Painkillers cited as Jackson death examined

By Mary Milliken and Laura Isensee

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Doctors examined Michael Jackson's body on Friday for clues to his sudden death while friends and family pointed to possible prescription drug use by the "King of Pop" as he prepared for a long-awaited comeback.

A family attorney said on Friday he had been concerned that the use of prescription drugs by Jackson, 50, for dancing-related injuries would eventually prove fatal and that the entertainer's inner circle had ignored his warnings.

TMZ.com, the celebrity website which broke the news of the singer's death, quoted a family member as saying he was given an injection of the painkiller Demerol before going into full cardiac arrest at his rental home on Thursday afternoon.

The Los Angeles County Coroner's office said full results from an autopsy on Friday could take six to eight weeks, including toxicology tests to check whether Jackson had drugs, alcohol or prescription medications in his system.

Fans and fellow pop stars everywhere revived memories of Jackson's musical genius, tarnished over the last decade by accusations of child molestation and eccentric behavior.

President Barack Obama called Jackson a "spectacular performer," but also said he believed aspects of his life were "sad and tragic," the White House said.

His death was front-page news around the world as airwaves filled with his greatest hits from "Thriller" to "Billie Jean" and social networking sites were bombarded with messages and tributes from fans and musicians.