From wire reports
LOS ANGELES -- Nearly seven months after Michael Jackson's death stunned the world, the official investigation of his death is edging toward conclusion with prosecutors prepared to seek an indictment of Jackson's doctor on a charge of involuntary manslaughter, The Associated Press has learned.
The fate of Dr. Conrad Murray has been the subject of speculation since he found Jackson unconscious in his home in Los Angeles last June. Jackson was preparing for a strenuous concert comeback in London, and Murray, a cardiologist, had been hired as his personal physician for the tour.
A law enforcement source who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation remains open said Friday that Murray would be prosecuted on a theory of gross negligence alleging that his treatment of Jackson was an extreme departure from the standard of care normally followed by physicians.
The coroner has ruled Jackson's death at age 50 was a homicide caused by acute intoxication by the powerful anesthetic propofol, with other sedatives a contributing factor.
Propofol depresses breathing and heart rate while lowering blood pressure, so it's supposed to be administered by an anesthesia professional in a medical setting.
The singer died after Murray administered propofol and two other sedatives to get the chronic insomniac to sleep, court documents state. Murray told police he left the room to use the bathroom, and phone records show he also made calls for 47 minutes around the time Jackson encountered problems.
When Murray realized Jackson was unresponsive, he began frantic efforts to revive him, but Jackson never regained consciousness.
The coroner found the propofol was administered to Jackson without any medical need and that recommended resuscitation equipment was missing.
Police: Wounds self-inflicted
HOBOKEN, N.J. -- Police say self-inflicted stab wounds put Howard Stern sidekick Artie Lange (LAYNG') in a New Jersey hospital.
Hoboken Police Detective Mark Competello says Lange's mother found him on the floor of his waterfront home last week.
Competello says the 42-year-old comedian was unconscious but breathing after stabbing himself with a 13-inch Wolfgang Puck kitchen knife.
Lange was taken to Jersey City Medical Center. Competello says doctors cleaned nine abdominal knife wounds and operated. He says Lange has been released.
In an e-mail Friday, Lange publicist Hilary Hansen declined to comment and asked that Lange's privacy be respected.
Stern has spoken of the suicide attempt and said his thoughts are with Lange's mother and sister.
'Spider-Man 4' 'a process'
LOS ANGELES -- Tobey Maguire doesn't think "Spider-Man 4" has become a tangled mess.
The 34-year-old star of the web-slinging superhero franchise said preproduction snags aren't dampening his mood about the fourth installment. The next "Spider-Man" film had been scheduled to swing into theaters May 6, 2011, but that seems unlikely now that "Thor," another big-screen Marvel superhero adaptation, has hammered out the same release date.
"Like anything, it's a process," Maguire said Thursday. "We're just in the midst of the process. We have a lot of great stuff in terms of story and script. We're just trying to dial it in and get it ready as quickly as possible. Of course, these movies are a very big undertaking and take a lot more time than a drama or something more straightforward."
Maguire, who has played Peter Parker in all three films, said the plan is to still release the movie in 2011, but wasn't more specific about the date. Whatever happens, he's enthusiastic about Spidey's future.
"Not only do I have specific ideas, but the ideas are evolving on the page," he said. "It's all happening right now. It's all sort of coming together. It's very exciting to me. I think the evolution of the character is really exciting, to be rooted in the history of what we've done already and to have a continuity, yet have a progression or evolution."
