Attorneys for financier and accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein said his death in federal custody was “far more consistent with assault” than suicide in a court hearing Tuesday, according to Newsweek.

"We did not see a despairing, despondent, suicidal person" ahead of Epstein's death on Aug. 10, one of Epstein's attorneys told District Judge Richard M. Berman, according to Newsweek.

The lawyers said they could provide further evidence backing their claims.

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Epstein’s lawyers said the medical examiner who ruled Epstein died by suicide had only seen nine minutes of footage from a single security camera before making the determination.

At the same hearing, federal prosecutors asked Berman to end the proceedings, while Epstein’s attorneys asked him for a formal investigation into the death. The Justice Department and FBI have already announced multiple probes into Epstein’s death.

Attorneys representing women who accused Epstein of sexual abuse and rape have also asked Berman for an independent probe, saying their clients would be more confident in the outcome of such an investigation, according to the publication.

“We have a profound problem with the conclusions of the medical examiner,” said one attorney, with another telling Berman "there are conspiracy theories galore ... what if the tapes only broke down on the day he was killed or he died” and inviting Berman to tour the Metropolitan Correctional Center, where Epstein was found non-responsive.

Attorneys argued Epstein lacked motive to take his own life, saying that the time of his death, the registered sex offender’s legal team had decided to pursue an appeal challenging prosecutors’ ability to pursue the case that they believed had a high chance of success.