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New Trial Of The Century?
Any Jackson trial would be big. As big as the O.J. Simpson trial I witnessed from inside the courtroom, or the Jackson molestation circus I saw from the outside, as helicopters and private planes swirled, and news trucks beamed out in a dozen languages? No. The superstar in this case can’t make an appearance.
But big enough to suit Jerry Brown’s primary purpose: deterrent value. This kind of prescription abuse didn’t start with Michael Jackson, but if a culprit here is brought to justice, next time a cash cow seems ripe for the milking, an exploiter with a prescription pad will think twice before putting pen to paper. The only way we’re ever going to stop this kind of thing from happening is to make the potential pain outweigh the upside. Until there’s a real threat of prison or bankruptcy or both, the unethical minions of doctors, shrinks, trainers, and fill-in-the-blanks will continue to “handle” needy celebrities into an early grave. So I hope Liza’s right, and there will indeed be “hell to pay.”
Marcia Clark, the former L.A. district attorney who prosecuted the O.J. Simpson murder case, has since served a regular legal television commentator. She has written a bestselling book, Without a Doubt, served as a columnist for Justice Magazine and is finishing her debut crime novel.
John Talks Joe
Lloyd Grove is editor at large for The Daily Beast. He is also a frequent contributor to New York magazine and was a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio. He wrote a gossip column for the New York Daily News from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he wrote the Reliable Source column for the Washington Post, where he spent 23 years covering politics, the media, and other subjects.
Why America Must Learn to Bow
Martin Jacques is the cofounder of the UK think tank Demos, writes a regular column for The Guardian, and is a visiting research fellow at the London School of Economics Asia Research Centre. His new book, When China Rules the World, is available now.
Going Rogue: The Index
Christopher Buckley's books include Supreme Courtship, The White House Mess, Thank You for Smoking, Little Green Men, and Florence of Arabia. He was chief speechwriter for Vice President George H.W. Bush, and is editor-at-large of ForbesLife magazine. His new book is Losing Mum and Pup, a memoir. Buckley's Daily Beast column is the winner of an Online Journalism Award in the category of Online Commentary.
Is Polanski the New O.J.?
Marcia Clark, the former L.A. district attorney who prosecuted the O.J. Simpson murder case, has since served a regular legal television commentator. She has written a bestselling book, Without a Doubt, served as a columnist for Justice Magazine and is finishing her debut crime novel.
The Lost Polanski Transcripts
Marcia Clark, the former L.A. district attorney who prosecuted the O.J. Simpson murder case, has since served a regular legal television commentator. She has written a bestselling book, Without a Doubt, served as a columnist for Justice Magazine and is finishing her debut crime novel.
Polanski's Lost Alibi
Marcia Clark, the former L.A. district attorney who prosecuted the O.J. Simpson murder case, has since served a regular legal television commentator. She has written a bestselling book, Without a Doubt, served as a columnist for Justice Magazine and is finishing her debut crime novel.
" ... the O.J. Simpson trial I WITNESSED from inside the courtroom ... " (Heh. No kidding.)
They need to stop the drug dealers connected to dependents regardless of stardom or not. It sickens me that we will have these never-ending, ongoing media stories about this. Let's stop the over-perscribing before it happens.
in my opinion, not only are the bloodsucking dr's responsible, but as well, the pharmacy too. NOT to exclude, AEG Live along with personal liabilities to those up at the top of AEG. How stupid can they think we are ... a 50 yr. old man that weighed approximately 115 lbs, with needle marks over his body PASSED a detailed physical exam???????? oh please. AEG Live paid the Dr., paid all the expenses .. now they too can pay the price for murder or manslaughter. The only concern of AEG was $$$$$$$$ .. go get them!
sounds like marcia is looking for a position as the prosecutor beating up on the pushers
It's about time that someone go after these pushers. Our society turns a blind eye to these upper class pushers--elite educations and all--while their victims die. This should have been investigated long ago!
The problem is the very same obstacle facing us with socialized medicine in this country--the pharmaceutical companies. This is not just about narcotics such as which Michael Jackson is alleged to have taken. We need to seriously examine our actions as a society as we are apt to listen to one doctor/narcotrafficante who says to give a child drugs for "hyperactivity" when kids ARE hyperactive by nature; or drugs to prevent sadness when we need to be be sad from time to time in order to get through the very real hard times of life. We are culture of Stepford Wives pointing blame to everyone around us while we do nothing to change our own actions. We too are responsible.
We are culture of Stepford Wives pointing blame to everyone around us while we do nothing to change our own actions. We too are responsible.
Well said!
Diprivan is one name for propofol. Propofol is useful in two ways; as an ultrashort induction agent for general anesthesia and as a sedative/hypnotic. Hypnotic means sleep inducing. In either case it is given intrvenously. For it too last more than a few minutes, it must be given continously or repeatedly. the margin for error is relatively small but better than with previous drugs.
If propofol is found on the toxicology screens, there must have been an enabler who was lacking in both knowledge and scruples.
As an RN for 30 years working in the "recovery room" waking people up from the effects of Diprivan you are correct in your assessment. It is a very safe drug BUT only in the right hands of a qualified MD/DO who specializes in the Anesthesia field only. People are "so smart" by picking the "right" surgeon. Next time you have to have surgery, think about this: Even the most God-like, super surgeon in the world makes no difference if you cannot be rendered basically unconscious, senseless to pain and "suspended" in time during the procedure with the right combination of medications such as Diprivan, N2O2 (nitrous oxide), and inhalants and oxygen. However, even if this God-like surgeon does the most perfect surgery in the world, if you don't wake up, be brought back to consciousness to survive, what use was that surgeon now. My advise? Choose, be informed, investigate, ask questions, do your homework and pick the Anesthesiologist FIRST.
UNFORTUNATELY.....MICHAEL KILLED MICHAEL.
If I was running for Governor of California, I would bring him up on charges.
Marcia, No one wrote a prescription for diprovan. It had to either be taken from a hospital or from the office of a doctor who does proceedures which require anesthesia. Maybe like a plastic surgeon? Diprovan would work well for them as it wears off very quickly. This is either a nurse or doctor supplying diprovan, who else would have access? Maybe a tech. This is not the usual case of prescription drug addiction. Usually it happens due to real pain that can not be remedied quickly. We know a lot more about addiction and pain treatment now. There is no excuse in this day and age for doctors who continue to prescribe large amounts of narcotics when there are better treatments.
Dear Marcia,
If Diprivan was found in the house, wouldn't that make nurse Lee's statement about Michael calling her to get it for him a lot more suspect?
Has anyone thought to ask the dermotologist that Debbie Rowe worked for about the Diprivan? He is thought to be the father of two of the children. I don't know if MJ and the doc are close but at least it's an avenue to travel.
If MJ had taken a fistful of meds and neglected to tell the house doc then recieved a Demerol injection from him, wouldn't that put the neglect on MJ? Then again, i'm sure there is enough blame for everyone.
I'm sorry it takes so long to read this, thats because i type slow. I am a bilingual illiterate man, Ican't read or write in two different languages.
Nice piece, Marcia. Love your hair.
Thank you.
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