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Published: Feb. 4, 2010 at 1:59 PM

Lawyer: MJ's doctor to plead innocent

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- Conrad Murray's attorney says Michael Jackson's former personal physician will plead innocent if charged with involuntary manslaughter as expected.

Jackson's death at age 50 was declared a homicide after lethal levels of the anesthesia propofol and sedatives were found in his system.

Murray, the singer's Texas-based doctor, has been under investigation for his treatment of Jackson in the time leading up to his death.

Police have said Murray admitted he administered the drugs to Jackson to help him sleep shortly before he died June 25, 2009.

Murray has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and his lawyer has said he is fully cooperating with the investigation.

"He'll surrender Friday," Murray's lawyer Michael Flanagan told People.com Thursday. "I anticipate he'll be charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter, to which we'll enter a plea of not guilty. I expect that we'll have him first surrender to the (Los Angeles Police Department) where he'll be booked and then transported to court for arraignment."

Flanagan added he will immediately post bail for Murray following the arraignment, People.com said.


Coroner: Pneumonia, drugs killed Murphy

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles County coroner's office says film actress Brittany Murphy died from pneumonia, iron-deficiency anemia and multiple-drug intoxication.

Murphy, whose movie credits include "Clueless," "Girl Interrupted," "8 Mile," "Sin City" and "Happy Feet," died Dec. 20. She was 32.

Initial autopsy results were inconclusive and authorities said they would wait for toxicology tests to be conducted before determining how she died.

TMZ Thursday reported the coroner's office declared the cause of her death has been categorized as an accident.

The entertainment news Web site also said in the report released Thursday, authorities noted "drug intake" on the line that said "how injury occurred."

The drugs Murphy took were a prescription for cramps and over-the-counter medications, including cough syrup, TMZ said.

Murphy's mother and husband have previously denied press rumors an eating disorder, mental illness or drug abuse played a role in the actress' death.

Instead, they said they were convinced she died of a congenital heart murmur.


12.1M watched 'Lost' Season 6 premiere

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- An estimated 12.1 million U.S. viewers tuned in for Tuesday's two-hour Season 6 premiere of the supernatural series "Lost," Variety reported.

Viewership for the first episode of the show's final season was up 12 percent compared with the show's Season 5 debut.

The entertainment industry trade newspaper said Tuesday's edition of "Lost" was the No. 2 program of the night behind "American Idol," which attracted 24.4 million viewers.

The last season of "Lost" is expected to wrap up in May.


'ToK' remains atop the U.S. record chart

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- Ke$ha's "TiK ToK" is No. 1 on the U.S. record chart for a seventh consecutive week, Billboard.com reported Thursday.

Coming in at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 is

Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance," followed by Young Money's "BedRock" featuring Lloyd at No. 3, the Black Eyed Peas's "Imma Be" at No. 4 and David Guetta's "Sexy Chick" featuring Akon at No. 5.

Rounding out the top tier are Ludacris' "How Low" at No. 6, Iyaz's "Replay" at No. 7, Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" at No. 8, Train's "Hey, Soul Sister" at No. 9 and Rihanna's "Hard" featuring Jeezy at No. 10.

© 2010 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

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