EXCLUSIVE: Autopsy Now Over In Michael Jackson Case: No Cause Of Death Yet
June 26 2009, Published 2:19 p.m. ET
As RadarOnline.com was first to report, the autopsy on Michael Jackson is now over, but officials tell us that a cause of death has not been determined, pending further tests.
Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran – an autopsy surgeon with the Los Angeles Coroner’s Office - performed the autopsy, which lasted several hours Friday.
Officials will hold a news conference at the Coroner’s Office at 1:30PM PDT to address their findings, or lack thereof.
It was hoped the autopsy would shed some light on what caused the death of the 50-year-old superstar singer, who unexpectedly died Thursday in Los Angeles, shocking fellow entertainers and fans across the world.
Since Jackson died, there has been widespread speculation that the pop icon died of cardiac arrest, meaning his heart simply stopped beating. But the big question is: if it was in fact cardiac arrest, why did it happen? That’s what the Coroner’s Office is trying to determine.
Photos of Jackson's mother Katherine and sister LaToya at the hospital
Reports in the UK Sun Friday suggest that Jackson may have collapsed after an injection of Demerol, a powerful painkiller that can in certain circumstances increase the risk of cardiac arrest. The singer reportedly became addicted to Demerol and morphine during his 2003 trial for child sex abuse.
"Shortly after taking the Demerol he started to experience slow shallow breathing," the newspaper quoted one source as saying. "His breathing gradually got slower and slower until it stopped.
Rumors have been circulating that the singer had abused prescription medication for years. Jackson – who once broke his leg and broke a vertebrae in his back – is said to have suffered from chronic pain.
Take a look over Michael Jackson's enormous career
See inside Jackson's rented Holmby Hills mansion
Results of toxicology tests could take several days, possibly even weeks, but his family could block the release of the findings
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