Doctor denies Jackson drug claim
2009-07-08 21:14
Los Angeles - A dermatologist linked to the probe into Michael Jackson's death on Wednesday denied giving the star illegal drug prescriptions and said he was not the biological father of Paris and Prince Michael II Jackson.
Arnold Klein told ABC television's Good Morning America in an interview he was not one of five doctors reportedly under scrutiny by detectives who have zeroed in on the role of drugs in Jackson's death.
"I'm not one of the five doctors. I've not been examined by anyone, I've not been contacted by police in Los Angeles," Klein said.
The discovery of a potent anaesthetic, Diprivan, at Jackson's home has raised the stakes in the investigation.
The drug is commonly used to induce unconsciousness in hospital patients ahead of major surgery.
Experts say there is no conceivable reason why Jackson could have had the drug at his home.
Painkiller also found
Klein said he had no knowledge of Jackson's use of the drug or other substances reportedly found such as the painkiller Oxycontin.
"I didn't give him this crap that they're talking about," he said. "I've never prescribed Oxycontin in my life. How am I going to prescribe Diprivan when I don't understand how to use it?"
Klein, who said he treated Jackson three days before his mysterious death on June 25, believes that any doctor found to have supplied the star with drugs should be prosecuted for manslaughter.
"I say that anyone who makes someone an addict or gives a person potentially dangerous substances directly to them to use, like propofol, is a criminal," Klein said, referring to the generic name for Diprivan.
"It becomes nothing more than manslaughter, or something worse than that."
Danced around days before death
Klein revealed that Jackson, who he had treated for lupus in the past, appeared to be in good health a few days before his death.
"He was not in terrible pain when I saw him. He danced in the office. He was very happy and dancing," he said.
"I saw nothing at that point in time that would make me worry whatsoever but I always was concerned about him because I always worried about other doctors," Klein said. "Here's the problem with Michael, no matter what he wanted, someone would give it to him.
Meanwhile, Klein denied a report that he was the biological father of Jackson's eldest son and daughter, Prince Michael I, 12 and Paris, 11, the star's children with ex-wife Debbie Rowe. Jackson met Rowe when she was working as a receptionist at Klein's practice in Beverly Hills.
"To the best of my knowledge, I am not the father of these children," Klein said. "I can't answer it any other way. I don't want to feed any of this insanity that's going around."
- SAPA