All posts containing the tag: "raid"
Posted Aug 21st 2009 2:24PM by TMZ Staff
The DEA is at Mickey Fine Pharmacy in Beverly Hills, warrant in hand, raiding the pharmacy that Michael Jackson used for years.
Law enforcement sources tell us they are searching for evidence of "improper dispensing of controlled substances," in connection with the death of Michael Jackson.
The pharmacy was used extensively by Dr. Arnold Klein and other doctors who treated Michael Jackson. Jackson obtained prescriptions for Demerol and many other drugs at Mickey Fine.
Mickey Fine sued Michael Jackson in 2007 for non-payment of a bill of more than $100,000. The case settled.
UPDATE: 4:51 PM PT Law enforcement sources tell TMZ the DEA found irregularities in Mickey Fine's drug dispensing practices when it came to Michael Jackson. Agents are searching records at the pharmacy for the various aliases Jackson used.
They are also looking at the drugs various doctors -- including Dr. Arnold Klein -- prescribed for the singer. And, we're told, one of the "irregularities" agents believe occurred is that the pharmacy may have refilled prescriptions that should not have been refilled and completely bypassed the doctor.
Filed under: Michael Jackson, Exclusives
Tags: dea, dr. arnold klein, Dr.ArnoldKlein, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, mickey fine pharmacy, MickeyFinePharmacy, raid
Posted Aug 3rd 2009 8:00AM by TMZ Staff
We've learned Dr. Conrad Murray has a storage unit in Las Vegas -- and there seems to be a growing connection between the doctor's storage rentals in Vegas and Houston.
Dr. Murray has a 10x20 unit at a Public Storage facility in Las Vegas. We've learned an employee of Dr. Murray's came to the unit as recently as July 30 with Dr. Murray's credit card number on a piece of paper and paid the rental fee. We do not know if items were removed or stored at that time. Dr. Murray missed the July 15 deadline to make payment and he was charged a late fee.
We're told one of the four people authorized on Dr. Murray's behalf to come and go at the facility is Stacey Howe -- someone who figured prominently when Dr. Murray's Houston storage unit was raided last month. Federal agents seized correspondence addressed to Stacey Howe, and we're told the agents asked the manager of the storage facility if she knew of Howe.
When agents raided Dr. Murray's Houston medical practice, they seized two Yahoo e-mails from Stacey Howe.
Law enforcement believes Dr. Murray may have had Propofol -- the drug they believe killed Michael Jackson -- stored in the various storage units for shipment to the singer, though as far as we know they do not have proof ... at least not yet.
We do not know if the Vegas storage unit has been searched pursuant to a warrant.
Filed under: Michael Jackson, Exclusives
Tags: dea, dr. conrad murray, Dr.ConradMurray, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, raid, search, stacey howe
Posted Aug 2nd 2009 11:20AM by TMZ Staff
Remember that UPS truck that drove right up to Dr. Conrad Murray's home during the Las Vegas raid this past week? Why would a UPS man be allowed in the middle of the action? Why was the dude rockin' the brown shorts turned away? We have answers!
The dude pulled up to the security post just after the raid began, and cops let him in -- apparently unbeknownst to the DEA, because agents were surprised when the ever-accommodating delivery dude came a knockin'.
Our sources say law enforcement checked out the box. After all, we know one of the things the LAPD and DEA are highly interested in is shipments to Dr. Murray -- law enforcement believes Propofol could have been shipped and earmarked for Michael Jackson.
Turns out our man in brown just had a gift box, so he was sent away, box in hand.
You're welcome.
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Tags: dr. conrad murray, Dr.ConradMurray, las vegas, LasVegas, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, propofol, raid, search and seizure, SearchAndSeizure, ups
Posted Jul 29th 2009 1:57PM by TMZ Staff
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
Tags: dea, dr. conrad murray, Dr.ConradMurray, las vegas, LasVegas, medical records, MedicalRecords, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, prescription drugs, PrescriptionDrugs, raid, search
Posted Jul 28th 2009 7:27PM by TMZ Staff
We've obtained the first video footage of Dr. Conrad Murray since the death of his most famous patient, Michael Jackson.
The footage was shot today outside of Murray's Las Vegas home -- shortly after it was raided by DEA agents.
In the clip you see Dr. Murray looking cool as a cucumber, with a bit of a swagger ... wearing a baseball cap and a button-down shirt.
Filed under: Michael Jackson, Exclusives
Tags: DEA, dr. conrad murray, Dr.ConradMurray, las vegas, LasVegas, law enforcement, LawEnforcement, medical records, MedicalRecords, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, raid, video
Posted Jul 28th 2009 6:30PM by TMZ Staff
There was a blockade ... law enforcement all over the place ... special agents with ski masks and guns -- but one determined UPS delivery man somehow got through it all to get his package to Dr. Conrad Murray's house.
Rocking a pair of sporty shorts for agility -- and with his "I-mean-business" sunglasses covering his face -- our hero rolled up right in front of the Doc's Las Vegas home during a freaking DEA raid today -- determined to fulfill his obligation to a customer who put his trust in the big brown shield.
But after knocking on the Doc's door, the UPS man was forced to take his package back -- for some reason, no one was available to sign for it.
With his options exhausted, the fearless delivery man once again mounted his brown steed and rode off into the harsh Nevada desert ... until tomorrow, when he will make "Delivery Attempt #2."
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Tags: dr. conrad murray, Dr.ConradMurray, investigation, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, raid, UPS
Posted Jul 28th 2009 4:22PM by TMZ Staff
A DEA agent just spoke to the media outside of Dr. Conrad Murray's office in Las Vegas -- saying Murray was at home the whole time his house was being searched today by a pile of law enforcement agents.
The Assistant Special Agent in Charge said law enforcement officials were now moving on from Murray's home to search his office. The ASAC said the warrants executed this morning were for documents -- meaning anything from papers to computer hard drives.
Stay tuned...
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Tags: DEA, dr. conrad murray, Dr.ConradMurray, raid, search
Posted Jul 28th 2009 2:25PM by TMZ Staff
DEA and other law enforcement officials have just arrived at the Las Vegas home of Dr. Conrad Murray. They have a search warrant in hand for Michael Jackson's medical records.
UPDATE 3:30 ET: The agents are now leaving Dr. Murray's home.
UPDATE 7:05 ET: Murray's lawyer, Ed Chernoff, just released this statement:
"We can verify that at approximately 8am, Officers from DEA, LAPD and various local agencies began executing a search warrant at Dr. Conrad Murray's Las Vegas home and office. The search warrant authorized investigators to look for medical records relating to Michael Jackson and all of his reported aliases. Dr Murray was present during the search of his home and assisted the officers. Investigators left Dr. Murray's home around 12 noon, seizing cell phones and a computer hard drive. As of 2pm, the search at Dr. Murray's office continues."
Filed under: Michael Jackson, Photo Galleries
Tags: dr. conrad murray, Dr.ConradMurray, medical records, MedicalRecords, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, raid, search warrant, SearchWarrant
Posted Jul 22nd 2009 2:20PM by TMZ Staff
Dr. Conrad Murray's lawyer, Ed Chernoff, just released a statement about today's raid at the doc's office -- saying law enforcement officials were searching for evidence "of the offense of manslaughter."
"We can confirm that a search warrant was executed today on Dr. Murray's offices in Houston, Texas. We reviewed the warrant and remained on the premises while the search was being executed.
The search was conducted by members of the DEA, two Robbery – Homicide detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department and Houston Police officers.
The search warrant authorized law enforcement to search for and seize items, including documents, they believed constituted evidence of the offense of manslaughter.
Law enforcement concluded their search around 12:30pm, and left with a forensic image of a business computer hard drive and 21 documents. None of the documents taken had previously been requested by law enforcement or the L.A. Coroner's office."
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Tags: DEA, dr. conrad murray, l.a.p.d., manslaughter, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, raid
Posted Jul 22nd 2009 12:03PM by TMZ Staff
We've learned the Houston office of Dr. Conrad Murray is currently being raided by federal authorities ... and we've learned they are looking specifically for all medical records relating to Michael Jackson.
We're told 8 Drug Enforcement Agency vehicles arrived at his offices about 30 minutes ago. Two LAPD detectives also arrived on scene along with uniformed members of the Houston Police Department and 10 members of the DEA's Tactical Diversion Team. There are another dozen or so DEA agents on hand.
The law enforcement agents, armed with a search warrant, entered the property and began going through the property.
We're told the LAPD asked the DEA for help in serving the warrant on the Armstrong Medical Clinic in Houston. The warrant is sealed.
Dr. Murray was Michael Jackson's personal physician -- he was the man who performed CPR on Jackson before he died.
UPDATE: Last night, Murray's lawyer, Edward Chernoff, issued a statement on his website regarding investigators asking for more medical records:
"The coroner wants to clear up the cause of death; we share that goal. Based on Dr. Murray's minute-by-minute and item-by-item description of Michael Jackson's last days, he should not be a target of criminal charges."
UPDATE: It appears the DEA has left the building.
Filed under: Michael Jackson, Photo Galleries
Tags: Conrad Murray, ConradMurray, houston, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, office, raid
Posted Jul 14th 2009 6:30AM by TMZ Staff
One of Michael Jackson's former housekeepers told law enforcement the singer was often in such bad shape from drugs, his eyes would roll back in his head.
We've obtained documents from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff Department's 1993 investigation into allegations of child molestation. Kristina Fournier told deputies back then ... she saw syringes while she was employed at Neverland. Deputies asked her if she ever saw Jackson inject himself with a hypodermic needle -- she said no.
Fournier told deputies she was aware Jackson was under the influence of drugs and "under a doctor's care." Fournier said she saw doctors "come and go" at Neverland.
And Fournier said, on the subject of Jackson's drug addiction, "I think he had good periods and bad periods, and when he had a bad period, he had a bad period. Then he would get off (referring to drugs) and then it would start again."
Fournier said it was "well-known" among the Neverland staff that Jackson had a drug problem -- "Yes, and people would say, his eyes were rolling in the back of his head and he wouldn't know what he was talking about."
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Tags: drug, inject, Michael Jackson, MichaelJackson, neverland ranch, NeverlandRanch, raid, syringe
Posted Jul 10th 2009 4:20PM by TMZ Staff
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's deputies who raided Michael Jackson's home in 2003 at Neverland Ranch had their hands full -- the place was a mess.
All these photos were taken inside the house, as deputies faced the daunting task of sifting through all of MJ's stuff.
By the way, most of the evidence involving drugs was never admitted at trial, because authorities felt it was not relevant to the molestation charge. Most of this evidence hasn't surfaced until we combed through tens of thousands of documents and photos.
Filed under: Michael Jackson, Photo Galleries
Tags: michael jackson, MichaelJackson, neverland ranch, NeverlandRanch, photos, pics, raid
Posted Jul 10th 2009 2:30AM by TMZ Staff
Santa Barbara County Sheriff's deputies who raided Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch back in 2003 found a syringe, powerful narcotics, vials and IV bags containing what could be anesthesia.
We've obtained documents that were part of the Sheriff's Department's investigation detailing what was found in the search. Among the items ...
-- A vial of Versed -- a powerful sedative
-- Several IV bags containing "a milky white fluid, located in a small cardboard box on top of the bathtub." Propofol and other anesthesias are milky white. As we first reported, Propofol was in Jackson's home the day he died.
-- A vial of Promethazine -- an antihistamine with strong sedative effects
-- A bottle of Alprazolam (generic for Xanax, a powerful anti-anxiety drug)
-- A bottle of Percocet -- a painkiller
-- A syringe
-- A vial with Demerol in it
-- Numerous loose pills outside bottles
-- A bottle of Prednisone -- a steroid
-- Ery-tab -- an antibiotic
-- Prescriptions for Xanax that had been filled
-- A prescription for Alprazolam
-- Oxygen tanks
-- IV stands
Filed under: Michael Jackson, Photo Galleries
Tags: anetsthesia, demerol, drug abuse, DrugAbuse, drugs, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, neverland ranch, NeverlandRanch, pharmaceuticals, prescription, raid
