Jacko Killed By Prescription Drugs?

06/26/09 2:59pm

by Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

An autopsy is being performed Michael Jackson's body to determine why the pop superstar died on Thursday at age 50.

Jackson went into cardiac arrest on Thursday afternoon and was pronounced dead after he was taken to hospital. Jermaine Jackson, Michael Jackson's brother, told reporters at a press conference on Thursday the preliminary cause of death was cardiac arrest.

TMZ reported on Friday that paramedics thought Jackson was already dead when they arrived on the scene, but they nonetheless took Jackson to hospital and spent an hour trying to revive him.

An autopsy will take a few hours to complete, but toxicology results could take up to six to eight weeks, according to the New York Times.

The newspaper also reports the Los Angeles Police Department has opened an investigation into Jackson's death, but it's purely a formality because of the extent of his celebrity.

Meanwhile, a car that belongs to Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Robert Murray, was towed from Jackson's house on Thursday night, the Associated Press reports. Murray was with Jackson when the singer collapsed and is set to speak to police about Jackson's death.

"We have not been able to interview the doctor yet," LAPD spokesperson Karen Rayner told the Associated Press. "His car was impounded because it may contain medications or other evidence that may assist the coroner in determining the cause of death."

Speculation is already rife about what may have caused Jackson's death. On Friday, TMZ reported a "close member" of Jackson's family told them he received daily injections of Demerol, a "synthetic narcotic" that's similar to morphine. The family member is said to have told the website the dose was "too much" and killed him.

Brian Oxman, the Jackson family's lawyer, told the Today Show prescription drugs could have been a factor in Jackson's death.

"I said one day, we're going to have this experience," he said. "And when Anna Nicole Smith passed away, I said we cannot have this kind of thing with Michael Jackson.

"I do not want to point fingers at anyone because I want to hear what the toxicology report says and the coroner says. But the plain fact of the matter is that Michael Jackson had prescription drugs at his disposal at all times."

Musicians from all genres paid tribute to Jackson following his death.

M.I.A. said "Michael Jackson" were the first English words she learned when her family immigrated to Britain from Sri Lanka, while Justin Timberlake — whose music shows Jackson's obvious influence — said he was "deeply saddened" to hear of Jackson's death.

"We have lost a genius and a true ambassador of not only pop music but of all music," Timberlake wrote on his website. "He has been an inspiration to multiple generations and I will always cherish the moments I shared with him on stage and all the of the things I learned about music from him and the time we spent together. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones."

Paul McCartney — who appears on "The Girl Is Mine," from Jackson's 1982 Thriller album and also worked together on "Say Say Say" and "The Man" from McCartney's 1983 Pipes Of Peace album — said he felt "privileged" to have known Jackson.

"He was a massively talented boy man with a gentle soul," the former Beatle said in a statement. "His music will be remembered forever and my memories of our time together will be happy ones."

Madonna was also among those to react to Jackson's death.

"I can't stop crying over the sad news," she said in a statement. "The world has lost one of the greats, but his music will live on forever! My heart goes out to his three children and other members of his family."

AEG Live, the promoter who organized the 50 shows Jackson was to play this year at London's O2 Arena, is now left with the massive task of providing refunds to ticket holders. According to Billboard magazine, sales of the tickets generated an estimated $85 million U.S. (about $98 million Canadian) for the event, which cost AEG Live an estimated $30 million U.S. (about $ Canadian) to stage.

"At this moment our thoughts are with Michael's children, family and friends," AEG Live said in a statement on Thursday. "We will announce ticketing information in due course."