29 Jun 2009

Police speak to Jackson doctor again

3:12 pm on 29 June 2009

A second police interview with the doctor caring for pop star Michael Jackson the day he died yielded no information suggesting the physician committed a crime, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The Los Angeles Times said an unnamed source close to the police investigation told the newspaper the second interview with Conrad Murray revealed "no red flag" indicating criminal wrongdoing or the cause of death.

The second meeting between police and Dr Murray, who has offices in Houston and Las Vegas, lasted three hours.

A spokeswoman for the law firm representing Dr Murray said the doctor is not a suspect and remains a witness to this tragedy.

Jackson's family sought a second autopsy beyond the official one, conducted on Friday, amid reports about the 50-year-old singer's reliance on prescription drugs.

Celebrity website TMZ.com reported that the second post-mortem took place at an undisclosed location in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon.

The singer of hit songs incluing Thriller and Billie Jean died suddenly on Thursday, aged 50. He had collapsed at his Los Angeles mansion and was rushed to hospital, in apparent cardiac arrest.

According to media reports, Jackson was injected with narcotic painkiller Demerol before he went into cardiac arrest and Dr Murray was trying to revive him when paramedics arrived.

The official post-mortem failed to determine what killed the singer, pending toxicology tests that could take four to six weeks and might reveal the presence of any drugs in his system.

Jackson's father Joe Jackson issued a statement on Saturday urging fans not to despair because the singer "will continue to live on in each and every one of you."

Stars celebrate Jackson's life

Stars have celebrated the Jackson's life at the annual Black Entertainment Television Awards in Los Angeles.

Joe Jackson joined celebrities at the annual show, which was changed to honour the singer. Speaking on the red carpet, he said he had "a lot of concerns" over events surrounding his son's death.

A Jackson 5 medley was performed and winners praised Jackson as they received their awards.

"We all know none of us in this in this room wouldn't be here for Michael Jackson," said Lil Wayne, named best male hip-hop star.

Demand for Jackson's music has surged since his death on Thursday, with the star dominating sales at music retailers and download sites across the world.

On Sunday, his songs topped Apple's iTunes download charts in every country except Japan.