'Lethal levels' of drugs

25 Aug 2009, 6:29 am   -   Source: SBS staff and agencies
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The cause of Michael Jackson's death has been the subject of months of speculation. (File AAP)

The cause of Michael Jackson's death has been the subject of months of speculation. (File AAP)

Pop icon Michael Jackson had lethal levels of the anaesthetic propofol in his blood when he died, the coroner has found.

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The Los Angeles County coroner has ruled Michael Jackson's death a homicide, according to a law enforcement official.

The finding makes it more likely criminal charges will be filed against the doctor who was with the pop star when he died.

The official told AP the coroner determined a fatal combination of drugs was given to Jackson hours before he died in his rented Los Angeles mansion on June 25.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the findings have not been publicly released.

Forensic tests found the powerful anaesthetic propofol in Jackson's system along with two sedatives, the official says.

Dr Conrad Murray, Jackson's personal physician, is the target of a manslaughter probe headed by Los Angeles police.


An affidavit submitted to court says the conclusion was reached by the city’s coroner, Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran after he reviewed toxicology results from the pop icon’s body.


CNN reported that sources said Jackson’s personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray is believed to have administered the drug to him within 24 hours of his death on June 25.


Murray's home and clinics have been subjected to police searches for evidence related to the drug since the star’s death.

Propofol works by depressing the central nervous system.

"It works on your brain," the chair of the anaesthesiology department at the University of California told CNN. "It basically puts the entire brain to sleep," he said.

"It works on your brain," head of the University of California’s anaesthesiology department Dr Zeev Kain told CNN. "It basically puts the entire brain to sleep," he said.

The drug is administered by infusion, and the patient wakes up almost immediately once it is stopped, Kain told CNN.

"So if you're going to do this, you'd have to have somebody right there giving you the medication and monitoring you continuously," he said.

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