Coroner: Jackson’s death ruled a homicide

Per the AP:

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles County coroner has ruled Michael Jackson’s death a homicide, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press, a finding that makes it more likely criminal charges will be filed against the doctor who was with the pop star when he died.

The coroner determined a fatal combination of drugs was given to Jackson hours before he died June 25 in his rented Los Angeles mansion, according to the official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the findings have not been publicly released. Forensic tests found the powerful anesthetic propofol acted together with at least two sedatives to cause Jackson’s death, the official said.

Dr. Conrad Murray, a Las Vegas cardiologist who became Jackson’s personal physician weeks before his death, is the target of a manslaughter investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department. According to a search warrant affidavit unsealed Monday in Houston, Murray told investigators he administered a 25 mg dose of propofol around 10:40 a.m. after spending the night injecting Jackson with two sedatives in an unsuccessful attempt to get him to sleep.

The warrant, dated July 23, states that lethal levels of propofol were found in Jackson’s system. Besides the propofol and two sedatives, the coroner’s toxicology report found other substances in Jackson’s system but they were not believed to have been a factor in the singer’s death, the official said.

Murray has spoken to police and last week released a video saying he “told the truth and I have faith the truth will prevail.” His attorney, Edward Chernoff, had no immediate comment but has previously said Murray never administered anything that “should have” killed Jackson.

A call to the coroner’s office was not returned Monday.

Murray did not say anything about the drugs he gave to Jackson.

 

Word is that he fell asleep as he was administering Jacko's nightly cocktail of sedatives. When he woke up, Jackson was gone.

 

Is it too far out of the realm of possibility that Jacko wanted to die?

 

Well, in a way, he'd been trying to kill himself for a while.

 

Well yeah, but isn't it possible the good doctor offed Jacko because that's what Jacko wanted?

 

Certainly, but with what's at stake, there has to be a fall guy.

 

Ultimately, the fall guy could be AEG Group...they employed the notorious doctor, and they have deep pockets. It could be only a matter of time before the Lakers are playing in The King of Pop Auditorium.

 

Sexually misguided man-child who hated his own skin and the features on his face? Who imbibed a pharmacy's worth of drugs on a monthly basis - in fact, needed an anesthesiologist to sleep thru the night?


nahhh.

 

Is it possible to be surprised and not surprised at the same time?

RB

 

Somebody's going to jail.
They killed Jacko the Whacko, a global icon. That's not acceptable.
I think the Doctor is a good candidate for a cell mate and a new orange jumpsuit.

 

If it wasn't a doctor-assisted suicide, what possible motive would there be for offing him?

I mean aside from a pissed off parent of a kid he molested wanting him dead.

 

- At about 1:30 a.m., Murray gave Jackson 10 mg of Valium.

-- At about 2 a.m., he injected Jackson with 2 mg of the anti-anxiety drug Ativan.

-- At about 3 a.m., Murray then administered 2 mg of the sedative Versed.

-- At about 5 a.m., he administered another 2 mg of Ativan.

-- At about 7:30 a.m., Murray gave Jackson yet another 2 mg of Versed while monitoring him with a device that measured the oxygen saturation of a his blood.

-- At about 10:40 a.m., "after repeated demands/requests from Jackson," Murray administered 25 mg of propofol, the document said.

"Jackson finally went to sleep and Murray stated that he remained monitoring him. After approximately 10 minutes, Murray stated he left Jackson's side to go to the restroom and relieve himself. Murray stated he was out of the room for about two minutes maximum. Upon his return, Murray noticed that Jackson was no longer breathing," the affidavit said.

Efforts at CPR proved fruitless.

According to the warrant and affidavit, Murray said he was not the first doctor to give Jackson the powerful anesthetic, which the singer called his "milk." The drug has a milky appearance.

The document also cited reports from staff at the University of California at Los Angeles Medical Center, where Jackson's body was taken, who said Murray "admitted" to having given Jackson flumazenil to counteract the Ativan.

The document listed another five doctors and a nurse practitioner who were said to have treated Jackson.