LOS ANGELES -- Singer Marvin Gaye, shot to death by his preacher father last month, used cocaine a few hours before his slaying but apparently was not under its influence when he died, a coroner's spokesman said Tuesday.
'A small amount of cocaine residue was found in the blood, but no other drugs were detected,' Bill Gold, a coroner's spokesman, said.
'This finding indicates the deceased used cocaine at some point in the past, but he was probably not under its influence at the time of his death.'
He said an autopsy immediately following Gaye's April 1 death found 'no evidence of intravenous drug injections, but there was noted some inflammation of the nose.' Tests for drug use normally take several weeks to process.
Gold said Gaye may have snorted cocaine 'four to eight hours prior to his death, which means the influence factor wouldn't be there' at the time of his slaying.
Gaye, who was killed one day before his 45th birthday, was shot dwuring a heated argument and struggle with his father, Marvin Gay Sr., at their Los Angeles home. The victim's mother witnessed the killing.
Gay, who has admitted shooting his son but said he 'didn't mean to do it,' is undergoing a psychiatric examination to determine if he is mentally fit to stand trial on murder charges.
The soul singer, who apparently was broke at the time of his death despite his many years as a top recording star, had been hampered in his career by drug addiction.
He claimed to have kicked a cocaine habit before launching a comeback in 1982 with his Grammy Award-winning album 'Midnight Love,' featuring the hit single 'Sexual Healing.'
