The attorney for a prominent California addiction specialist says Prince’s team had arranged to get him help kicking a painkiller addiction the day before the musician’s death. The paper notes that the Drug Enforcement Agency and the United States attorney’s office have joined local investigators following the revelation about Kornfeld’s involvement, though his lawyer stated Wednesday that Andrew Kornfeld arrived too late to administer any drug.
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“The DEA and U.S. Attorney’s office are able to augment this local investigation with federal resources and expertise about prescription drug diversion”, the office said.
Lawyer William Mauzy told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis that representatives for Prince called Howard Kornfeld, a northern California doctor who specialises in opioid-addiction treatment, on the night of April 20 because the musician “was dealing with a grave medical emergency”.
So he sent his son, Andrew Kornfeld, who works with him, to Minnesota, with plans for him to go to Prince’s estate, Paisley Park, to explain how the confidential treatment would work.
But when Andrew Kornfeld arrived at Paisley Park at 9.30 am, on Thursday, Prince’s representatives could not find the singer.
However, it’s unclear if the opioid contributed to Prince’s death.
Prince’s reps have said the singer had a nasty case of the flu, and medical experts previously told VICE News that painkillers could have worsened his condition.
Prince had a reputation among those close to him for leading a clean lifestyle. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to talk about the investigation. “The people are just distraught”.
If a doctor has been found to have violated federal rules for prescribing drugs, “it is punishable, it is a federal crime”, said the DEA official.
Dr. Kornfeld was scheduled to arrive to Minnesota the next day.
Prince’s family could try to blame Andrew Kornfeld for the singer’s death.
While patients can become addicted to buprenorphine, the withdrawal is much milder than with other opiates, Kornfeld said.
Mauzy commented that those present at the scene were taken into custody and interviewed due to it was a criminal investigation according to the authorities.
An autopsy was performed the day after Prince’s death, but its findings, including toxicology results, are not expected for weeks. Prince Rodgers Nelson, who died two weeks ago today after being found unconscious in his Paisley Park compound at the age of 57.
Mauzy said Andrew Kornfeld should be immune from prosecution.
Kornfeld couldn’t clear his schedule, Mauzy said, so he sent his son, Andrew Kornfeld in his place.
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He said the younger Kornfeld is a pre-med student and said convincing people to seek treatment is something “he has done for years”.
