Almost two years after Prince’s death, it has been revealed that the singer died from counterfeit vicodin that was laced with fentanyl and that criminal charges will not be filed.
During a press conference, shared by TMZ, Carver County Attorney Mark Metz stated that the “charging decision must be made on legal merits,” and not just on celebrity status, eventually announcing that he “will not file any criminal charges” based on a lack of evidence.
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“The bottom line is that we simply do not have sufficient evidence to charge anyone with a crime related to Prince’s death,” Metz stated. He also said that investigators believe Prince “thought he was taking vicodin.”
“There is no evidence to suggest that the pills Prince took were prescribed by a doctor,” Metz continued. He also explained that Dr. Michael Schulenberg examined Prince and prescribed Percocet for the singer in another man’s name, which he will be “held accountable for.”
Metz also reveled that Dr. Schulenberg eventually recommended that Prince seek treatment for pain-medication addiction, but by the time arrangements were made, Prince was found dead.
Ultimately, Metz stated that there is “no reliable evidence” to determine how Prince got access to the controlled substance that led to his death, but confirmed that it was unrelated to the prescriptions given to him by Dr. Schulenberg.
Dr. Schulenberg agreed to a settlement and will be “held accountable” by paying a $30,000 fine and being monitored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for two years.
“Doctors are trusted medical professionals and, in the midst of our opioid crisis, they must be part of the solution,” U.S. Attorney Greg Brooker said in a statement when announcing the settlement.
“As licensed professionals, doctors are held to a high level of accountability in their prescribing practices, especially when it comes to highly addictive painkillers,” Brooker continued, as reported by the Star Tribune. “The U.S. attorney’s office and the DEA will not hesitate to take action against healthcare providers who fail to comply with the Controlled Substances Act. We are committed to using every available tool to stem the tide of opioid abuse.”
Speaking in defense of Dr. Schulenberg, his attorney, Amy Conners, said, “After he learned of Prince’s addiction, he immediately worked to refer Prince to a treatment facility and to transfer care to a chemical dependency specialist.”
“Dr. Schulenberg has previously disclosed all information regarding his care and treatment of Prince to his employers, law enforcement, and regulatory authorities in the course of his complete cooperation with all related investigations,” she added.
