No foul play in Jackson’s death; more tests needed

LOS ANGELES/WASHINGTON - There was no evidence of trauma or foul play in the death of Michael Jackson, officials said, but additional tests will be needed to find out how the musician died.

“The cause of death has been deferred,” said Craig Harvey of the Los Angeles County coroner’s office in broadcast remarks Friday. “The medical examiner has ordered additional testing such as toxicology and other studies.”

Harvey said the tests would take four to six weeks to complete.

Jackson died suddenly Thursday of what his brother, Jermaine, said was cardiac arrest. He was unconscious and not breathing at the time of the emergency call to paramedics, and emergency room physicians and cardiologists worked to resuscitate him for more than an hour, Jermaine Jackson said Thursday.

Harvey said the coroner’s office knew Jackson had been taking prescription drugs, but wouldn’t comment on any specifics until the toxicology tests had been completed.

“Once tests are completed, we anticipate being able to close the case and issue a final cause of death,” Harvey said.

Jackson’s death ended a life in the spotlight that shone not only on his talent but also on the darker side that involved reports that he was addicted to prescription drugs, and two celebrity cases involving allegations of paedophilia.

Reports of his addictions circulated widely after his death.

Jackson died after being given “a heavy dose of morphine,” according to celebrity website tmz.com. Family members were alarmed at his physical state and had planned to put him in a rehab facility for his addiction to morphine and prescription drugs, according to the website, which first reported his death.

Brian Oxman, a former attorney for the Jacksons who was with the family in the hospital emergency room Thursday, said he had been concerned about the medications the pop star was taking.

“I talked to (the) family about it, I warned them. I said that Michael is overmedicating and that I did not want to see this kind of a case develop,” Oxman told CNN.

The tests were “standard evaluations”, Harvey said. Autopsies are a process of ruling out possible causes, and “we want to make sure the systems in the body were functioning properly”.

Harvey said the autopsy took about three hours, which was not unusual. He also said that Jackson’s body would be ready for release Friday evening, as soon as the family selects a mortuary.