The sordid lineage of stars that have died under suspicious circumstances is almost endless. Michael Jackson is merely the latest victim. In the days of Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, and Janice Joplin the drug of choice was illegal.

Today’s drugs are often not bought in sleazy deals on a seedy street corner, but legally purchased at the local supermarket. Prescription drugs have become the choice of the rich and famous. The list of abusers is far longer than I have room for in this article, but a couple of memorable ones are the biggest idiot on the radio Rush Limbaugh and the blonde bimbo, Anna Nicole Smith. Both were hooked on prescription drugs, painkillers as I recall.

Although it may be several weeks before the toxicology reports come back, my bet is that Michael Jackson will be shown to have an interesting cocktail of prescription drugs inside him at the time of death.

The New York Times is reporting that his personal physician Dr. Conrad Murray has had his car impounded, why would the cops do that? Having spent a number of years working in the drug addict world, it is easy to spot an enabler. Is that what Dr. Murray is?

There are still many questions about Michael Jackson, financially he appears to have been a complete disaster. The law suits just kept piling up. Non Payment, non performance, no-show, and the child molestation charges, none of this could not have helped his career.

It will be weeks, if not months before the whole Michael Jackson story comes out. His estate is large, it is thought that his 50% ownership in the Beatles catalog is worth $500 million. The problem is that he seems to have mortgaged everything. I would guess that when the dust settles, his three kids will be filling out applications to work at McDonalds. I can see the scenario already, “Hi my name is Prince Michael the second, are you hiring right now”?

The major question I have is in the culpability of the doctors.

With a long track record of not paying bills, why would any doctor even talk to this guy?

I was not a fan of Michael Jackson, I can honestly say that his music was at best pedestrian, but obviously I am in the minority on this claim. I am however upset that he is dead. It would have been better to watch his progress in rehabilitation.
To quote the New York Times:

Dr. Murray, who public records show is a 56-year-old cardiologist with a practice in Las Vegas and a clinic in Houston, has lived in numerous homes over the last decade in several states, filed for personal bankruptcy in 1992 in California and has five tax liens against him for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Now I don’t know about you, but I likely would avoid Dr. Murray. Or is there another level at work? Could this be the man enabling Michael Jackson? Did he write those prescriptions that might have killed Michael Jackson?

Another question I have concerning Dr. Murray, is why would Michael Jackson retain his services. Murray is a cardiologist, I do not believe that he has any experience in Cosmetic Surgery, or skin whitening.

No doubt in the coming weeks and months we will get some answers. Until then, all I can say is……..

watch this space.

Simon Barrett