It's Official: Coroner Rules Jackson Death a Homicide

The Los Angeles Medical Examiner confirms what's been suspected for weeks now: homicide

By Josh Grossberg Aug 28, 2009 6:50 PMTags
Michael JacksonPool photographer/Getty Images

Michael Jackson's autopsy report has finally been released and confirms what we've suspected for weeks now.

The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office has officially ruled the King of Pop's death a homicide brought on by a lethal cocktail of drugs, specifically "acute Propofol intoxication" along with Benzodiazepine effect as a contributing factor.

Per the report, after an examination of the body and thorough toxicology tests, the LA medical examiner found that the primary drugs that killed Jackson were the highly publicized sedative along with Lorazepam, which is a Benzodiazepine, a class of drugs similar to tranquilizers.

Other medications detected included Midazolam, Diazepam, Lidocaine and Ephedrine.

Because Propofol is traditionally used intravenously in hospitals and is considered unsafe outside operating rooms since it requires monitoring by anesthesiologists, police are eyeing manslaughter charges against the singer's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, for administering the drug to Jackson.

A search warrant affidavit unsealed earlier this week in Houston, where the doctor's offices are located, cited a toxicology analysis that Jackson had "lethal levels" of Propofol in his system.

The document also revealed that Murray told detectives he treated the popster for chronic insomnia by giving uim 50 milligrams of Propofol through an IV every night for six weeks, though he tried to reduce that amount believing Jackson had an addiction.

The morning the Moonwalker died, the doctor said he already given Jackson a cocktail of milder sedatives. When those failed to knock him out, Murray opted at 10:40 a.m. to give him 25 milligrams of Propofol, which induced sleep right away.

Per the affidavit, the cardiologist as saying he left Jackson in his bedroom alone and under the influence for two minutes while he tended to other business.

But authorities have noted big holes in Murray story, pointing to three separate cell phone calls the doc made afterward from 11:18 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. that lasted 47 minutes, information Murray didn't tell investigators.

That key discrepancy means Murray may have been out of the room much longer than he admitted and could prompt the filing of criminal charges against him.

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What's up with those reports that cops found heroin in Michael's house?  Find out here.

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