Jackson self-harmed for drugs
2009-08-19 22:16
Los Angeles - Michael Jackson "self-harmed" to get more painkillers.
Police investigating the singer's death believe he deliberately hurt himself in the weeks before he died to convince doctors to prescribe him extra medication.
"Los Angeles Police Department detectives have interviewed some 30 to 35 witnesses so far, and it has come to light that Michael was prone to self-harming. He'd bang his head against the wall, hit his fists and arms against furniture, anything to cause a cut or bruise," a source said.
"He wanted to convince his doctors that he'd had an accident and was in a lot of pain - a legitimate reason to ask for painkillers. This came up as part of the investigation into Michael's drug-taking. So far there's no evidence to prove or disprove the claims."
Witnesses have also revealed the "terrifying" side-effects of Michael's addiction, which included shaking fits, violent outbursts, hallucinations and "bouts of wailing during the night".
Sympathy
The pop icon's drug use is said to have increased dramatically in the lead-up to his 50-date This Is It London concert residency - which was due to start in just weeks after his death on June 25 - as rehearsals left him exhausted and full of "aches and pains".
"He made a huge deal about his injuries after rehearsals. He complained of back pain, pain in his joints, aching legs. Staff had their suspicions that he sometimes invented pain or hurt himself to get attention," said a Jackson family source.
"Michael self-harmed mainly as an attention-seeking mechanism or to gain sympathy. He enjoyed being cared for. It was a huge cry for help."
The family friend claims the King of Pop had been self-harming since Jordan Chandler's father made sexual abuse allegations against him in 1993.
They claim it intensified in 2005 when Michael went to court to face charges of child molestation against 13-year-old Gavin Arvizo. He was eventually acquitted of all charges.
Meanwhile, Michael's personal physician Conrad Murray has spoken about his client's death for the first time.
"I have done all I could do, I told the truth, and I have faith the truth will prevail," said Murray in a video released online. Murray - who is at the centre of police investigations into the singer's death and is believed to have injected him with the powerful anaesthetic Propofol which is alleged to have killed him.
"Because of all that is going on, I'm afraid to return phone calls or use my e-mail. Therefore, I recorded this video to let all of you know that I have been receiving the messages."
Here's Dr Murray's video: