Live data from Hacker News

Epstein's injuries look more like murder than suicide, noted pathologist says

miamiherald.com

51–60 of 435 posts

Re: Epstein's injuries look more like murder than suicide, noted pathologist says

#51

Epstein’s death seems the most overt taunt about ruling class impunity in my lifetime. Not only in its circumstances, but in the kind of shifting, threadbare cover stories about everyone with whom he was associated. Bill Gates, for example, had staff overlap between his foundation and Epstein, (including one who was named in Epstein’s will!) and was able to diminish these connections in major media outlets with almos…

I think the Panama Papers still has it beat.

Re: Epstein's injuries look more like murder than suicide, noted pathologist says

#52
post #47
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> killed himself in a cell and unit where suicide is made a practical impossibility Ken White (famous-ish lawyer and notable internet personality) puts it this way: "But your assessment of plausibility is based on your assumptions about how the system works. Those assumptions are, mostly, wrong — naive Dick-Wolf-level law-enforcement-are-competent-good-guys stuff". Prisons, particularly american prisons, are full of…

> Epstein had also been taken off suicide watch nine days earlier. That's a big reason why this is so suspicious.

It's actually fairly normal to not keep people on suicide watch for very long. Full-blown suicide watch is expensive, but furthermore can stress a patient to the point of actually encouraging suicide. Being unable to sleep because your cell lights are kept on 24/7 and you're constantly getting checked on, the humiliation of having to wear a suicide smock, not having sheets on your bed, etc.

You can argue that this is a crappy system, and I'd agree - but it is the dominant system in US prisons.

Re: Epstein's injuries look more like murder than suicide, noted pathologist says

#53
post #50
post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're right, I was incorrect there - I was confused because he wasn't on the medical team for the autopsy. Looks like he was there as an observer, being paid by Epstein's family - which also introduces a fairly significant conflict of interest.

Why is it a massive conflict of interest from the family side but not from the state side (their pathologists)? Presumably they both care about careers and reputation.

The state pathologists keep getting paid no matter what their conclusions were.

Epsiein's family pathologist only gets paid as long as he's involved in the investigation. If he said "Yep, looks like a suicide", the family would have no further use for him. But if he discovers some conspiracy that will take an indefinite amount of time to deal with, he keeps collecting paychecks. Also, this fellow seems to thrive on fame, so even more incentive to find something juicy.

Re: Epstein's injuries look more like murder than suicide, noted pathologist says

#54
post #33
post #2

I tend to be very skeptical of claims of conspiracy and conspiracy theories in general but I've yet to hear a reasonable theory to explain how Epstein could have killed himself in a cell and unit where suicide is made a practical impossibility. A friend in law enforcement related a story about someone on suicide watch who managed to kill himself by eating/shoving massive amount of toilet paper down his throat and the…

People kill themselves when under observation all the time. The people observing are negligent, the systems don't work, people think 5 minute of 15 minute obs are sufficient. It's not in any way uncommon. Statistical methodology hides the true numbers. People talk about "suicide" when they should be asking about "suspected self inflicted death".

> It's not in any way uncommon.

Could you put numbers on that? From what I can tell, in the facility where Epstein died, there have been many thousands of people held, and only one recorded suicide in the last 40 years. Do you disagree with this claim, and think there were many more suicides that were not recorded as such? Or do you consider this rate to be "not in any way uncommon"? I could agree with "not impossible", but not with "not uncommon".

Re: Epstein's injuries look more like murder than suicide, noted pathologist says

#55
post #53
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is it a massive conflict of interest from the family side but not from the state side (their pathologists)? Presumably they both care about careers and reputation.

The state pathologists keep getting paid no matter what their conclusions were. Epsiein's family pathologist only gets paid as long as he's involved in the investigation. If he said "Yep, looks like a suicide", the family would have no further use for him. But if he discovers some conspiracy that will take an indefinite amount of time to deal with, he keeps collecting paychecks. Also, this fellow seems to thrive on f…

> The state pathologists keep getting paid no matter what their conclusions were.

Naive.

Re: Epstein's injuries look more like murder than suicide, noted pathologist says

#57
post #42
post #5

I'm fascinated by the idea that someone could have killed and successfully covered up a murder this high profile. How do you handle the guards? How do you keep the other inmates quiet? Can you get away with bribing a single guard or is a larger operation needed? If you bribe people, how do you get the money to them? How do you keep them quiet when the inevitable investigation happens? I don't think it's impossible, b…

Bribe the two guards with cash. Threaten to kill them and their families if they talk. It's pretty straightforward. Most people think that they are good people and would do the right thing in this situation, even though most people have no reason whatsoever to believe that they would act morally right if it became a serious sacrifice.

>Most people think that they are good people and would do the right thing in this situation,

Nope, straight up, some people come up to me, bribe me and threaten me or my family so they can kill a pedophile and I wouldn't hesitate for a second. I'd hand them the keys and walk away.

Re: Epstein's injuries look more like murder than suicide, noted pathologist says

#58
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would wager that those same conditions were true long before Epstein ever set foot in there as well.

Apparently as Epstein arrived or shortly before his death the guards were rotated and two with very little suicide watch experience were present. One was also caught sleeping?

Is a guard sleeping on duty during a night shift surprising to you? As 542458 said, the level of competency that people assume is hilarious. Prison staff are overworked, underpaid, and have miserable jobs.

Re: Epstein's injuries look more like murder than suicide, noted pathologist says

#59
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would wager that those same conditions were true long before Epstein ever set foot in there as well.

Apparently as Epstein arrived or shortly before his death the guards were rotated and two with very little suicide watch experience were present. One was also caught sleeping?

Also the cameras just so happened to not have been recording at the time of the incident... doesn't seem coincidental considering his profile and potential to bring down some big name elites

Re: Epstein's injuries look more like murder than suicide, noted pathologist says

#60

Epstein’s death seems the most overt taunt about ruling class impunity in my lifetime. Not only in its circumstances, but in the kind of shifting, threadbare cover stories about everyone with whom he was associated. Bill Gates, for example, had staff overlap between his foundation and Epstein, (including one who was named in Epstein’s will!) and was able to diminish these connections in major media outlets with almos…

Epstein's ability to carry in his activities with near impunity during his life seems even more shocking to me. Pretty much everyone knew what this guy was doing for decades.
Post reply on HN