No foul play in King’s death

 

LAS VEGAS: Medical examiners found no evidence to prove the allegation that American blues legend BB King was poisoned before he died of natural causes in May, as per autopsy findings made public on July 13.

Tests conducted after two of the musical icon’s 11 adult children said their father had been murdered showed the cause of death was Alzheimer’s disease, plus physical conditions including coronary disease, heart failure and the effects of Type 2 diabetes, Clark County Coroner John Fudenberg told The Associated Press. Daughters Karen Williams and Patty King had said through their attorney, Larissa Drohobyczer, that King’s business manager, LaVerne Toney, and his personal assistant, Myron Johnson, hastened their father’s death.

Brent Bryson, a lawyer for King’s estate, has called the claims defamatory and libellous. “Ms Toney and Mr Johnson are happy, these false and fictional allegations made against them by certain of Mr King’s children have been dispelled,” Bryson said.

“Hopefully we can now focus on the body of musical work that BB King left the world, and he can finally rest in peace.”

The findings close official investigations of King’s death, Fudenberg said. BB King died in hospice care at home in Las Vegas at age 89.