Jackson had just pills in his stomach, reveals autopsy

The autopsy details of pop star Michael Jackson gives a horrifying picture of the singer at the time of his death - he was a virtual skeleton as he was barely eating, there were only pills in his stomach. He was bald, bruised and also had broken ribs and needle wounds.

His hips, thighs and shoulders were riddled with needle wounds believed to be the result of injections of narcotic painkillers, given three times a day for years.

And multiple surgery scars were said to be the legacy of at least 13 cosmetic operations. Experts found the distressing evidence of Jackson's physical decline while investigating his startling death here last week, reported thesun.co.uk.

The examination showed the 5'10" star, once famed for his on-stage athleticism, had plunged to a "severely emaciated" state. It is understood anorexic Jackson had been eating just one meagre meal a day.

Pathologists found his stomach empty aside from partially-dissolved pills he took before the painkiller injection which stopped his heart. Samples were sent for toxicology tests.

Having lost virtually all his hair, the pop legend was wearing a wig when he died and pathologists said little more than "peach fuzz" covered his scalp.

A scarred section of skin above his left ear was entirely bald, apparently the result of a 1984 accident when his hair caught fire as he filmed an ad for Pepsi.

Jackson suffered several broken ribs as frantic rescuers pumped his chest after he collapsed in cardiac arrest. Four injection sites were found above or near the King of Pop's heart. All appeared to result from attempts to pump adrenaline directly into the organ in a failed bit to restart it.

Three of the injections had penetrated the heart wall causing damage, but a fourth missed and hit one of the 50-year-old star’s ribs.

The autopsy also found unexplained bruising on Jackson’s knees and on the fronts of both shins. And there were cuts on his back, indicating a recent fall.

Jackson's once handsome face bore a network of plastic surgery scars, while the bridge to his nose had vanished and its right side had partially collapsed.

As inquiries into the tragedy focussed on the star’s personal physician Conrad Murray, a source close to the Jackson entourage said: “Michael’s family and fans will be horrified when they realise the appalling state he was in. His doctors and the hangers-on stood by as he self-destructed. Somebody is going to have to pay.”

Murray, a cardiologist, was thought to have given Jackson the final injection of painkiller Demerol.

A second autopsy demanded by the Jackson family was carried out at a secret location Saturday after the first ruled out foul play.

Murray was hired just 11 days ago by AEG Live, the firm masterminding Jackson's 50 concerts at London’s O2 Arena, earlier scheduled to start next month.

Sources claimed the family was preparing a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against the cardiologist.

Last updated on Jun 29^th, 2009 at 11:19 am IST--IANS