His weight was normal. His heart was strong. Besides a case of arthritis, damaged lungs and a skin disease that reduced pigment in his body, Michael Jackson was actually a pretty healthy 50-year-old man. Those are just some of the fascinating findings in an autopsy report that was leaked to the Associated Press this week.
Perhaps most surprising, though, were the bizarre autopsy details pertaining to Jackson's exterior.
-- There were dark tattoos on his eyebrows and around his eyes, a pink tattoo around his lips and what appeared to be a dark tattoo on the front of his scalp stretching from ear too ear.
-- He was balding, with his remaining hair described as short and tightly curled.
-- He indeed suffered from a skin disease that reduced pigment and left patches of white skin around his chest, abdomen, face and arms.
-- He had multiple scars around his body, including behind his ears, along one shoulder, at the base of his neck and near his navel.
The coroner has ruled Jackson's death at age 50 a homicide with his death caused by acute intoxication of the anesthetic propofol with other sedatives a contributing factor. The coroner found the propofol was administered without any medical need and that recommended resuscitation equipment was missing.
The autopsy findings block a potential defense for Murray - that Jackson hid serious pre-existing conditions that increased the risk of death from the drugs he willingly took.
"It clearly establishes that Michael Jackson was a healthy person whose death appears to have been directly caused by the administration of some very powerful sedatives," said criminal defense attorney and former federal prosecutor Mark Werksman. "This autopsy report seems to clear the path for a prosecution that his death was caused by an overdose."
Dr. Conrad Murray, who was Michael Jackson's cardiologist, has been a primary person of interest in Jackson's death investigation. Murray has admitted to law enforcement that he administered the drug propofol to the singer. The powerful anesthetic is what killed Jackson, along with other drugs contributing to his death.
Dr. Conrad Murray, who was Michael Jackson's cardiologist, has been a primary person of interest in Jackson's death investigation. Murray has admitted to law enforcement that he administered the drug propofol to the singer. The powerful anesthetic is what killed Jackson, along with other drugs contributing to his death.
Houston Chronicle / AP
Murray was at Jackson's house on the day that he died. According to new documents, he left Jackson to make some phone calls, and when he returned, the King of Pop was not breathing.
Mark Ralston, AFP / Getty Images
Another one of Jackson's doctors, dermatologist Arnold Klein, has also faced speculation that he may have provided the music legend with illegal prescription drugs. He has denied any involvement in Jackson's death.
Ethan Miller, Getty Images
Jackson's nutritionist Cherilyn Lee has told interviewers that Jackson begged her for drugs. "He didn't take any medications from me, I'm just nutritional. When it switched over to medication, especially that particular medication, I told him -- I only deal with nutrition," she says. Records from her office have been taken to aid in the investigation into his death.
Jae C. Hong, AP
The Los Angeles County coroner's report shows Jackson's weight of 136 pounds was in the acceptable range for a 5-foot-9 man. His heart was strong with no sign of plaque buildup. His kidneys and most other major organs were normal.
Still, the singer did have health issues, many of them age related, including arthritis in the lower spine and some fingers, and mild plaque buildup in his leg arteries. Most serious was the condition of his lungs, which the autopsy report said were chronically inflamed and had reduced capacity that might have left him short of breath.
But the report noted the condition of his lungs would not have been a direct or contributing cause of death.
Murray's attorney, Edward Chernoff, said he was anxious to see the full autopsy results and would not comment until he had done so. He added that he stood by his original statement that Murray did not administer anything that "should have" killed Jackson.
Except for a brief video posted to YouTube, Murray has not spoken publicly since Jackson's death. In the video, Murray said: "I told the truth and I have faith the truth will prevail."
Michael G. Dave, a Los Angeles lawyer specializing in civil litigation, said the autopsy report would be valuable for the Jackson family in the event they file a wrongful death civil suit. Such suits have a lower burden of proof than criminal prosecutions.
"That report, at face value, is dynamite for both the prosecutors and the heirs of Michael Jackson," said Michael G. Dave, a Los Angeles lawyer specializing in civil litigation. "It will go a long way to enable the heirs to win any wrongful death suit."
Stan Goldman, criminal law professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, said the autopsy findings would likely bolster a possible prosecution.
"The question for me is not if the prosecution has a stellar case for involuntary manslaughter but if they are going to try to go for some kind of murder," Goldman said.
Records state Murray told police he administered 25 milligrams of propofol to Jackson. But that's a very small dose that would not have kept the star under for long, raising questions about whether Murray misspoke or police misinterpreted what he told them.
The report provided details about Jackson's state from head to toes.
He had a ¾-inch scar behind his left ear and another apparent scar behind his right ear. He had a scar beside each of his nostrils and another, 4-inch scar on his right shoulder. He had a pair of additional scars about 3-inches long at the base of his neck and smaller scars on his arms and wrist. He also had a small scar near his navel and a 2-inch scar on the right-hand side of his abdomen.
He was going bald at the front of his head, with his remaining hair described as short and tightly curled. The bald part of his scalp was darkened with what appeared to be a tattoo stretching across the top of his head from ear to ear.
The coroner found depigmentation of his skin around his chest, abdomen, face and arms. The report also said he was actively producing sperm.
They'll never leave him alone. Even in death he's still an icon, and until this case is over, even possibly after, they'll always find a way to keep him in the news.
DEAR JAN.. WHAT DOES OBAMA HAVE TO DO WITH THIS? JUST ANOTHER CHANCE FOR YOU TO EXPRESS A MIXTURE OF YOUR HATRED FOR BLACKS AND LIBERALS? BETCHA EVERYTHING COMES DOWN TO THAT? UH-HU! GO ON! SAY SO! YA KNOW YA HATE EM!
I don't know about their point but there is a form of adult SIDS. Yes, I know that SIDS stands for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. A friend of mine had also gone to his doctor for his yearly physical and died several weeks later. The coroner told his family about this adult form of SIDS. Seeing as it is rare and the medical community has yet to come up with a term for it. I'd suppose it would be SADS or Sudden Adult Death Syndrome. This is not a joke...
I cannot believe that this autopsy report, which we've been waiting for since June 25, told us absolutely NOTHING new about the death of Mr. Jackson! What little information it contains, we already knew.
I can't believe you've sat on pin and needles waiting for an autopsy reports on this man. Do you not have better things to do? At the risk of angering some people I don't read anything about him or watch anything on TV about him. Let him rest people. He had a troubled life and no way on Gods green earth would I have allowed my little boy to go near him!
So what were you expecting from an autopsy report? That his gallbladder was made of pure aluminum or something like that? He was only an entertainer, not some god or alien. Too many drugs. Not something surprising from the entertainment industry.
It most certainly did say alot 1. It proves Michael was not a drug addict like the Dr and newspapers said he was. He was healthy except for his lungs (Lupis) osteoarthritis in his spine & his skin disease. It means he was indeed MURDERED.If you guys hated him so much why do all of you always come and read about him and then leave all your rotten comments. Someday something you leave on these boards is gonna come right back and bite you in the a--. There is such a thing and slander & deflamation of character if he where my family I have everyone of you hanging out front.
It did clear up some things, People have been saying for years, he wanted to be "white" Micheal said he had this skin disorder, the autopsy confirms this.. Finally,, he didnt weight 100 lbs and was a skeleton, he was in the normal range for his height,, another rumor proven untrue. He was healthy for his age,, another rumor put to rest.. so, you see, it did clear up some rumors,, too bad it cant clear up the emotional rape the public did of this man for years,, too bad the autopsy cant prove he was Not a PEDOPHILE and just a man who had compassion for children,,
Mari,Kathleen,etc. Are you a part of the Jackson's family? Noooo? Then what make you think that you need to know anything about the cause of Michael Jackson's death? Shhhhhh! Nuff said!!!
Just let the man die in peace.....aside from the criminal investigation, does it really matter what the autopsy says. A son and a father have died, a family is mourning...just let it go!
Comments
(478)Add a comment
Sunday 04 October
By terri
i second that one patricia. now i wish the media would leave mike alone.
Reply
Saturday 03 October
By Leonatio
They'll never leave him alone. Even in death he's still an icon, and until this case is over, even possibly after, they'll always find a way to keep him in the news.
sad, but true.
Saturday 03 October
By Tonia
They're still talking about Elvis...
Saturday 03 October
By TERRY ELLS
DEAR JAN.. WHAT DOES OBAMA HAVE TO DO WITH THIS? JUST ANOTHER CHANCE FOR YOU TO EXPRESS A MIXTURE OF YOUR HATRED FOR BLACKS AND LIBERALS? BETCHA EVERYTHING COMES DOWN TO THAT? UH-HU! GO ON! SAY SO! YA KNOW YA HATE EM!
Wednesday 18 November
By Knj
ewww. actively producing sperm. ewww.
Thursday 01 October
By jimmy
my friend went to have a check up all was good a week later he was DEAD .
Reply
Thursday 01 October
By MichiganStar
And your point is?
Saturday 03 October
By Brian
I don't know about their point but there is a form of adult SIDS. Yes, I know that SIDS stands for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. A friend of mine had also gone to his doctor for his yearly physical and died several weeks later. The coroner told his family about this adult form of SIDS. Seeing as it is rare and the medical community has yet to come up with a term for it. I'd suppose it would be SADS or Sudden Adult Death Syndrome. This is not a joke...
Thursday 01 October
By Mari
I cannot believe that this autopsy report, which we've been waiting for since June 25, told us absolutely NOTHING new about the death of Mr. Jackson! What little information it contains, we already knew.
Reply
Friday 02 October
By Kathleen
couldn't have said it better myself. Good one !
Friday 02 October
By CeCe
I can't believe you've sat on pin and needles waiting for an autopsy reports on this man. Do you not have better things to do? At the risk of angering some people I don't read anything about him or watch anything on TV about him. Let him rest people. He had a troubled life and no way on Gods green earth would I have allowed my little boy to go near him!
Saturday 03 October
By Ron
So what were you expecting from an autopsy report? That his gallbladder was made of pure aluminum or something like that? He was only an entertainer, not some god or alien. Too many drugs. Not something surprising from the entertainment industry.
Saturday 03 October
By Pat Thompson
It most certainly did say alot 1. It proves Michael was not a drug addict like the Dr and newspapers said he was. He was healthy except for his lungs (Lupis) osteoarthritis in his spine & his skin disease. It means he was indeed MURDERED.If you guys hated him so much why do all of you always come and read about him and then leave all your rotten comments. Someday something you leave on these boards is gonna come right back and bite you in the a--. There is such a thing and slander & deflamation of character if he where my family I have everyone of you hanging out front.
Saturday 03 October
By Me
It did clear up some things, People have been saying for years, he wanted to be "white" Micheal said he had this skin disorder, the autopsy confirms this.. Finally,, he didnt weight 100 lbs and was a skeleton, he was in the normal range for his height,, another rumor proven untrue. He was healthy for his age,, another rumor put to rest.. so, you see, it did clear up some rumors,, too bad it cant clear up the emotional rape the public did of this man for years,, too bad the autopsy cant prove he was Not a PEDOPHILE and just a man who had compassion for children,,
Saturday 03 October
By ItsMe
Hey I did NOT know he was balding...
but we all are at that age
Saturday 03 October
By the answerman
Mari,Kathleen,etc. Are you a part of the Jackson's
family? Noooo? Then what make you think that you
need to know anything about the cause of Michael
Jackson's death? Shhhhhh! Nuff said!!!
Thursday 01 October
By joann
Just let the man die in peace.....aside from the criminal investigation, does it really matter what the autopsy says. A son and a father have died, a family is mourning...just let it go!
Reply
Thursday 01 October
By neptune
I don't see him as a father, I think he was more a guardian...he never fathered anyone
Friday 02 October
By Larry
He was a Father, err Step Father, err perverted Uncle to all the chillins. Don't think he was ever a sperm donor to a Woman though.
Saturday 03 October
By SayWhat
LOL@"Let the man die in peace". The Man is allready dead, and to die again would be fruitless LMAO