The Daily Beast has learned that Dr. Arnold Klein, the Beverly Hills dermatologist who treated Michael Jackson for nearly 25 years, is one of a handful of doctors who have now received a “formal request” from the Los Angeles coroner’s office for “any and all” medical records relating to the pop star.
The subpoena served on Dr. Klein is part of the expanding inquiry by authorities into questions about what role prescription drugs played in Jackson’s death. The news also belies Klein’s firm denials, only Wednesday, that he was not the subject of any official probe. Dr. Klein had no comment regarding Thursday’s developments.
The news belies Klein’s firm denials, only Wednesday, that he was not the subject of any official probe.
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On Wednesday morning, Dr. Klein told Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America and Larry King in the evening that he was not one of the doctors being investigated by Los Angeles police and boasted "I've not been examined by anyone."
The subpoena was evidently served today. Richard Charnley, Dr. Klein’s attorney, issued a statement, saying: “It was a standard form subpoena and we turned over medical records to the medical examiner in response.
Michael Jackson had visited Dr. Klein's Beverly Hills building two to three times a week after his return to Los Angeles last September. The pop star was last in Dr. Klein's office just three days before he died.
The Daily Beast has also learned that Los Angeles investigators also executed at least three search warrants last week, but sources close to the police refuse to divulge the names of the doctor’s offices on which they were served.
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Gerald Posner is the award-winning author of 10 investigative nonfiction bestsellers, ranging from political assassinations, to Nazi war criminals, to 9/11, to terrorism ( www.posner.com). Posner lives in Miami Beach with his wife, the author Trisha Posner.