Sources: Michael Jackson died from Demerol abuse

(ABC News) UPDATED 2009-06-26

"King of Pop" Michael Jackson battled a "20-plus year addiction" to the painkiller Demerol, a friend says, as well as to a cocktail of other medications. According to Marc Schaffel, Jackson's former video producer, the performer was abusing the drug so badly he and other friends attempted an "intervention" in 2003, but could not due to Jackson's world concert tour. Also today, the British paper The Sun reported that paramedics at UCLA Medical Center said Jackson had been injected with Demerol and that after the injection, his breathing slowed until it stopped. Medical experts have said they believe drug abuse was a likely cause of Jackson's death, though partial autopsy results aren't expected until late Friday. Read full story >

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