Report: Coroner's staff snooped in MJ file

LOS ANGELES, July 24 (UPI) -- Michael Jackson's file was viewed hundreds of times by Los Angeles County coroner's staff without authorization, officials told the Los Angeles Times.

The recording artist and entertainer died June 25 at the age of 50. The cause of his death is still under investigation.

The Times quoted coroner's officials as saying weaknesses in the department's computer system have been detected. Because of the flaws, Jackson's death certificate was improperly viewed, and possibly copied, and other private information regarding the investigation may have been accessed by individuals not directly involved in the case, the officials said.

"There's only one person in the investigation of Mr. Jackson who needed to have a copy of the death certificate, and that was the investigator," Craig Harvey, chief coroner's investigator, told the Times.

Staff reportedly were warned to stop snooping in Jackson's records or face disciplinary action.