Source: Powerful Sedative Propofol Found at Michael Jackson's Mansion

Friday , July 03, 2009


The powerful sedative Propofol — also known as Diprivan — was among several narcotics found in Michael Jackson's rented suburban Los Angeles mansion, a law enforcement source tells FOXNews.com.

Given intravenously, Propofol is used as part of inducing general anesthesia in the operating room, and for heavy sedation of patients who are intubated in the intensive care unit.

Cherilyn Lee, a nurse who worked for Jackson, claims the pop star begged her for the drug, and that just four days before his death, a member of Jackson's staff called and said "'Michael needs to see you right away." She says she heard Michael in the background saying, "One side of my body is hot, it’s hot, and one side of my body is cold. It’s very cold."

Lee's description of Jackson's condition mirrors a 2007 FDA alert to healthcare professionals detailing "several clusters of patients who have experienced chills, fever, and body aches shortly after receiving propofol for sedation or general anesthesia."


Lee insisted she did not provide Jackson with the drug. "He wasn't looking to get high or feel good and sedated from drugs," she said. "This was a person who was not on drugs. This was a person who was seeking help, desperately, to get some sleep, to get some rest."

Authorities are investigating allegations that the 50-year-old Jackson had been consuming painkillers, sedatives and antidepressants. The federal Drug Enforcement Administration and California Attorney General Jerry Brown both are helping Los Angeles police investigate the possible involvement of prescription drugs in Jackson's death.

Some of the prescriptions also were dispensed under various patient names and doctors, leading investigators to believe aliases were used to obtain the drugs.


FOXNews.com spoke to Dr. Howard Nearman, department chairman of anesthesia at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Ohio, about Propofol.

"Using this drug for insomnia is sort of like using a shotgun to kill an ant," Nearman said. "How someone could get a hold of this medication — and use it for the purpose that he allegedly used it for — is just incredible.”


If Jackson had this drug in his home, it would be against FDA guidelines. And if it was used in conjunction with any other painkiller or sedative, the combination could have ultimately led to his cardiac arrest and death.

“It should not be used out of an ICU or an operating room setting,” Nearman said. “Here at University Hospitals Case Medical Center… Diprivan can only be used by anesthesiologists or intensivists… and these people, who by virtues of training and experience, can handle this drug and manage any adverse side effect should they arise.”

It doesn't take a large dose of Diprivan to cause respiratory depression, which basically means a person will stop breathing, Nearman said, calling it a "slippery slope."


“Once the breathing is slowed down or the blood pressure drops, eventually the heart won’t be able to sustain itself.”

Two autopsies — one of them a private exam requested by his family — have been performed in Jackson. An official cause of death is not expected to be announced for several weeks.

They had a discussion today about the many doctors MJ has had thru the years, suggesting that the doctor that was with MJ when he died, had not been with MJ therefore isn't necessarily responsible or played a part in his death.

These doctors who are proven to have enabled these celebrities should be held responsible. I think Elvis' doctor lost his license to practice, but that hardly seems enough for the crime. Then there's Anna Nicole and now MJ. IF the doctors contributed they should pay a price. Oh, and don't forget Heath Ledger who was supposedly on prescription drug medication.

TIS

these doctors cant say no...that is there flaw. i think they should get more besides there licence taken away.

Ok, I've always been one who believes in spirits and the after life. Click on this video of a tour of The Neverland Ranch. Tell me you don't see a shadow walk past the wall. I just go goose bumps.

http://blogs.nypost.com/popwrap/archives/2009/07/michael_jackson_ghost.html

I'll give it this much. It's as good as anything they find on the ghost hunting reality shows.

Oh man, those shows scare the beejeebies out of me.

I'm embarrassed to admit this, but my sister is a real life Ghost Hunter, and belongs to a ghost hunting group.

thats cool...too bad that alot of the ghost hunting tv shows are fake

I'm with you Beth. That is very creepy. I hadn't seen this story anywhere tough.

Btw, they just announced that MJ's funeral will be tomorrow around 8:00 a.m., two hours before the public tribute.


TIS

It's about time the family let's him RIP.

News here (and probably everywhere) is who's gonna pay for the cost of this event tomorrow? It's going to be in the millions. With CA broke, and with rumors of paycuts for school and state workers, increase in taxes, closure of some state parks, it doesn't sit well a lot of people.

On the other hand, I heard someone (sorry don't remember who) say the the city "has" funds for this type of thing.

The are asking people without tickets to stay home and don't go to the Staple Center. Yea, that's gonna happen.

Btw, talk about trying to make a buck. These tickets were free, but some people have them on Ebay (I hear) and are trying to sell them for thousands.


TIS

From what I read, when the people picked up their tickets, they were given a tamper proof wrist band to prevent reselling. When they enter the arena tomorrow, they'll need to be wearing the wrist band.

I cried! I was shocked when I found out from listening to the radio, I was listening to 100.3(Love FM)...he obviously died from too much stress causing heart failure. it's not unusual.

WAY TO GO, PETER KING!!

It's about time somebody had the guts to speak out and publicly say what needed to be said about Michael Jackson and the absurd media circus of the past 10 days. I'll take this 'rant' over any of Al Sharpton's.

http://wcbstv.com/politics/peter.king.youtube.2.1074112.html

Congressman Expands On YouTube Video, Says Media Coverage Of King Of Pop's Death "An Orgy Of Glorification"

Pablo Guzman - MASSAPEQUA PARK, N.Y.

Over the weekend, Long Island Congressman Peter King posted what is often called "a rant" on YouTube -- sounding off. In this case, about what he called the media glorification of Michael Jackson....

"For the last, I don't know how long now, this low-life Michael Jackson, his name, his face, his picture, is all over the newspapers, television, radio. That's all we hear about is Michael Jackson. Let's knock out this psycho-babble. This guy was a pervert, a child molestor, he was a pedophile, and to be giving this much coverage to him day in and day out, what's it say about us a country?" ..."I just thought, this has gone over the top. It was an orgy of glorification"...

On the video King also says: "I just think we're too politically correct. No one wants to stand up and say, 'We don't need Michael Jackson!' He died, he had some talent, but fine, there are people dying every day. There are men and women dying everyday in Afghanistan, let's give them the credit they deserve.

"The bottom line is, would you let your child or grandchild be alone in a room with Michael Jackson?

King also says "there was nothing good about this guy" even though Jackson "may have been a good singer" and "did some dancing."...

"Yes, he did violate young boys. He did put them in terribly inappropriate positions. And that's a terrible signal to be sending out to society -- that we're somehow condoning that behavior. And you are condoning it when you give him the type of --- when we give him the type of regal coverage! And millions of people fighting to get to this mega-memorial! I mean, this is --- this is wrong!"

...King said Monday: "Listen, I feel a lot of sympathy for Michael Jackson. I mean this guy was a tortured person..."So I said it yesterday. I'm speaking today. I will not be speaking tomorrow, on the day of his memorial. I mean, here's a guy who had so much; in the end, he really had very little."

king is right about the media, and i dont totally agree with him on his other statements, but hey free contry...at least he respected jackson and the family enough and not doing this tomorrow.

King has a point...if only he had delivered it better.

What does it say when he has to backtrack like he did? He should have given the facts: That Jackson was accused publicly in two rather-publicized clouds of molestation, one which was paid off with a settlement that may or may not have been part of a shakedown*...and the other, a combination that Whacko Jackso escaped because of his celebrity, and quite frankly the prosecution's case was piss poor.

Or the adult videos and alleged "photos" of himself...

Jackson is in a way alot like Clinton and Palin. They're supposedly "clean," and yet shit seems to follow them like rats to the Pied Piper.

*=which a 1994 CQ Article argued.

King is my Congressman. I didn't vote for him and I find him way too conservative for my liking BUT I have to agree with him on this.

That sums up how I feel. Except, of course, that I live in a different congressional district.

While I agree that the amount of media coverage is ridiculous, I disagree with King's statements that Michael Jackson is a pervert and pedophile. He was cleared of all charges, and it's quite possible that extortion was involved. Mr. King should know better than to accuse someone of such things when they were found to be not guilty of all charges.

I believe that Michael was indeed a tortured soul. I also believe that to make him a hero borders on the absurd. Talent at the genius level? Absolutely, but that doesn't turn someone who was disturbed (at the very least) into a prince.

I think King is speaking for many of us who feel those pedophile trials were a sham (much like OJ Simpson's first trial). King may be skirting on the border of libeling Jackson but I give Peter some credit for speaking his mind.

Usually I'd let the dead rest in peace but this case is open for a free-for-all.

Yo Babe! King is just grandstanding and should be ignored. I agree that the media coverage is out of control, but have to diagree with your belief hat he was not a pedophile. He paid a huge settlement to one family, and he was found "not guilty" by a California jury (so was O.J.) which simply means the prosecutor did not establish the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

When you say extortion was involved, what do you mean? In order to commit extortion one needs some information to use to be paid hush money. What would that be if not pedophilia?

I believe he was found "not guilty" which would indicate there wasn't enough evidence to prove otherwise . Yes, technically he has NO charges proven, but right or wrong, put me in the group that doesn't believe he is innocent. All I can say is, I love MJ's music, and can't deny his talent. Yet, I'd probably be more into this event if I didn't feel deep in my gut that the guy was guilty of the horrible crimes he's accused of. Affairs, drugs, and other things seem easier to overlook but when it comes to this, I have a problem overlooking, let alone forgiving.

Whether or not they should wait until after the funeral before they even talk about thisthough, I don't know.
Speaking of which, CNN is reporting that now the family is moving MJ's body to the Staple Center for the tribute. I don't know, it seems it'll get even more chaotic.

TIS

I don't disagree with the SENTIMENT of his statement. It is absurd, the media attention that MJ has received. However, I honestly am not sure if he truly was a pedophile or not. I think that there is a very great possibility that he was that "Peter Pan" about younger boys. And if the parents of these boys were honestly that concerned, why did they allow it at all?? I wouldn't let my kids sleep over someone's house like that?? It was OK because they got the privileges of a millionaire friendship?? If he did molest those boys (a definite IF for me), then their parents were just as guilty for putting their kids in harm's way.

Pleae tell me this is not going to be an "open casket" event.

If it is, I hope they got someone from the clown college down in Sarasota to do the make-up.

They are reporting that the private service is over and that it was a closed casket. They also said they will be moving the casket to the Staple Center. Yet, they said, they didn't know if the body was in the casket?" Hu???




TIS

Empty caskets are used for memorial services quite a bit, TIS. Especially when the body is starting to decay. And after two weeks, the 25 years I spent in the funeral business tell me that Michael is pretty ripe right about now.

That's because I just saw Michael buying a Slurpee at 7-11. He was with Elvis.

And Elvis was kicking the shit out of him... "YOU FUCKING PERVERT, YOU MESSED WITH MY DAUGHTER"

The pallbearers just brought the casket in to that Staple Center. It looks like it is made of gold.