All posts containing the tag: "prescription drugs"
TMZ has learned the L.A. County Coroner is currently conducting an autopsy on Brittany Murphy, despite the wishes of her husband Simon Monjack.
As TMZ reported, she was feeling ill before she died.
We're told Brittany had taken prescription drugs before she died -- we're also told authorities discovered a large quantity of prescription drugs at her house after she died.
Filed under: Exclusives, Brittany Murphy
The first witness in the preliminary hearing over Anna Nicole Smith's prescription drug death testified authorities found a baby bottle of Pedialyte on her bed, along with a bottle of Cipro.
Pedialyte is used to rehydrate children when they experience diarrhea and vomiting. Anna had been battling the flu.
Cipro is an antibiotic used to treat infections.
Anna was found unresponsive in her hotel room on February 8, 2007 at the Hard Rock in Seminole, Florida. Her cause of death was a sleeping med along with 8 other prescription drugs.
Howard K. Stern, Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, and Khristine Eroshevich are charged with fueling a drug addict's habit.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Anna Nicole Smith
Dr. Khristine Eroshevich and Dr. Sandeep Kapoor just arrived at court for a preliminary hearing in the Anna Nicole Smith drug case -- and one of 'em pulled up in a limo.
We're told Howard K. Stern is already in the building. The trio has already pled not guilty to an impressive 23 felonies ... stay tuned for updates!
Fun Fact: Eroshevich, Anna's former shrink, allegedly took naked baths with Smith.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Anna Nicole Smith
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ the Michael Jackson homicide case will be presented to the L.A. County District Attorney in 3 to 4 weeks.
We're told the lion's share of the investigation has been completed and Dr. Conrad Murray remains the singular target. Our sources say LAPD detectives have requested opinions from several medical experts who will analyze the evidence and offer their opinions on Dr. Murray's conduct.
The medical experts are supposed to submit their finding in 2 to 3 weeks and we're told detectives need an additional week to assemble their evidence before they make a formal presentation to the D.A.
Law enforcement sources also say an arrest will not be made before Dr. Murray is charged with a crime -- of course that assumes he will be charged.
The case is complicated by the fact that Jackson had been taking various medications, even though the evidence is compelling that Propofol was the direct cause of Jackson's death.
Filed under: Michael Jackson, Exclusives
We've been telling you for weeks Propofol killed Michael Jackson and authorities had their sights set on Dr. Conrad Murray. The affidavit to the Houston search warrant makes it clear -- Dr. Murray fueled Jackson with multiple drugs before he stopped breathing and Propofol was the crowning blow.
So the questions -- did Dr. Murray come clean when he spoke with the LAPD or is it even worse than we thought? Why was he on the phone for 47 minutes after Jackson stopped breathing? Why did he wait so long to call 911? Why did he refuse to pronounce Jackson dead at UCLA? Why did Dr. Murray disappear for a day?
And the bigger question -- is Dr. Murray the patsy -- taking the heat for years of prescription abuse at the hands of various doctors?
What do you think?
Filed under: Michael Jackson
One of the doctors assisting the LAPD in Michael Jackson's death investigation has fired off a letter to President Barack Obama. The topic: To make it tougher for people to obtain "controlled medication."
In the letter, Dr. Susan Essien Etok -- the doc who claims Michael offered her £500,000 to supply him with drugs -- urges the President to consider "harsher punitive measures" for "unethical Doctors" who are willing to hand out strong drugs to anyone with the right amount of money.
Etok also says "no individual Doctor is responsible for Michael's death," then compares the singer's passing to that of Elvis Presley, Heath Ledger and Anna Nicole Smith -- all of whom died with drug cocktails in their system.
Filed under: Michael Jackson, Exclusives
A turf war between Las Vegas law enforcement on one hand and the DEA and the LAPD on the other could have compromised yesterday's raids on Dr. Conrad Murray's office and home ... according to multiple law enforcement sources.
We're told the DEA and LAPD wanted to conduct simultaneous raids in Houston and Las Vegas to maintain the element of surprise ... but the Vegas raids were delayed 6 days.
Sources say the D.A. in Vegas threw up road blocks and delayed for days before going to court to obtain a search warrant ... A member of the D.A.'s office told us it's routine for prosecutors to be "careful" in securing warrants.
But sources in other agencies involved in the searches scoff at the D.A.'s concerns, claiming this was nothing more than the D.A. wanting to call the shots.
And several sources say the Vegas police slowed things down by trying to take the lead over the DEA in executing the warrants.
One top law enforcement official says, "There was more than enough probable cause to get a warrant." Another law enforcement officer called the actions of the D.A. and police "a power grab."
The Vegas raids were conducted yesterday ... 6 days after the Houston raid. That gave Dr. Murray more than enough notice that the other shoe was about to drop.
The Las Vegas D.A. would not comment. As for the Vegas PD, a spokesman told us "We're not aware of any feud over the action involving this warrant."
Filed under: Michael Jackson, Exclusives
As we first reported, Michael Jackson's driver told coroner employees MJ appeared disoriented as he left Dr. Arnie Klein's office in the weeks leading up to his death. We compiled video of Michael's exits from April-June -- outside Klein's office. Check it out and decide for yourself.
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Joe Jackson continues talking to anyone who will listen -- and last night on "ABC News" he said he does believe there was "foul play" in the death of his son, Michael.
As far as drug use is concerned, Joe says he didn't know anything about it but said whatever Michael took he did so he could "relax and sleep."
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson's longtime friend and dermatologist, Dr. Arnie Klein, was on "GMA" this morning -- shooting down accusations he prescribed MJ medication that could kill him and rumors he's the baby daddy ... sorta.
Klein says he actually warned Michael that certain drugs -- like the opiate Dilaudid -- were "poison," calling doctors who did supply Michael with prescription drugs "criminals."
As for those pesky paternity rumors, his ominous answer: "To the best of my knowledge, I'm not the father."
Filed under: Michael Jackson
A doctor who has treated Michael Jackson, went on tour with Jackson and even videotaped Jackson's wedding to Debbie Rowe, was reprimanded by the Medical Board of California for writing fraudulent prescriptions for Michael's sister, Janet.
Dr. Allan Metzger received a public letter of reprimand from the Medical Board in September, 2000. The letter states, "You engaged in fraudulent medical practice based on prescriptions written for an international entertainer, using a false/fictitious name." Dr. Metzger told us the entertainer is Janet Jackson.
Dr. Metzger is a lupus specialist -- Michael Jackson reportedly had the disease. Dr. Metzger traveled with Jackson during the HIStory Tour in 1996.
Dr. Metzger told us in the late 90s, he wrote prescriptions for Janet Jackson using the name of her private chef, Ricardo Macchi. Dr. Metzger told us the prescriptions were for diuretics. He also wrote a prescription for a hepatitis B injection -- he says he wrote it because Janet was going on tour and wanted to guard against the disease. Again, the name on the prescription was Ricardo Macchi, even though it was for Janet.
Dr. Metzger told us, "I had done this for Janet for her anonymity."
Macchi sued Dr. Metzger but the Dr. says the suit was dropped and no money was paid out.
As for Michael, Dr. Metzger says, "I have not treated Michael Jackson for many years." Metzger says he has talked to Jackson on the phone over the years, even giving him medical advice. As for whether Dr. Metzger prescribed meds for Jackson, he wouldn't say: "I am not at liberty to discuss Michael's medical care." We asked if he ever prescribed meds to Michael using an alias. His response: "I have not treated him for ages." Metzger said he last spoke with Michael in April. The doctor says he talked to Jackson about the tour, his children, nutrition and hydration.
Dr. Metzger added, "I have nothing to do with this tragedy with Michael. I have not prescribed any medication in relation to what happened to him."
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Dr. Arnold Klein, Michael Jackson's longtime dermatologist and friend, spoke to photogs outside his home this morning about Jackson and buzz about him in the media.
The LAPD wants to speak with Klein about drugs and Michael. Klein said, "There are no allegations about me. I guarantee it." There are also reports that he's the biological father of Jackson's kids.
Filed under: Paparazzi Video, Michael Jackson
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ the LAPD has asked the DEA to assist them in its investigation into multiple doctors who treated and prescribed medications for Michael Jackson.
The LAPD wants help in tracking down the source of medications. As we first reported, the powerful anesthesia Propofol was found in Jackson's home and it appears he got the drug through an IV before he died.
Filed under: Michael Jackson
On the subject of Michael Jackson taking too many prescription drugs...
We went back to our files and found a 2007 lawsuit against Jackson for allegedly not paying a pharmacy bill -- grand total: $101,926.66.
Mickey Fine Pharmacy in Beverly Hills sued Jackson, claiming he agreed to "pay the purchase price of any prescription medications filled."
The case was dismissed a month after it was filed -- that typically means there was a settlement.
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Howard K. Stern turned himself in last night -- he was arrested and charged, along with two other doctors, for allegedly conspiring to fuel an addict with prescription drugs -- and the addict was Anna Nicole Smith. 
Stern and Dr. Sandeep Kapoor (above right) and Khristine Eroshevich are being charged with a total of eight felonies.
According to the L.A. County D.A., the conspiracy counts allege the three defendants conspired to furnish controlled substances to Smith between July, 2004 and January 2007.
Stern and Kapoor were charged with one count of unlawfully prescribing a controlled substance. Eroshevich and Stern were charged with unlawfully prescribing a controlled substance between June 2004 and January 2007.
Kapoor and Eroshevich were each charged with obtaining a prescription for opiates by "fraud, deceit or misrepresentation." They were both also charged with one count of obtaining a prescription for opiates by giving a false name or address.
Kapoor and Stern were also charged with one count of "prescribing, administering or dispensing a controlled substance to an addict." Eroshevich was charged with the same crime for separate prescriptions.
Bail is recommended at $20,000 for each defendant. We know both Stern and Kapoor bailed out Thursday night.
As we first reported, California drug officials recently raided the Los Angeles office of Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, looking for evidence against Stern.
Stern has denied doing anything illegal in connection with drugs and Anna Nicole.
The pictures below -- obtained by TMZ -- were taken in Anna Nicole's bedroom in the Bahamas, shortly after she died. It was stocked with methadone (5 mg per 5 ml), along side Slim-Fast. The Slim-Fast is ironic since Anna was a TRIMSPA spokesperson.
TMZ had obtained docs showing that 13 days before Anna Nicole Smith gave birth to Dannielynn, Dr. Kapoor wrote a prescription for methadone. It was written to Michelle Chase, an alias Anna used.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Anna Nicole Smith
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