Jackson homicide ruling could lead to charges
Michael Jackson’s death has been ruled as a homicide, a law enforcement official said, in a move that could open the door to criminal charges.
The Associated Press reported that the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated that the Los Angeles County coroner had determined that the singer died after being given a lethal cocktail of pharmaceutical drugs.
It comes as court documents said that Jackson’s personal doctor Conrad Murray administered a powerful sedative of the type believed to have killed him just hours before the King of Pop collapsed.
The developments have raised the possibility of charges being filed against Dr Murray, who has already been named as the target of a manslaughter investigation.
LA County Coroner’s office yesterday refused to confirm or deny the report by the Associated Press.
Captain John Kades, of the coroner’s department, said: “We have not released any information on the Jackson case. We do not know where this information is coming from.”
Under US law, homicide could refer to murder or negligent or reckless manslaughter.
Reports that the coroner had decided in favour of a homicide ruling came as court documents confirmed that that authorities believe a lethal dosage of propofol killed the 50-year-old singer.
The documents also said Dr Murray told police that in the days before Jackson’s demise he had administered several drugs to Jackson to help him sleep.
These included propofol, which he administered via an intravenous line.
But he feared that the singer was becoming addicted to the drug and halved his dosage from 50 milligrams a night to 25 milligrams.
The last time Dr Murray administered the medication was 10.40am on June 25 - just hours before Jackson’s heart stopped.
Dr Murray told officers that during the morning, he tried to induce sleep without the use of propofol.
But after giving the singer a cocktail of other drugs, he turned to propofol following persistent requests from Jackson himself.
The physician has increasingly become the focus of police efforts to establish the cause of Jackson’s death.
To date, two offices and a pharmacy connected to Dr Murray have been searched by police, as has his home.
Earlier this month officials from the Drug Enforcement Administration walked away from a raided Las Vegas pharmacy with evidence that showed Jackson’s personal physician purchased propofol.
In the two months since the singer’s death, Dr Murray has been interviewed twice by officers involved in the case.
The doctor has not been named as an official suspect, but court records have identified the 51-year-old physician as the subject of a manslaughter investigation.
For the first few weeks after Jackson’s demise Dr Murray declined to offer any public comment, with all statements being made through his lawyer.
But last week he issued a direct message to his supporters via YouTube.
In the short video he thanked friends and patients for letters of support.
Dr Murray said: “Your messages give me strength and courage and keep me going. They mean the world to me.
“Please don’t worry, as long as I keep God in my heart and you in my life I will be fine. I have done all I can do. I told the truth and I have faith that truth will prevail.”
In a statement, the Jackson family said it had “full confidence in the legal process, and commends the ongoing efforts of the LA County Coroner, the LA District Attorney and the LA Police Department”.
The statement added: “The family looks forward to the day that justice can be served.”
Dr Murray’s lawyer Ed Chernoff issued a statement clarifying parts of the court affidavit relating to allegations that his client left Jackson shortly after administering the drug.
He said: “Much of what was in the search warrant affidavit is factual. However, unfortunately, much is police theory. Most egregiously, the timeline reported by law enforcement was not obtained through interviews with Dr Murray, as was implied by the affidavit.
“Dr Murray simply never told investigators that he found Michael Jackson at 11:00 am not breathing. He also never said that he waited a mere 10 minutes before leaving to make several phone calls.
“In fact, Dr Murray never said that he left Michael Jackson’s room to make phone calls at all.”
Mr Chernoff also addressed claims that the coroner had ruled homicide in the case of Jackson’s death.
He said: “We will not comment on the ’anonymous’ law enforcement source that claims that Michael Jackson’s death will be ruled a homicide.
“Most of the reports by ’anonymous’ sources have been proven wrong. We will be happy to address the Coroner’s report when it is officially released.”
