Coroner Delays Determining Michael Jackson's Cause Of Death

Updated 8:00 PM PST, Fri, Jun 26, 2009

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The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office has deferred determining the cause of death of pop star Michael Jackson.

"The cause of death has been deferred, which means that the medical examiner has ordered additional testing such as toxicology and other studies," Craig Harvey, Operations Chief for the LA County Coroner's Office, told reporters in Los Angeles on Friday.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Michael Jackson: The King Of Pop

Harvey confirmed the "other studies" to be conducted will be neuropathology and pulmonary tests. Results will take four to six weeks to complete.

The autopsy of Jackson, who died on Thursday afternoon at age 50, took around three hours, which Harvey noted was typical. Harvey also said there were no signs of foul play or severe trauma to the singer's body. In addition, one deputy was on hand while the coroner conducted the autopsy.

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Harvey told reporters that he could not share any information regarding drugs Jackson was taking at the time of his death.

"I can't comment on any prescription drugs that Mr. Jackson may have been prescribed or used," he said.

He also refused to comment when asked if there was any indication of Demerol, a drug several publications have suggested may have led to Jackson's death, in the pop star's system.

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Jackson's remains will be ready for release to a mortuary of the family's choosing beginning at 6 PM on Friday, Harvey said.

The death of Jackson on Thursday afternoon came as a shock to many and authorities in Los Angeles immediately began the process of unraveling what happened to the King of Pop.

UCLA released a statement on Thursday that Jackson was brought to the UCLA Medical Center after he reportedly suffered a "cardiac arrest in his home."

However, the cause of his death remained undetermined pending the autopsy.

Brian Oxman, a former attorney for the Jackson Family, hinted in an interview with CNN on Thursday evening that Jackson's death may have had something to do with medication.

"This is not something that has been unexpected any time that there was a report because of the medications which Michael was under," Oxman told CNN. "This family has been trying for months and months and months to take care of Michael Jackson. The people who have surrounded him have been enabling him. If you think that the case of Anna Nicole Smith was an abuse, it is nothing in comparison to what we have seen taken place in Michael Jackson's life."

According to UCLA, which released a statement following Jackson's death, the pop star's doctor was on the scene at his rented Holmby Hills home in Los Angeles when the singer is believed to have gone into cardiac arrest.

On Wednesday night, sources told Access Hollywood that Jackson seemed fine.

He had been rehearsing at the Staples Center for his London concert dates, which were set to kick off later this summer and was singing and dancing late into the evening.

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