Lawyers representing the medical team who discovered an unconscious, unresponsive Prince on April 21st have provided more details on the events that lead up to the singer’s death. In a statement, the lawyers have revealed that Prince may have been afflicted by an addition to opioids in the form of painkillers.
Contacted by Prince’s representatives, Dr. Howard Kornfeld, a specialist in painkiller addiction was charged with monitoring Prince and bringing him to Recovery Without Walls clinic in Mill Valley, California to facilitate a recovery from his addiction, the doctor’s lawyer William Mauzy said.
As reported by The ABC, The Doctor wasted no time getting on the case, sending his son Andrew Kornfeld and another Minnesota doctor to pay a home call.
“Dr Kornfeld felt that his mission was a lifesaving mission. He certainly felt it to be urgent,” Mauzy told reporters in Minneapolis. “The hope was to get him [Prince] stabilised in Minnesota and convince him to come to Recovery Without Walls in Mill Valley.”
However, uponAndrew Kornfeld’s arrival, he found Prince unconscious in his Paisley Park compound. The lawyers claim their client didn’t give medical assistance to the singer, in fact didn’t get the chance, and it’s now been confirmed that Andrew Kornfeld was the distressed 911 caller.
In the days before his departure, Prince’s plane made an unexpected stop in Moline, Illinois where he was briefly triaged before heading home. At the time, reps insisted it was a flu-related incident.
The lawyers’ statement, made in response to a report in Minneapolis’ Star Tribune newspaper, is the closest confirmation yet that painkillers may have played a role in Prince’s untimely death.
An autopsy was conducted prior to Prince’s cremation, however a cause of death has not yet been released.
Gallery: Prince’s Life In Pictures
Iconic Prince Photos
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Prince At The Bottom Line
Now this is really early days with Prince performing in NYC at the Bottom Line on February 15, 1980. (Photo by Waring Abbott/Getty Images) -
Prince At The Palladium NYC 1981
Performing off the back of his third album Controversy, even in the early days he was a force to be reckoned with onstage (Photo by Waring Abbott/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
Photo Of Prince - Purple Rain Tour
Prince performing on stage - Purple Rain Tour (Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns) -
Premiere of 'Purple Rain'
Prince attending the premiere of his feature film 'Purple Rain' on July 26, 1984 at Mann Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage) -
Prince performing at The Ritz
More of him performing on the Purple Rain Tour (Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns) -
Prince Live At The Forum
Prince performs live at the Fabulous Forum on February 19, 1985 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
Prince Live In LA
More from his iconic show at the Fabulous Forum on February 19, 1985 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
BRIT Awards 1985
Prince collects the award for Best International Artist at the British Record Industry Awards, aka the BRIT Awards with classic style in London, 11th February 1985. (Photo by Georges De Keerle/Getty Images) -
Prince Plays Guitar In Concert
Prince shredding onstage in 1985 a year after the release of Purple Rain (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images) -
Prince In UK
Prince performing in the UK, circa 1985. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images) -
Prince In Polka Dot
Always a snappy dresser, Prince rocks some polka dots on stage in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 18, 1988. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images) -
Purple One At Wembley
The purple one performing at the iconic Wembley stadium in London, 1986 in the post Purple Rain era. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images) -
Prince On Stage
Prince shows some skin while performing on stage, 1986. (Photo by Dave Hogan/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) -
Prince Performs In Concert
Barechested with a guitar strapped at his waist and performing in his hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 30, 1990. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images) -
Prince Flying High In Concert
Ever the showman, Prince delights fans circa 1990. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images) -
Prince At Wembley
The purple one returns to Wembley, London, 22nd August 1990. (Photo by Graham Wiltshire/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) -
Prince Listens To Crowd In Concert
Prince holds one hand by his ear to hear the crowd response, during a concert, February 1991. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images) -
1991 MTV Video Music Awards
Prince performs at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards Held in Los Angeles, CA on September 5, 1991. Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images -
Prince In Concert
Prince in concert and in costume at Earl's Court, London, 15th June 1992. (Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images) -
Prince Performing At Radio City Music Hall
Prince performs onstage at Radio City Music Hall on March 24, 1993 in New York, New York. (Photo of Prince Photo by Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
Super Bowl XLI Half-Time Press Conference Featuring Prince
Prince performs during the Super Bowl XLI Half-Time Press Conference at the Miami Convention Center on February 1, 2007 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Getty Images) -
Prince At The SCG Show In Sydney
Prince delighting Aussie fans on his early 90s Australian tour. (Photo by Patrick Riviere/Getty Images). -
Prince Headlining UK Festival 2011
Even in his later days Prince never lost his presence and energy on stage. (Photo by Neil Lupin/Redferns)
