Jackson Died 'After Demerol Injection'

Family lawyer warned that Jackson had 'issues' with prescription drugs
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 26, 2009 2:13 AM CDT

Michael Jackson's heart attack death occurred after an injection of the powerful prescription painkiller Demerol at his home, a source at the UCLA Medical Center tells the Sun. Desperate aides and a personal physician on the scene gave the singer CPR after his collapse, and made a panic-stricken call to emergency services, according to the source. Jackson was rushed to the hospital within minutes. Paramedics en route informed the hospital that Jackson was "not breathing at all," according to computer records.

At the hospital, doctors "started resuscitation, giving him heart shocks and inserted a breathing tube and other measures to try to save his life," said the source. "He never regained consciousness." The Jackson family attorney told CNN that family members were concerned about the "over-medicated" star's use of prescription drugs. The singer's "use of medications had gotten in the way" of rehearsals for Jackson's planned comeback tours, said Brian Oxman, who added that the singer's death was not "unexpected."
(More painkiller stories.)

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