Federal drug agents raided the Houston clinic of Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's personal physician, on Wednesday.
According to the Associated Press, the Drug Enforcement Administration entered his clinic after receiving a search warrant based on preliminary autopsy results.
"We can confirm that a search warrant was executed today on Dr. Murray's offices in Houston, Texas," Chernoff said in a statement. "We reviewed the warrant and remained on the premises while the search was being executed. The search was conducted by members of the DEA, two Robbery – Homicide detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department and Houston Police officers."
He added: "The search warrant authorized law enforcement to search for and seize items, including documents, they believed constituted evidence of the offense of manslaughter. Law enforcement concluded their search around 12:30pm, and left with a forensic image of a business computer hard drive and 21 documents. None of the documents taken had previously been requested by law enforcement or the L.A. Coroner's office."
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Times reported that Murray — who was with Jackson when he suffered cardiac arrest and died June 25 — remains a central figure in the probe.
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In fact, officials from the L.A. County coroner's office also have requested another interview with Murray. (Investigators have asked for medical records in addition to those Murray has already provided.)
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Murray's attorney, however, wants everyone to leave his client alone. Ed Chernoff tells Usmagazine.com, "The coroner wants to clear up the cause of death, we share that goal." "We don't have access to the most important information in this case… the toxicology report," he continued. "We're still in the dark like everybody else. Based on Dr. Murray's minute-by-minute and item-by-item description of Michael Jackson's last days, he should not be a target of criminal charges."
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"Murray," Chernoff added, "was the last doctor standing when Michael Jackson died and it seems all the fury is directed toward him. Dr. Murray is frustrated by negative and often erroneous media reports, he has to walk around 24-7 with a bodyguard. He can't operate his practice. He can't go to work because he is harassed no matter where he goes."
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He said Murray will continue to cooperate with investigators, as he did with Wednesday's search. Chernoff also said that the third interview is not yet scheduled.
