Yulia Skripal were poisoned in Salisbury UK. The Chief Nurse of the UK armed forces was on scene within a few minutes of the poisoning event, which occurred in a public place. Rumors circulate that Sergei was planning to return to Russia on a flight later that afternoon assisted by Russian SVR agents who had provided him with an alternate identity passport to use. Skripal may have been planning to expose his role in concocting parts of the Steele Dossier.

    In July 2016, Seth Rich was shot in the back twice with small .22 caliber bullets, arrived alive at the ER, was successfully treated via surgery, and given a good prognosis. He was then mysteriously moved to a secluded non-standard room in the hospital and died unexpectedly shortly thereafter.

    Warden of MCC has compromised past history. Guards on duty August 10th are conveniently AWOL. Nearby cellmates hear screaming and shrieking on night of Epstein's death. Known injuries are consistent with strangulation (most probably cause of death).

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    1. You'll like the new post I'm about ready to publish.

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