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LIFESTYLE

Most Now Think Jeffrey Epstein Was Murdered

Most Americans now believe disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein was murdered in jail because he knew too much.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey shows that just 21% of American Adults think Epstein actually committed suicide while in jail which is the official explanation for his death. Fifty-two percent (52%) say it’s more likely that he was murdered to prevent him from testifying against powerful people with whom he associated. Twenty-seven percent (27%) are undecided which is more likely. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Just after Epstein’s death in early August, 29% believed he committed suicide, while 42% thought it was more likely that he was murdered. Twenty-nine percent (29%) were undecided.

Sixty-two percent (62%) of Americans say they have closely followed news reports about Epstein’s death, with 23% who have followed Very Closely. Among those who have followed Very Closely, 74% believe it’s more likely that Epstein was murdered.

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted January 7-8, 2020 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Former President Bill Clinton is perhaps the most prominent person linked to Epstein. Fifty-three percent (53%) of voters said in June of last year that Clinton is a sexual predator.

But voters are closely divided over the House's decision in 1998 to impeach Clinton who committed perjury and obstruction of justice to conceal his affair with a 22-year-old White House intern.

The older the adult, the more closely they are following the Epstein story. Men are more interested than women and are more likely to think he committed suicide.

The majority of voters in most demographic categories suspect that Epstein was murdered to prevent his testimony against his powerful associates.

Most Americans think the rich and famous get preferential treatment when they break the law.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted January 7-8, 2020 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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