Experts Have Different Take on Epstein's Broken Neck Bones

'Actually suggests much more strongly that it was hanging'
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 16, 2019 7:33 AM CDT
Experts Have Different Take on Epstein's Broken Neck Bones
This July 25, 2013, file photo shows Jeffrey Epstein.   (Florida Department of Law Enforcement via AP, File)

Jeffrey Epstein's autopsy appears to have created more questions than answers, but one reporter says the conspiracy theories may be unnecessary. Writing for CNN Business, Oliver Darcy notes the Washington Post story that set the internet abuzz reported on Epstein's post-mortem, which found "multiple breaks in his neck bones," including the hyoid bone. The story seemed to say that while suicidal hanging was possible, a fracture in the hyoid was more suggestive of strangulation. But Darcy spoke with four medical experts and concludes the WaPo story may have "played this revelation up." Those experts say, among other things, that the multiple broken bones aren't something one would typically see with strangulation.

"It actually suggests much more strongly that it was hanging versus strangulation," Sanjay Gupta says. "You wouldn't break those other bones during a strangulation." Slate looks at the stats and agrees with CNN's take: "Finding a broken hyoid bone on the autopsy is hardly a Columbo moment." Darcy questions the framing of the WaPo story—including its wording that the autopsy "[deepened] the mystery"—and notes conspiracy theorists have been using it to point to murder. A spokesperson tells him the paper made it clear suicide was still "a distinct possibility," that WaPo was "not 'leaning into' any theory," and that the autopsy simply called for a "greater investigation." (More Jeffrey Epstein stories.)

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