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Drugs mystery: Jacksons want private autopsy

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By PAUL HARRIS in New York
Sunday Jun 28 2009

THE family of Michael Jackson may order their own independent autopsy in order to answer many of the mysteries surrounding his death, it emerged yesterday.

The Rev Jesse Jackson, a close friend of the family, said the Jackson clan had several concerns, especially allegations linked to his prescription drug use and the role of Dr Conrad Murray in the last hours of Jackson's life. Murray appears to have been present when Jackson, 50, collapsed, but did not sign the death certificate, as is standard practice.

Jesse Jackson said the family would probably hold another autopsy. He said: "When did the doctor come? What did he do? Did he inject him? If so, with what? Was he on the scene twice? Did he use the Demerol? It's a very powerful drug. Was he injected once? Was he injected twice?"

The singer's family are confused, upset and angry by the lack of information about those who were with the superstar in his final days.

They want to know more specifics about what role AEG, the concert promoter that was staging his 50-date concert series at London's 02 Arena, was playing in his life.

They also want to know more about the role of his advisers and representatives. Jackson never communicated to his family who he had in place to handle his business affairs. They also believe that if the singer left a will it may be many years out of date.

The family is distrustful of what they are being told -- but are determined to find out more, said a person close to them. "There are decisions going down without the family being in the loop. It's becoming an issue," they said.

Randy Phillips, AEG Live president, said yesterday that it was Jackson who insisted that Dr Conrad Murray, a financially troubled cardiologist who was with the singer when he collapsed on Thursday, be put on the tour payroll.

"As a company, we would have preferred not having a physician on staff full time because it would have been cheaper without the hotels and travel, but Michael was insistent that he be hired," Mr Phillips said. "Michael said he had a rapport with him."

Jackson collapsed at his rented home in Los Angeles. Police seized Murray's car in search of evidence, but have insisted that the doctor has been co-operative and do not consider him a criminal suspect.

However it has been claimed that he was on a cocktail of presciption drugs and was injected three times a day with a potent painkiller.

Records reveal years of financial troubles for Murray, who practices medicine in California, Nevada and Texas. His Nevada medical practice, Global Cardiovascular Associates, was slapped with more than €293,000 in court judgments, and he faces at least two other pending cases and several tax demands.

The person close to the family said that while there were reports the singer was distant from his family, Jackson spoke with his mother Katherine quite regularly and his father, Joe, had seen his son shortly before his death. His other eight siblings may not have talked to him recently but were not estranged.

Much of the family was holed up inside the Jacksons' rented luxury mansion in LA, including his three children, who have reportedly asked to stay with their grandmother. However, Debbie Rowe, the mother of the eldest two children, is also said to be seeking custody

- PAUL HARRIS in New York