Saturday 27 June 2009

Police to question Jackson's cardiologist

Police investigating pop star Michael Jackson's sudden death are now seeking to question a Las Vegas cardiologist who was present at the singer's home when he collapsed.

Dr Conrad Murray who is licensed in Texas, Nevada and California, reportedly administered CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) to Jackson on Thursday before the paramedics team arrived at his rented Holmby Hills home. Murray also accompanied the singer to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Centre, where the singer was pronounced dead, Los Angeles Times reported.

Sources said that the investigators briefly spoke to Murray but plan to question him further.

Los Angeles police department (LAPD) deputy chief Charlie Beck said detectives impounded Conrad's car because it may contain evidence related to Jackson's death.

The LAPD wants to interview the doctor, who attempted to revive Jackson on Thursday at his Holmby Hills home. Beck said detectives have contacted the doctor but would not say when they plan to meet with him.

Beck however, declined to say whether detectives found medication in the car.

"But that is the obvious evidence that could be contained in the vehicle, and I'm not commenting on whether anything like that has been found. But that is typically the reason why a physician's vehicle at the scene of a death would be confiscated," Beck said.

Detectives with LAPD's Robbery-Homicide division are still trying to determine what treatment, if any, Murray gave to Jackson in the hours before his death, the source said.

According to media reports, Jackson had received a shot of the painkiller Demerol before he collapsed. The 50-year-old singer has a history of addiction to painkillers.

Meanwhile, an advisor to Jackson, Dr Tohme Tohme, who had rejoined the singer's team last week, said he never saw pills or other medication at the rented home.

"I'm not aware of him taking anything," Tohme said. Jackson was happy and performed the challenging routines for his scheduled London concert series without any problem at rehearsal at Staples Centre on Monday, he said.

"He was in the best of health. He performed unbelievably," said Tohme, who is trained as an orthopaedic surgeon but not currently practicing.

Source: TOI
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