Powerful Sedative Found in Michael Jackson’s Home

Speculation has run rampant regarding what prescription and other drugs Michael Jackson may have been taking before his untimely demise recently. Finally, late on Friday evening, law enforcement officials in Los Angeles confirmed that they had found Diprivan in the late entertainer’s home. The drug, also known as Propofol, is an anesthetic that is used often during surgeries to induce unconsciousness. Officials noted that the drug, administered intravenously, is not typically found in private residences. The police official who spoke with the press about the discovery requested anonymity and the official comment from Police Spokesman Lt. John Romero was, "It’s an ongoing investigation."

Apparently, Jackson had had problems sleeping for quite some time, thus the Diprivan. A nurse, Cherilyn Lee, who had been working with Jackson, noted, "I did everything I could to warn him against it." A former publicist, Rob Goldstone, spent time with Jackson during his "Bad" tour in 1989 and noted that the singer had trouble sleeping even then. Said Goldstone, "He had very bad nightmares, he found it very difficult to sleep." Diprivan was specifically discussed by a panel of doctors at the Mayo Clinic last fall, with doctors warning that it could cause a chain of events that eventually lead to heart problems and potentially death.

Jackson’s memorial service will be held tomorrow morning at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles and the city is preparing for the event. Assistant Police Chief Earl Paysinger noted that while only 17,500 tickets are going to be available for the service, he anticipates that as many as 250,000 to 700,000 people may show up and try to reach the arena. The tickets, which are free, were given away on Saturday evening, with 8,750 names drawn randomly and selected to receive two tickets each. No details about the service itself have been released.