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Cocaine Killed Ike Turner, Coroner Says

Rock Legend Overdosed; Emphysema Played a 'Significant' Role

By CHELSEA J. CARTER, AP

Posted: 2008-01-16 19:07:04

SAN DIEGO (Jan. 16) - Rock n' roll pioneer Ike Turner's death last month at age 76 was caused by a cocaine overdose, the San Diego County Medical Examiner's office said Wednesday.

"We are listing that he abused cocaine, and that's what resulted in the cocaine toxicity," said Paul Parker, chief investigator at the medical examiner's office.

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Ike Turner, whose aggressive presence both on and off stage made him one of music's most divisive figures, died at his home near San Diego on Dec 12. He was 76. Now a month later, the city's medical examiner concludes that Turner's death was caused by "cocaine toxicity."

The medical examiner's office also listed hypertensive cardiovascular disease and pulmonary emphysema as "significant and contributing factors" to Turner's death, Parker said.

Turner's daughter, Mia, said she was surprised by the coroner's assessment. She said her father's emphysema was at such an advanced stage that he was on oxygen and extremely weak in the last days of his life.

"He just couldn't - he'd gone at the time of his death four or five days without doing anything, and if he'd done anything, it would have been so minimal," Mia Turner said. "He was too weak from the emphysema to do anything. He'd go in the studio for a couple of minutes and play a couple of bars and say he had to go lay down."

She said she had not yet spoken to her father's doctors about to coroner's findings.

Whatever the medical case, Turner said she didn't want her father remembered for his drug use.

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"That didn't and doesn't define who he was," she said. "Who Daddy was, was the legend, was the icon, was the major contributor to the music industry, not what this report says."

Turner, whose musical accomplishments were overshadowed by his image as the man who brutally abused former wife Tina Turner, died Dec. 12 after years of drug abuse. He was jailed in 1989 and served 17 months.

Turner once told The Associated Press he originally began using drugs to stay awake and handle the rigors of nonstop touring during his glory years.

"My experience, man, with drugs - I can't say that I'm proud that I did drugs, but I'm glad I'm still alive to convey how I came through," he said. "I'm a good example that you can go to the bottom. ... I used to pray, `God, if you let me get three days clean, I will never look back.' But I never did get to three days. You know why? Because I would lie to myself. And then only when I went to jail, man, did I get those three days. And man, I haven't looked back since then."

But while he would readily admit to drug abuse, Turner always denied abusing his ex-wife. In her 1987 autobiography, "I, Tina," Tina Turner told of a brutal pattern of abuse.

After years out of the spotlight his career finally began to revive in 2001 when he released the album "Here and Now." The recording won rave reviews and a Grammy nomination and finally helped shift some of the public's attention away from his troubled past and onto his musical legacy.

Turner spent his later years making more music and touring, even while he battled emphysema.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

2008-01-16 17:14:23

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ocbeauty 01:17:38 PM Mar 06 2008

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Everyone has vices and things they've done along the way that are not so admirable. His reputation for drug use, a stint in jail and being rough with Tina are a part of his life, NOT his character in entireity. If you'd known him, you'd have liked him. If you'd ever have seen him and his band play, you'd have dug it and realized what a GREAT TALLENT he is. I'll remember him fondly and focus on the good qualities. People are always amazed when it comes up that I have such a positive opinion of Ike. I believe that his detractors are very under informed.

ocbeauty 01:15:18 PM Mar 06 2008

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It's been awhile now since my friend Ike has passed. This is the first article I've read and it's pretty much crap like what I caught on the tv news. I knew him well at the later stages of his life. Still strong in mind, body, spirit and tallent! He had mellowed with time and had been sober from all drugs for 15 years. Unfortunately, he became rather lonely and turned back to the cocaine to numb his pain.

What these articles don't focus enough on is his TALLENT!, his charm, his charisma, his warm heart and the joy he brought to so many lives that he touched. He was a character. No average man, NO; he lit up any room he walked into. He had personality plus plus plus and was so much fun to be around. Yea, he was also a grumpy old man who wanted everything his way too, lol. Pretty much, he's just like my Dad but; I called him Uncle Ike.

Everyone has vices and things they've done along the way that are not so admirable. His reputation for drug use, a stint in jail and being r

lilangel3000k 05:27:00 AM Jan 19 2008

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Ike Turner had his ways when he was younger and married to Tina, but just like any other human being his past came back to haunt him instead of going to see help for himself, he kept getting hooked on drugs. My prayers goes out to his family, and we should remember him as being one of God's child not a narcotic user.

Theonlyoneleft99 09:13:02 AM Jan 18 2008

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who gives a ish?!

LaTessa124 08:57:08 AM Jan 18 2008

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What really upsets me is that this could cause problems with his life insurance couldn't it? If he could even get it...being a known drug user. Addiction is a disease...if people could just stop there would be no need for treatment centers.

Cond62 03:11:00 AM Jan 18 2008

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What a dumb ass. You have atheletes dying from using this stuff. He really thought his 76 year old ticker could handle it.

AngeWons 02:19:19 AM Jan 18 2008

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My prayers go out to his daughter Mia. He's gone now and she's dealing with all this negative talk about her father. I was taught if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say nothing at all. Remember, this is her father, and she know him better than anyone else. She know these things about her father, but who would want to hear all this negative talk about their love one? That's the problem wiith people in this World, getting High off someone Low. Give her a break, she's suffering enough. Pray for her to lift her spirits, SHE LOST HER DADDY.

AngeWons 02:09:39 AM Jan 18 2008

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My Prayers go out to his daughter Mia, and I understand why she don't want people to remember her father has a drug addict. She don't need to hear all this negative talk at a time like this. How would you feel if this was your love one?
I get tired of people getting a high off other people lows.

Xsquid1996 12:50:00 AM Jan 18 2008

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She said her father's emphysema was at such an advanced stage that he was on oxygen and extremely weak in the last days of his life.

"He just couldn't - he'd gone at the time of his death four or five days without doing anything, and if he'd done anything, it would have been so minimal,"

wtf? Sounds like Magic Johnon..infected with HIV and still going out and whoring around back then.

Nycksters1 11:32:01 PM Jan 17 2008

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Coca is what probably gave him relief from emphyzema. What a dumb ass, he should have just smoked kush!!!

jdubrasky 10:23:42 PM Jan 17 2008

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We all know he used drugs! Buttttttttt STOP blaming drugs for cause of death. He had emphesyma bad and everything else. Coroner just has to get his/her name as another rock and roller dead from drugs. BULLCRAP He was old with illnesses.

May God finally give him peace!

OH and I don't do drugs Im'm against drugs! And I'm white american so don't give me all the typical crap answers!

OBell3 09:16:00 PM Jan 17 2008

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beauty no beast, umm when she meant "at four or five days, he'd go without doing anything, she probably meant him not being on his oxygen tank," (well maybe, but I do see some defenders, well not merely defenders but understanding of his stance as a early pioneer of rock and roll, )of him coming out the woodwork after him dying, well where the hell were you all when he was alive?

Asuntatuya 08:58:50 PM Jan 17 2008

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I'm 65, i remember his hateful stalking of Tina Turner, how she had to hide from that sociopath...............He died, and who cares about that abuser of woman, and who knows who else...............I'm glad he's gone, how he's gone, was his undoing, he wa a pimp a mooch, low life user and abuser.......He w\isn;t the only one either. How many men out there are his twin? A huh, right............I don;t need to ever hear this sociopaths music ever again..............Cocaine pendejo

Asuntatuya 08:54:14 PM Jan 17 2008

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I'm glad to be alive to see what happened to him.............He was a hateful man who used woman, o and he played music...................

Asuntatuya 08:51:41 PM Jan 17 2008

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Tina is what made Ike, please............All he did was do his pimp thing.........KARMA finally got him..............

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