Michael Jackson inquiry now a homicide case

In a further twist to the ongoing saga which has unfolded since the death of Michael Jackson on June 25, LAPD officers have now executed a search warrant to seize correspondence between Michael’s personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, and the Anschutz Entertainment Group [AEG] who were promoting his comeback concerts in London.

Officers made it clear AEG is not the focus of these inquiries. Instead, the warrant names seven doctors who treated Mr. Jackson, including Dr. Conrad Murray, and lists 19 false names Michael is said to have used to gain illegal prescriptions.

Dr. Murray’s spokeswoman, Miranda Sevick, said Michael hired her client in May at $150,000 a month, and that he had no connection whatever with AEG. People working for the promoters refused to comment at all.

According to court records, the warrant was focused on finding “shipping orders, distribution lists and use records relating to the purchase, transfer, receiving and storage of Propofol.” Dr. Murray is known to have administered Propofol [a drug so powerful, it's usually reserved for use in operations] to Mr. Jackson on the night that he died.

According to LA Times reports, the LAPD has now upgraded their inquiry to a homicide case and subpoenaed medical records and other paperwork from both Dr. Murray and numerous other doctors who were known to have been working with Jackson. The LA Coroner’s Office also says that a final toxicology report – which will show what drugs he had taken on his last night — should finally be released sometime next week.

As if all that weren’t enough, on Monday, lawyers for Michael’s mom, Katherine, and two trustees of his estate, John G. Branca and John McClain – both longtime friends of the star – will ask a court to determine who has control of the singer’s vast empire. Katherine and Michael’s three children are currently the main beneficiaries, together with numerous charities to be chosen by the three plaintiffs — assuming they are ever able to reach a consensus.

With his own recordings, plus the rights to the Beatles back-catalog, plus merchandising and publishing rights, Michael’s estate is said to be worth hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars. Mrs. Jackson wants to be made co-executor, along with the two men, and be given detailed proof of the exact relationship between them and her son.

Lawyers for Branca and McClain deny that their clients are hiding such documents from Mrs. Jackson, and accuse her of trying to change Michael’s will to remove the two men from power. [And all that money.]

If this sad, sordid story was a movie-of-the-week, no-one would watch. The case is ongoing and we’ll keep you informed.