Jackson drugged ‘as if for major surgery’

US: Michael Jackson had levels of drugs in his body consistent with someone undergoing major surgery on the day he died in 2009, a coroner’s expert said Monday.

The 50-year-old died from an overdose of the anesthetic propofol, given by his doctor Conrad Murray to help the singer with chronic insomnia during rehearsals for a doomed series of concerts in London.

Daniel Anderson, a Los Angeles County coroner’s office criminalist, testified that Jackson had lidocaine, diazepam, nordiazepam, lorazepam, midazolam in his system.

But the propofol was of most concern, he said. “It raises a red flag in my eyes,” he told the LA Superior Court, adding: It’s very problematic to find it outside the hospital setting.” The level was “consistent with major surgery anesthesia,” said Anderson, noting that a level of 3.2 milligrammes per millilitre of blood was found in Jackson’s body.

Jackson’s 82-year-old mother is suing concert promoter AEG Live for allegedly negligently hiring Murray, who was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in 2011 over the star’s death.

AFP