By Blue Rose on Sunday, 30 of August , 2009 at 9:00 am
Pop star Michael Jackson’s death was ruled a homicide from drug overdose on Friday, fueling speculation his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, may soon be charged with manslaughter or another crime.
The Los Angeles County Coroner said in its ruling that the powerful anesthetic propofol, which is used in surgery and has been dubbed “milk of amnesia” by some doctors, as well as the sedative lorazepam were the primary drugs responsible for Jackson’s sudden death on June 25 at the age of 50. Other drugs found in the singer’s body were midazolam, diazepam, lidocaine and ephedrine.
Los Angeles police said they will refer the case to prosecutors for possible criminal charges when they have completed a probe into Jackson’s death. In previous court filings, police have said Murray, who was with the singer the day he died, was being investigated for manslaughter. Murray, a heart specialist with offices in Houston and Las Vegas, was hired to care for the singer while he prepared for the concerts, and he was at Jackson’s bedside the day he died.
The doctor previously has admitted to police that he administered propofol, which has a milky appearance and is used to sedate patients, to help Jackson sleep.
Police have looked into the activities of other Jackson doctors including his dermatologist. On Friday the California Attorney General’s office said it will begin an independent investigation of several physicians whose names have come up in the Los Angeles police probe. Murray’s attorney cautioned that the probe is not complete, nor are all the details of Jackson’s death known.
“We will not be responding until we get a full autopsy report, including the entire list of drugs found in Mr. Jackson, their quantities, and all other data that would allow independent medical experts to analyze and interpret,” attorney Ed Chernoff said in a statement.
The coroner said the complete toxicology report remained sealed at the request of Los Angeles police and prosecutors. The list of drugs in Jackson’s system provided by the coroner on Friday reads like a cocktail of sedatives, painkillers and one stimulant. Midazolam, which is similar to propofol, is used to make patients drowsy during procedures such as colonoscopies.
Diazepam, the generic version of Valium, is used to calm anxiety, while lidocaine is a painkiller and ephedrine is a stimulant. Defense attorney Steve Cron, a professor at Pepperdine University School of Law, said Murray could face up to four years in prison if convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
Forensics expert Dr. Lawrence Kobilinsky, who chairs the Department of Science at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said prosecutors, would look at the amount of propofol and other drugs in Jackson’s system, whether errors were made in administering drugs in combination, and whether Murray gave proper dosages or a lethal dosage.
Jim Cohen, a professor of law at Fordham University, said Murray could put up a vigorous defense. “It’s not an open and shut case,” he said. “Everyone says can only be administered in a hospital setting. I’m sure they’ll find some expert who says that’s preferred, but preferred doesn’t mean it’s required.”
By Blue Rose on Tuesday, 19 of May , 2009 at 3:19 pm
Yes it is a sad fact.
Sex addicts usually have a recognizable profile. For one thing, the vast majorities are men – they outnumber women four to one, in fact. More than 80 percent have some other kind of addiction – to the bottle, to gambling, to drugs (cocaine is the drug of choice for sex addicts). They generally suffer from low self-esteem. And they almost invariably report having been abused as children. Sex addiction, in fact, may be one of the many long-range consequences of child abuse – tragedy in a slow fuse. Abused kids not only come to feel worthless, they also come to think humiliation and shame are a part of normal sexual expression.
A second level addict is those whose behavior has escalated into things that could get them arrested and often involves a victim – exhibitionism, voyeurism, obscene phone calls. At this most extreme level, sex addiction can turn into the most heinous of crimes, like rape, incest or child molestation.
So many people have found themselves giving distressing answers to the factors that was stated before, and a nationwide sexual addiction recovery movement has emerged in the United States in recent years. Four major self-help groups, all of them modeled on the 12-step recovery program developed by Alcoholics Anonymous, have come into existence. The goal of this program, according to one recovering sex addict says recovering from alcoholism is a “walk on the beach” compared with overcoming the shame and degradation of sex addiction. Still, if you’ve got a problem, a self-help group may be your best hope. You may wish to contact national self-help group, which could have a local branch in your area (Sexaholics Anonymous, Box 300, Simi Valley, CA 93062; or Sex Addicts Anonymous, P.O. Box 3038, Minneapolis, MN 55403).
I hope and wish this may help even a little.
By Blue Rose on Sunday, 17 of May , 2009 at 3:29 pm
Is it possible to get “hooked” on sexual pleasure, just the way people get addicted to alcohol or drugs?
In the recent years, the question has become one of the hottest debates in psychology. On the other hand, many responsible sex experts claim there are a huge number of people who’s craving for the “high” of sex – usually promiscuous, anonymous sex – can legitimately be considered a true addiction. In extreme cases, these addicts hunt so obsessively for illicit sexual stimulation that it wrecks their marriages, careers and physical health.
On the other hand, other authorities complain that “sex addiction” is a fad diagnosis for something that cannot be legitimately be considered a true addiction at all. Some believe, if anything, it’s a problem more closely related to compulsions like anorexia than addictions like alcoholism. Others note that if this problem is addiction, it’s the only one whose “cure” doesn’t require complete abstinence. (After all, you can live without alcohol or drugs, but it would be both unhealthy and unrealistic to ask people to live without sex.)
How many sex addicts are there? Dr. Carnes estimates there may be as many as 7 to 14 million population, and then there is 3 to 6 percent of the population has this disease. The most common form of addict is the person who flits from affair to affair and may occasionally visit prostitutes, porn shops, or blue movies. Although he or she feels ashamed and is secretive about such behavior, it continues even despite effort to stop.
How can you tell if your sexual urges have started to run out of control? Dr. Carnes suggests that you consider the following factors. If most of the answers to the pertinent questions are yes, there may well be an element of unhealthy compulsion in your sexual behavior.
Feelings of despair. After sex, do you have feelings of shame, despair, and emptiness?
Secrecy. Do you feel a need to keep your sexual behavior a secret? Do you thrive on the thrill of leading a clandestine “double life”?
Abuse. Do you engage in sexual practices that are abusive or exploitative? Do you have sex with partners who are not completely willing?
Empty relationships. Do you have sex with partners whom you don’t really even know – or worse, whom you don’t even like?
Compromised values. Does your sexual behavior consistently violate your ethical values?
