It’s Official: Michael Jackson’s Death Is A Homicide

The L.A. County coroner has ruled the King of Pop’s death was caused by an overdose of anesthetic. Today’s screaming headlines aside, the trial about one doctor’s incompetence sounds more sad than sensational.

It seems that the cocktail of drugs that Jackson’s personal doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray, gave to him on the morning he died is the cause of death. The L.A. Times lists the drugs as valium, lorazepam, midazolam, and, finally, the anesthetic propofol. “Lethal levels” of the final drug are the official cause of death.

That means that the manslaughter investigation will certainly result in Dr. Murray’s arrest.

So, yes, now there’s a murder trial. But it’s lacking that human drama element that propels tabloid headlines: a motive. It’s not like Jackson was murdered because of passion, revenge, betrayal, greed, or ambition. He was just killed by a doctor who should have known what the fuck he was doing. Incompetence is horrible—especially in a medical professional—but it’s pretty boring and is now all about Conrad Murray and not Michael Jackson. Unless the police can suss out some kind of sexy motive, the world will be more likely to tune into a crime procedural than CNN to watch the tale of a sad-sack fuck-up.

Still, the Jackson family has already released a statement:

The Jackson family has full confidence in the legal process, and commends the ongoing efforts of the L.A. County Coroner, the L.A. District Attorney and the L.A. Police Department.
 
The family looks forward to the day that justice can be served.”