In April, a law enforcement source told a CNN reporter that at the time of his death, Prince was found with opioid medication.
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The 57 year-old’s lifeless body was found in his Paisley Park elevator about 9.40AM by two of his staff members, longtime friend Kirk Johnson and personal assistant Meron Bekure and a doctor, Andrew Kornfeld, a pre-med student.
The Midwest medical examiner’s office has recently confirmed that Prince died of an opioid overdose.
“The decedent self-administered fentanyl”, the medical examiner’s report said, listing the cause of death as “fentanyl toxicity” and noting that it was accidental.
In Australia, the drug in sold under the names Durogesic (transdermal patches), Actiq (lozenges/lollipops), Sublimaze (IV injection), as well as some generic names, and is 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin.
The local prosecutor, Carver County Attorney Mark Metz, said the county sheriff’s office continues to investigate Prince’s death, assisted by federal authorities, but at this point has not handed over the results of the probe to prosecutors. The full autopsy report and results of the toxicology test are yet to be revealed but a police source reportedly told the Mirror: “The test results beg more questions than they give answers”.
Doctors began generously prescribing the painkillers in the 1990s after pharmaceutical companies and medical experts deemed they could be used for back pain, arthritis and other conditions without fear of creating addictions. Fentanyl is a narcotic used to treat severe pain.
Overdose deaths from synthetic opioids jumped by 80 per cent in 2014 over the previous year, the CDC said, suggesting much of the increase may reflect the greater availability of illegally made fentanyl. Schulenberg’s attorney has declined to comment on the case.
Dr Schulenberg saw Prince on 7 April and 20 April – the day before his death – according to the warrant.
On Thursday, Mauzy said his clients never delivered, dispensed or administered any medication to Prince. He canceled two shows in St. Louis shortly before his death.
By the time Andrew Kornfeld arrived at the singer’s complex on the morning of April 21, it was too late.
Mauzy has said Howard Kornfeld was called by prince’s associates the night before he died. Sent on behalf of his father, Andrew Kornfeld was carrying a small dose of the drug buprenorphine. Following the shows, Prince boarded a private jet to return home.
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She cited hip and knee problems that she said came from years of jumping off risers and stage speakers in heels.
