Word: deathly
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 2000-2009
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...indication that criminal charges, perhaps even for homicide, are being considered. Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton has said that detectives have spoken to a number of Jackson's doctors and are looking into the singer's prescription-drug history. The coroner's conclusion as to the cause of death, based on toxicology reports, will determine whether criminal charges are filed. "Based on those, we will have an idea of what we are dealing [with]," Bratton told CNN. "Are we dealing with a homicide or are we dealing with an accidental overdose...
Diprivan, which is administered intravenously and known by its generic name propofol, can lead to respiratory failure. It was allegedly found at Jackson's rented home during a police search after the superstar's death and is rumored to have been used by the him in the past to treat insomnia. (See a post-Michael guide to the Jackson family...
...police conclude that the drug was administered to Jackson before his death, it could very well lead to manslaughter charges - or worse - against the physician who performed the procedure. Citing sources in the LAPD and the coroner's office, TMZ reported that the police are focusing on Dr. Conrad Murray, the cardiologist Jackson had hired to help him prepare for his comeback tour. The website said it was told there was evidence Murray may have administered Diprivan to Jackson. It was Murray who found Jackson in cardiac distress and administered CPR before calling 911 for assistance on June...
What kind of charges might physicians implicated in Jackson's death face? "The most serious charge that they might be able to do would be involuntary manslaughter, which is an unintentional killing with criminal negligence," says Jean Rosenbluth, a clinical associate professor at USC Law and former federal prosecutor. "Now, there can be criminally negligent homicide if there is such gross recklessness. Theoretically, I suppose you could file some sort of second-degree murder charge, but it's hard for me to imagine that they will be able to show that kind of recklessness. But none of us know...
...their misuse can carry criminal penalties of up to 40 years in prison, says Rosenbluth. However, she cautions that sentencing is determined by many factors, such as the amount of the drug, whether the crime was a first offense and whether the administration of such drugs led to death. "Certainly the penalties are more severe if death occurred. Generally people who are first-time offenders though don't get anywhere near the statutory maximum," says Rosenbluth...