Doctors around Michael Jackson. Dr.ARNOLD KLEIN and Dr. STEVEN HOEFFLIN

While I was struggling through Harvey Levin’s interview with Arnold Klein our good old Diane Dimond published a story revealing that:

• “those in the know say that Dr. Murray’s defense team is expected to tell the jury it was Dr. Klein who caused Michael Jackson’s late-in-life frail condition by prescribing repeated doses of narcotics to Jackson, specifically Demerol.”

The above means that Diane Dimond is among those who are “in the know” and that Conrad Murray’s defense team is getting ready to shift all the blame for Michael’s death onto Dr. Arnold Klein’s shoulders.

I am definitely no fan of Dr.Arnold Klein but irrespective of his share of guilt in Michael’s health problems Conrad Murray cannot be released of his own responsibilities of a doctor either. No matter ‘how bad’ Klein is we still remember very well that Murray displayed gross negligence and incompetence when attending to his patient – he shouldn’t have agreed to administer Propofol in the first place, but if he did he should have followed the necessary rules of doing it.

However Murray broke all norms and regulations there were to break there – he didn’t follow his patient’s heart condition, had no monitoring or resuscitating equipment and neglected his duty to such a degree that the only pulse oximeter he had lay unused somewhere in a closet.

He didn’t call 911 when he saw his patient no longer breathing, but spoke to various people on the phone for 45 minutes instead. He made the bodyguard collect vials and bottles before asking him to make the necessary call, he rushed back and forth over the stairs summoning Prince to see him performing CPR on the already dead body of his father and he didn’t know that CPR is not done on a bed or with one hand only. He misled the medical personnel by not telling them he had ever administered propofol to the patient, and repeatedly changed his story and lied and lied and lied all throughout the process.

The amount of lies alone is reason enough to pronounce Conrad Murray guilty like hell, while all the rest of his actions amount to so much negligence that the whole world can’t believe their eyes seeing that the local justice, media and ordinary public are still so very much undecided as to the guilt of this man. Strange that people have to be far away to be able to see it so clearly.

Now our old friend Diane Dimond is explaining to us that the patient’s frail condition was due to Demerol given to him by Klein and that Conrad Murray was just a well-meaning guy who tried to help the situation:

• “the drug-dependent Jackson’s craving for more and stronger drugs caused him to seek out the anesthetic Propofol and to hire the ostensibly well-meaning Dr. Murray to administer it to help him fight chronic insomnia”.

The attempt to whitewash Conrad Murray at the expense of drowning in the drug-addiction mud someone else, and first foremost Michael Jackson himself, is absolutely no news to us, but after all the lies we have heard from Diane Dimond I hope that her present appeal to the public will fall on deafer ears.

Firstly, it would be a total factual mistake to think that Propofol could be a stronger drug than Demerol as the purposes of these medicines are totally different. Demerol was used by Arnold Klein to relieve the pain of medical procedures he did on Michael’s face and stop him from squirming while he attended to its most sensitive areas. The drug didn’t put him to sleep while Klein was working on the facial scars, though left him dazed and drowsy as all sedatives do. Michael never asked for it and never wanted it.

And Propofol is an anesthetic sending a person into immediate sleep – and sleep was indeed Michael’s only craving and wildest of his dreams. The sole effect it gave to the poor insomniac was a good night 8-hour sleep and the feeling of freshness after it. So how could Propofol be the next step to ‘a stronger drug’ than Demerol, as DD claims,  is hard to imagine.

Michael’s craving for sleep and Propofol was increasing not due to cosmetic procedures given to him by Klein but due to the mounting stress imposed on him by his promoter, Randy Phillips who was harshly regulating every Michael’s step, confronting him with relentless “riot acts” and making impossible demands of him which were, frankly, none of his business. According to those pieces of paper they had for their contract it was Michael who was to bear full responsibility for the shows anyway, so demanding that Michael should perform at every rehearsal was beyond the scope of  Phillips’ duties and was only bringing more stress into the whole arrangement.

But let us return to Diane Dimond. In addition to the questionable veracity of her above statement, it is the conclusion from it which is totally outrageous and is a grave insult to the truth. She says:

• “Defense lawyers will argue that Jackson’s death from a lethal dosage of Propofol was a tragic and inevitable accident.”

It means that if the ultimate responsibility for Michael’s frail condition rests with those who administered Demerol his death in the hands of Dr. Murray will turn into a simple accident,  release the doctor of his guilt and make his gross negligence towards his patient dissolve as if by magic?!

How can finding Klein responsible for addicting Michael to Demerol release Murray of the guilt for his criminal negligence? For example him not calling 911? Or collecting things into a bag instead of seeking immediate help? Or speaking on the phone for 45 minutes while leaving his patient unattended? Nothing changes in respect of Conrad Murray! The only thing it changes is that if Arnold Klein is indeed guilty of over-medicating Michael with Demerol he should be sitting on the same bench as Conrad Murray and both of them answering for all the good they did to Michael Jackson…

However if we start on the road of exposing Michael’s doctors it seems that Arnold Klein will not be the only one to join Conrad Murray on that bench. Michael’s habit for Demerol was formed long ago and started with another doctor – plastic surgeon Steven Hoefflin – who gave Michael prolonged and painful treatment of the scars and bald patch on his head after a burn during filming a Pepsi commercial. The pain of that treatment was excruciating, never-ending and lasted for several months running.

The surgeon tried to stretch Michael’s skin by putting expanding balloons under his scalp and spreading the newly-grown skin over the bald spot so that it could be cut out and stitched over. The pain was unbearable and non-stop, and in order to dull this round-the-clock torture Michael was given Demerol, the doses of which must have been huge to last him through each day of those several months of pain.

We cannot rule out that the people who were dispensing Demerol to Michael included Dr. Klein and Debbie Rowe as there is evidence showing that in the 90s the amount of Demerol injected by Debbie in Klein’s office was enormous. However the inventor of this torturous reconstructive method should not modestly stay aside, but assume responsibility for Michael’s addiction too – he kept making those scar-cutting out operations even though the initial tries were totally unsuccessful (the bald spot only enlarged due to Michael’s lupus).

It is noteworthy that it was exactly Dr. Arnold Klein who put a stop to this torturous treatment and fired the plastic surgeon. The result of  reconstructive  surgery was disastrous as it landed Michael with an increased baldness, the need to wear wigs and a hat, AND added to the above a grave dependence on Demerol (and probably Propofol). Please read more about it in this post.

To determine whether only one or both doctors were responsible for addicting Michael Jackson to drugs let me offer you a series of articles which will help you to come to a conclusion on your own. Since Diane Dimond is making a big thing out of Arnold Klein’s private life and allegations against him by his former associate (which may or may not be true) similar material will also be included about the private life and allegations against Dr. Steven Hoefflin from his own former associates (which again may or may not be true). In fact Diane Dimond has written a “tell-all” article about Dr. Hoefllin too.

The articles about Dr. Arnold Klein will be accompanied by his own commentary from an interview with Harley Levin dated November 6, 2009 (we have a perfect transcript of it thanks to our generous reader – huge gratitude to you, BG!).

This series of articles will be really long as I’ve tried to include here everything I’ve found on the subject, however you can stop reading it at any minute as it is crystal clear even at this stage that Michael never wanted drugs in his life. Drugs were imposed on him solely by doctors who did him enormous harm, but were never able to help him with the only small thing he really asked of them – just get some sleep.

PART 1

Dr. ARNOLD KLEIN

The following two excerpts are repeated for those who have not read the previous post on this subject. They will explain why Arnold Klein put a stop to Steven Hoefflin’s surgery and how the feud between the two doctors started. Michael naturally wanted to get rid of a bald spot on his head and was ready to undergo the necessary treatment, but what he didn’t know was the pain he would have to endure and how long the process would take. The surgeries on his scalp were repeated again and again:

While filming a Pepsi commercial in 1984, pyrotechnics accidentally set Jackson’s hair on fire. He was rushed to hospital and treated for second degree burns to the back of his head which scarred his hair follicles and left him with a major bald patch. When hair-bearing skin is badly burnt, the hair follicles are destroyed and replaced by scar tissue. The hair loss is permanent and known as scarring alopecia. Jackson later underwent 80 minutes of laser surgery to repair his scalp. His surgeon Dr. Steven Hoefflin, famously known as “Doc Hollywood” who Jackson formed quite an attachment to over the years, said he was able to stitch the wound without having to implant or transplant from other parts of Jackson’s head. http://www.belgraviacentre.com/blog/michael-jackson%E2%80%99s-hair-loss-what-happened-to-his-bald-spot-084/

LARRY KING TALKS TO ARNOLD KLEIN

Aired July 8, 2009 – 21:00   ET

KING: Well, what — what about pain killing medications? Did you prescribe any?

KLEIN: I mean I’ve some sedatives for, you know, when he had surgical procedures that were immense (ph), because, don’t forget, he had a lot of — he had the burn — the serious burn when he was burnt on the Pepsi commercial and the severe hair loss when he, you know, contracted lupus, also. So when you have to fix all these areas, you have to sedate him a little bit. But if you took all the pills I had given him in the last year at once, it wouldn’t do anything to you.

KING: What was the strongest medication you gave him?

KLEIN: I once — you know, I, on occasion, gave him Demerol to sedate him. And that was about the strongest medicine I ever used.

KING: Did he have hair?

KLEIN: He had lost a great deal of it. You forget this first fire…

KING: That was the Pepsi fire, right?

KLEIN: Yes. But then what happened is he used a great deal of what are called tissue expanders in his scalp, which are balloons that grow up — blow up the scalp. And then what they do is they try to cut out the scar.

Well, because he had lupus, what happened is every time they would do it, the bald spot would keep enlarging. 

So, I mean, he went through a lot of painful procedures with these tissue expanders until I put a stop to it. I said no more tissue expanders, because he had to wear a hat all the time and it was really painful for him.

KING: So what would his — without the hat, what would he look like?

KLEIN: Well, he had a big raised ball on the top of his head because of this device. It would expand the tissue, which you cut out. But would you — (INAUDIBLE) too much stretch back in the scar, you understand?

KING: Did you see him one other time?

KLEIN: Of course I did. But he would have a stretch back on the scar. I mean the scar would get worse after they removed it. And I had to put a stop to it. So I told Michael, we have to stop this. And that’s when I fired this plastic surgeon altogether. And I said I can’t deal with this anymore. We’re going to deal with me as your doctor or you’re going to have to find another doctor if you want to work with him.

KING: What you can tell us about his changing face?

KLEIN: Well, I mean, I didn’t know a whole lot through the whole changing face schedule, because I’m telling you that when I met him, he had done a — a decent bit of surgery by then. I know…

KING: Was it done poorly?

KLEIN: Well, it’s not done poorly, but I think that there’s a time — the magic is not knowing when to begin the big game. The secret is knowing when to end it. And I think that he believed that his face was a work of art, which is fine with me. But I think at one point that I wanted to stop the doctors from continuing it. Because it wasn’t the doc -Michael, I think, that wanted all these things. It was the surgeon who kept doing it. So I got rid of the surgeon.

KING: The surgeon got him to do it?

KLEIN: No, he did some of it himself. But he didn’t know — the surgeon did not know when to stop doing it. The judgment call there was (INAUDIBLE).

KING: Did you ever say to Michael, we’re going too far?

KLEIN: I stopped him from going to the surgeon because I said this isn’t working anymore, you have to stop it.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0907/08/lkl.01.html

Michael Jackson’s dermatologist sues another physician

Dr. Arnold Klein  accuses Dr. Steven Hoefflin of slandering him with his comments to a British tabloid after the singer’s death.

September 16, 2009|Harriet Ryan

Michael Jackson’s longtime dermatologist and friend filed suit Monday accusing another physician with a decades-long relationship with the pop icon of slandering him in a British tabloid report aboutJackson’s death.

In papers filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, lawyers for Dr. Arnold Klein alleged that cosmetic surgeon Dr. Steven Hoefflin made statements to the newspaper that he knew were false in an attempt to wreck a rival’s reputation and hurt his celebrity-studded Beverly Hills practice.

Hoefflin, a Santa Monicadoctor with his own stable of rich and famous patients, and Klein are “competitors in a highly specialized and elite field which caters to a very exclusive clientele,“ Klein’s attorneys claimed in the suit. They wrote that Hoefflin’s comments in an Aug. 26 article in the London paper The Sun have caused “extensive damage” to a reputation that Klein has taken a career to build and that includes media-bestowed titles such as “dermatologist to the stars” and “king of collagen.”

“Dr. Klein has been shunned and avoided. . . . [He] has suffered shame, mortification and hurt feelings,” his lawyers alleged in the suit that seeks unspecified financial damages.

The article in question quoted Hoefflin as linking Klein with Dr. Conrad Murray, Jackson’s personal physician, and propofol, the anesthetic blamed for the singer’s demise. In the wake of Jackson’s death, federal agents have sought records about Klein’s prescribing practices, but only Murray has been identified as the subject of a manslaughter investigation.

According to the suit, Hoefflin, who treated the singer from 1978 to 2002, told a reporter that in the minutes after Jackson’s death “Murray definitely called Klein because Klein taught him how to administer propofol.”

Hoefflin also told the paper, “Murray would have counted on Klein to be the source of propofol and guide him in its use,” according to the suit.

Klein’s attorneys wrote that the statements were false. Murray’s attorney has said that his client and Klein never had any contact, and according to law enforcement sources, the propofol came from a Las Vegas pharmacy.

In an e-mail, Hoefflin said he was “very surprised” by the suit and said the legal case would give him the ability to question Klein about “investigational evidence the authorities and I possess.”

http://articles.latimes.com/2009/sep/16/local/me-jackson-doctor16

Harvey Levin of TMZ  speaks to Arnold Klein in an interview of November 6, 2009:

Klein      …he was in the hands of a doctor who didn’t know what he was doing. I mean, that’s obvious to me. And I think that the doctor was not competent in doing this and what you should have had if this is what he wanted, you should have someone who was very competent as a physician. And if you wanted me to give someone propofol, I would never do it for a hundred years. You know why? It’s like telling me to do an appendectomy, I don’t know how to do it, I’ve never done it, nor would I do it for money.

 Levin      I do have something else that came up when we talked on Sunday…

 Klein      Sure.

 Levin      …about a phone call that came to your office during the emergency when Michael Jackson was taken to the hospital, by one of Michael Jackson’s people.

 Klein      Yes. Frank Dileo called the office. Now here’s the question that always remains. Who was called by Dr Murray? We know I wasn’t called, contrary to what a certain doctor said. Again, this lovely doctor said I was called. But who was called? And, I mean, is it public who was called? Do people publicly know who was called?

Levin      No.

Klein      Okay. But there’s been conjecture about many people who’s been called.

Levin      Right.

Klein      And one was a conjecture was that the head of AEG was called. That’s a conjecture. One was Frank Dileo, who used to be his manager, was called and whoever the third call was, was supposedly a patient who was suing Dr Murray. Okay? That was supposedly what the third call was about and that’s my knowledge. I can’t say for a fact and it may be a big lie but that’s what I was told. I was told one call went to a patient who was suing Dr Murray – that’s the first person he talks to after his patient has died, next thing went to the head of AEG, then they talked to Frank Dileo and those were the three calls. And I know fairly well, I was assured yesterday that the first call was to this patient who was very angry….

Michael Jackson’s dermatologist Arnold Klein is suing a cosmetic surgeon for comments he made to a newspaper that allegedly imply he taught Klein to administer propofol.

The doctor in question is Steven Hoefflin, who was Jackson’s longtime friend and former doctor. Hoefflin emerged as a spokesperson for the Jackson family in the aftermath of his death. A multi-agency investigation into the homicide death of the king of pop is ongoing.

Klein filed his court paper on Monday, September 14. He claims Hoefflin’s remarks were intended to damage his reputation and amount to slander. He called them “wilful, fraudulent, malicious, oppressive and reckless”.

But Hoefflin has said: “They [The Sun] check their facts with an electronic microscope. There is factual evidence that the statements that I made are true. They have in their possession phone records, recordings, documents and other evidence that confirms facts in their stories before they’re published.”

http://hotmusicbeat.com/2009/09/16/arnold-klein-suing-jackson-family-doc-over-comments/

MJ and Klein — Affection for Injections

2009/10/28

UPDATE: A closer look at the documents reveals another shocking fact — in April, Jackson received ELEVEN “I.M. Injections” in 3 days.

Arnold Klein  injected Michael Jackson with an intra-muscular drug labeled “I.M. Injection” 51 times in three months, this according to documents filed by Arnold Klein himself.

And one prominent L.A.dermatologist says “I.M. Injection” is commonly used as billing code for the narcotic Demerol.

In the documents, most of the procedures appear to be minor, such as acne treatments, lip treatments and Botox — yet “I.M. Injection” appears over and over on Michael’s bill, sometimes several times a day. The I.M. Injections correspond to the dates of the minor treatments.

In one particular case,Jackson went to Klein on April 23rd and received three “I.M. Injections” at $60 a pop.

Then, remarkably two days later — on a Saturday — Jackson went to Klein’s office and got 4 more I.M. Injections to facilitate an injection of the smallest possible dose of Restylane — a popular wrinkle-filler.

According to the docs, Arnie Klein –Jackson’s self-described good friend — charged Jackson $7500 for the weekend visit. Jackson’s three month bill: $48,522.89.

http://www.tmz.com/2009/10/28/michael-jackson-affection-for-injection/

 THE INTERVIEW:

Levin      …you saw that he was a drug addict during periods of his life yet you prescribed Demerol numerous times…

Klein       I never prescribed Demerol.

Levin      You administered.

Klein       I administered Demerol because you have to understand that the procedures I do are painful injections and I would give him…I would say I would take an hour-and-a-half to inject him and I would do somewhere around… oh, well over a hundred facial injections on him and unless I sedated him… He was very, believe it or not, needle-phobic when you got to needles on his face, and I mean, did you ever have injections in your face?

Levin      Not really.

Klein       Okay. It’s really a painful procedure, so, I mean, you had to stop him from squirming. You had to go to his eyes. The scalp injections were very, very painful, which I had to do because also I had to reduce a great deal of scarring on him. So what I used drugs for, it was not to give him drugs. I mean, I used drugs to relieve the pain when I did a procedure. So we have to make a big difference. If you’re having a surgical procedure, and these are really minor surgical procedures, with my length of time it takes for me to do it, it’s not minor, you have to use some amount of drug but when you look at how much I used, it’s not anything compared to the amount that some other doctors give. I didn’t give him bags of it to take home as some doctors do.

Levin      But repeated dosage of Demerol over a period of time.

Klein       Yeah, but you have to take the total dose of Demerol that I used over the period of time I used it on him and it was not an immense dose because we went down finally…when I got him back from Las Vegas he was on a little higher dose and I twiddled him down to getting a very small, hardly therapeutic dose of Demerol over the period of time that I saw him because he’d developed some tolerance and I told him he couldn’t have it. 

– – Klein   Michael is needle phobic. You couldn’t go anywhere near his eyes, where I had to go near his scalp, and the scalp hurts like hell with shots, unless you would sedate him a little bit.

– – Klein   I have some patients who can only have procedures done under general anaesthesia. You know, I have to even put them out to do it.

Levin      Because they’re so tolerant?

Klein      No, no, because they cannot tolerate any injections whatsoever because they’re so phobic of needles. It’s very rare, but I have other patients like Michael. So I wasn’t giving Michael drugs because he was a drug addict, I was giving Michael drugs because the procedures to rebuild his face were very arduous. And I have to tell you something, you want to get calls at eight o’clock in the morning? It wasn’t just one wrinkle but he had scars all over his face, his cheeks had fallen in, he looked like a man out of Auschwitz.

– –

Levin      Did he ever ask you for Demerol?

Klein      No.

Levin      He never said, “I want Demerol”?

Klein      No, because I wouldn’t give him what he wanted. You don’t give a person what they want.

Levin      There was a lot of talk that Michael…it was almost the cart before the horse…that Michael would come to you for procedures, not because he necessarily wanted the procedures but he wanted the drugs that would put him under.

Klein       No, because I did the procedures frequently with no anesthesia, I mean, no prior anesthesia, and if you wanted an amount…I mean, he could take all the Demerol I gave him at one time, it wouldn’t do that much.

— Levin      The LAPD has some of the records…

Klein      Yes.

Levin      …that the Coroner took from the office. At least one of the records involves…it talks about you filling acne scars and putting him under with Demerol.

Klein      Yeah. You know how many acne scars he had? You know how terrible his acne was, that he wouldn’t go to school? You know, he used go to this clinic out in the Valley, near Grenada Hills. He used to have cortisone injections in his face and he used to tell me how he used to love to go. And he would scrub his face with brillo because he thought it would get rid of his acne. And he had some really severe acne scarring when I met him.

He had really severe acne scarring and he had lost all the volume from his cheeks, so he had these very big shadows on his cheek, and sure I filled lots of acne scars but I also filled lupus scars. I also filled the scars around his nose. I also filled the scars around his scalp from having discoid lupus. So am I going to start talking about discoid lupus scars in a record like this that it’s going to liable…end up in someone else’s hands? No. So I called all scars, acne scars because they’re scars.

– – Levin      My understanding of Demerol, correct me if I’m wrong here, is that it almost operates like a poison in the body, that over time it literally takes over the…

Klein       Okay, I reviewed forty-eight articles on this. If you give me that statement and I reviewed it, I would say, contrary to what you say it’s non-toxic because what it has in the body are active intermediates and these active intermediates are non-toxic to the body if they’re done in a sterile fashion. What they do is they stimulate the body and that’s the good thing about Demerol, is Demerol becomes a stimulant once you give it to them, so they don’t have the narcotizing effect. It’s not like Morphine or Dilaudid or those drugs, and that’s what I like about Demerol. And also it’s active in the body over forty-eight hours, it’s about forty-eight hours it remains in the body so it takes a long time for the body to metabolise it but in all forty-eight articles on Demerol addiction, which I read very specifically, there was not any article about toxicity.

– – Levin      But here’s the thing about that and, you know, and I’m not trying to put myself in your shoes here, but it strikes me and it struck other people that by submitting a bill, by saying that you repeatedly did these IM injections, which is presumably Demerol…

Klein      I didn’t repeatedly give anyone…

Levin      Well, there were  51 IMs in three months.

Klein      Okay. Let me explain to you one little thing. You say an IM but you don’t say how much was in the intramuscular injection because it depends what the dose was. It’s not how many shots you…

Levin      But if he could tolerate this it would have to be something significant enough so you could do the procedure.

Klein      Yeah, but it wasn’t that much in the way of a dosing…go ahead, because the last dose I gave him was 100mg – that’s not a lot. Let’s go ahead…and that was the last two doses. But go ahead, continue your story why I’m asking for the money.

Levin      I’m not trying to be presumptuous here but you are an extremely successful, presumably wealthy man and you submitted a bill for just under $50,000 that put this in the spotlight with 179 procedures in three months and 51 IM injections. Why?

Klein      Because…

Levin      I  mean, and I’m not saying you should give up your…

Klein      …my lawyers were silly, they should have hid the bill and secondly, I’ll donate the money to charity. But you know what, he’s made $100million worth of records. Michael’s not here anymore and I think I have a right to that money and I’ll donate to a charity in his name. But I have a right to the money for the work I did because I would take my whole weekends off. Do you know how many weekends I spent with him doing this, and just working on his face, trying to rebuild a face? It’s not easy. And, you know, I had to rent helicopters because he decided that he wanted to do it that day and I was 200, 300 milesaway. I can’t make it by car, I have to come by helicopter. And that’s what he wanted. I said, “Michael this is insane”. He said, “That’s what I want”. So when push comes to shove, at the end of it, at the end of it, should I give everything away for nothing because he passed away.  I mean, it seems to me…

Levin      But did you know you would take some heat for the bill, for submitting the creditor’s claim?

Klein      I did not even know the creditor’s…can I be honest with you?

Levin      You didn’t know it was being filed?

Klein      I did not know it was being filed. It was done behind my back and I think it was stupid to file it in the manner in which they filed it because it wasn’t filed with my knowledge.

Levin      So you had no…you found out on TMZ?

Klein      I had no knowledge at all. I found out on TMZ that I had a creditor’s claim because you have to understand, do you think I run my business?

Levin      What was your reaction when you saw this?

Klein      My reaction was this. First of all, my attorneys had to be very stupid to submit this in this manner because usually you submit something closed like this if they owe me something. Why are you submitting this open like this, and I didn’t know he didn’t pay any of his bills as he’s going along.

Levin      But, you know, it opens up what could be a Pandora’s box where The Estate could have jacked and say, “Justify these medical procedures and…”

Klein      Can I tell you something? They’ve hurt my business so much with the crap they’ve done now. You understand? I could open a creditor’s claim against them because they’ve taken me away from my patients with these…with your good friend Ed Winter, who invites everyone to appear at my office, along with you and a helicopter patrol.

Levin      That’s slightly presumptuous of you.

Klein      It’s honest to me.

Levin      No, it’s…

Klein      It’s not, it’s honest to me. How’d you get there? Do you have crystal balls?

Levin      We have good sources, don’t we?

Klein      Yeah, it’s called a telephone call. You know, I’m not stupid. What? Do you think I was born yesterday?

Levin      As you speak… What?

Klein      I don’t want you to write nasty things about me. I’m a good guy, okay? I’ve given away a lot of money to charity, over $300million so I’m not some person who’s trying to steal money from people. I have also a breast cancer center that I set up. That pays for breast cancer treatment. So I any time you’re asking me, I can’t give money away any more.

Michael Jackson — Healthy Drug Addict

10/1/2009 1:24 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Michael Jackson was reportedly in good health at the time of his death … other than the fact that his body was riddled with injection sites and had arthritis and lung damage.

It sounds preposterous, but a new report claims the autopsy findings conclude Jackson was a fairly healthy 50-year-old and none of his health issues were life-threatening.

What doesn’t make sense: Jackson was taking multiple powerful medicines — sometimes in dangerous combination — and the needle marks on his body underscore his addiction to anesthetics and other drugs. So how does that make him “fairly healthy?”

According to the report, Jackson — who was 5’9″ — weighed 136 pounds at the time of his death.

Here’s the underlying point — the conclusion that Jackson was “fairly healthy” gives prosecutors ammo to prove Dr. Murray’s dose of Propofol did Jackson in. But here’s the problem — when the jury hears about the injection sites and other drug and health problems, it could cast doubt on the Coroner’s findings.

http://www.tmz.com/2009/10/01/michael-jackson-autopsy-death-drugs-propofol/

THE INTERVIEW:

Klein      How could they say he was emaciated when he weighed135 pounds.

Levin      Well, my understand, and I maybe wrong, but my recollection is that it was115 pounds…

Klein      No, that’s what I thought, it was135 pounds is what he weighed. I mean, I know the weight very well because I remember it very specifically.

Levin      …riddled with injection marks at the time he died…

Klein      I haven’t seen the pictures so I don’t know that.

Levin      Riddled, riddled.

– – Klein      …we saw his body before May and he didn’t have these marks all over his body, and then suddenly he shows up with all these marks all over his body.

Levin      And I have to stop you there because one person of people we talked to and I’m 100% on this, that he was riddled with injection sites.  Riddled. And I’m talking his neck…to this extent, so much so that when the paramedics came to try and revive him…

–

Klein      You don’t see any marks on his neck in the movie. You don’t.

Person in studio        No.

Klein      No, you don’t see any body marks at all.

Klein      You see his neck and you don’t see any…one single mark on his neck.

Levin      How can you explain this.

Klein      Because I’m telling you he had someone administering this intravenously.

Levin      But wouldn’t that happen…I mean, if it’s that severe, wouldn’t that have happened over a period of time so that you would know? I mean, you’ve seen Michael without a shirt on…

Klein      We didn’t see him in May, we didn’t him in June. Remember that. We had a two-months period where we didn’t see him. So, I’m telling you, before that there were no marks.

– – Klein      We didn’t see it because he was with one of the members of my office, who you’re very well aware of, totally without a shirt and my nurse, Alan, saw him without a shirt and without…with pants, and we didn’t see any marks. If we saw marks, I mean, that would be the first question I would ask. You have to understand that if he had a flaw in any part of his body he didn’t…it didn’t matter whether it was his face or his leg, because he had an infection in his leg, he had a staph infection on the right leg, so I had to deal with that staph infection in the right leg when he couldn’t go to court in England.

So we had to look at all his body to make sure that he didn’t have any other infections because of the fear of MRSA, Methicillin-Resistant Staph. So it wasn’t a simple thing. But I think he’s much more than just a drug addict. I think what we have here though is a situation where this Dr Murray existed and I feel this man is responsible for his death. I think though, that the family really honestly, wants to just shift the blame and they got a hold of this Dr Hoefflin, who decided that they were going to shift the blame to me.

Dr. Arnold Klein: Why Do You Hate Me?

2010/2/2

Michael Jackson’s longtime dermatologist, Dr. Arnold Klein, has filed new legal papers in his battle royale with fellow Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, Dr. Steven Hoefflin, expressing bewilderment over Hoefflin’s intense animosity toward him.

Dr. Klein has sued Dr. Hoefflin for defamation, over Hoefflin’s insinuation that Klein was responsible for Michael Jackson’s death and was the source of the fatal dose of Propofol.

In his legal papers, Klein says, “It is not clear to me why Dr. Hoefflin holds the malice for me that he manifested by stating publicly that I was instrumental in providing the medication that caused Michael Jackson’s death.”

Dr. Hoefflin – who along with Klein performed numerous procedures on Jackson — is trying to get Klein’s defamation case dismissed, arguing that Jackson’s death is a matter of public interest and Hoefflin’s comments are protected speech.

Dr. Klein begs to differ, claiming Hoefflin has intentionally done a hatchet job on him. http://www.tmz.com/2010/02/02/dr-arnold-klein-michael-jackson-dr-steven-hoefflin-death-propofol-defamation/

THE INTERVIEW:

Levin     Let’s start with the patient. Was Michael Jackson a drug addict?

Klein    I think yes, Michael Jackson, at periods in his life, was addicted to drugs. Now once someone’s addicted, according to Bill Wilson, who founded AA, who I knew, you’re a drug addict but you’re not always addicted to drugs.

Now let’s say, for example, you’re a drug addict and you’re going to have your appendix out, okay? Do you think you should go and they should give you a silver bullet and you have your appendix removed? No, I think you need anesthesia at times when you’re having procedures done, but I think you have to be very cautious about what medication you give and I don’t think you give people recreational medication or over-medicate people. So I think that there are such people who become drug dependent. I don’t think there’s any question that Michael was a drug addict. I made two personal interventions [for Propofol] on him, remember that. I got him off the drugs twice in my lifetime, so there was an ongoing problem with him in the use of drugs.

Klein   I don’t know if he was addicted [to narcotics] because I never saw withdrawal symptoms whatsoever from narcotics, ever, and narcotics have set withdrawal symptoms. So if I would have saw addiction to narcotics, which is what I was using, he wasn’t addicted to narcotics.

– – Levin      I see a patient who is deeply addicted to drugs and propofol.

Klein      No, he was deeply addicted to propofol. Let’s put it in perspective. You can’t…not all drugs..

Levin      He’s deeply addicted to anesthesia.

Klein      No. Not all drugs are created equal.

Levin      Right.

Klein      You have to understand people have drugs of choice. Do you think if I took an alcoholic from Ireland and gave him propofol he’d be happy?

Levin      No.

Klein      No. So we’ve…let’s talk about…

Levin      Do you think it was only propofol that Jackson had a problem with?

Klein      No, I think he had problems with different drugs or addiction.

Levin      Demerol?

Klein      I don’t think he had a terrible problem with Demerol because you didn’t find tons of narcotics. Now I went over his house once and in his house I found all this Dilaudid that he got from his favourite plastic surgeon and I flushed it all in the toilet, you know? But I’m telling you, if’s there a bottle of drugs they find in his house and it’s not used, right? There’s these bottles that were not used. It means he didn’t use that drug because it was not important to him. If it was important to him he would have used it.

Levin      Yet you had enough alarm that you flushed it down the toilet.

Klein      Dilaudid is milligram for milligram ten times stronger than Morphine.

Levin      But it seems like the spectre surrounding this guy was he had a drug problem. He had a propofol problem.

Klein      That when you’re giving a person injections in their face straight for an hour-and-a-half, you have to sedate that person because I’m going right near the eyes.

Levin      Or you say, “I’m not going to fix the problem in your face because of the bi-product that it has on your drug problem.”

Klein      No. The small amount of medicine that you’re going to use is not what he’s having a problem with. Do you understand? And you know if you can sedate him with this much, you have to know that he’s not addicted.

I really have to clear your idea on addiction because I think you should really understand that his main drug of addiction was propofol, that Michael was put to a point where he couldn’t sleep without it and that’s only from continuous use. You understand?

You only get to that point of propofol addiction once you start getting continuous use. You develop severe insomnia as a result of being taken off from it. So the culprit in the beginning is the person who uses this anesthetic continuously on the patient.

— I spent a whole year of my life with addicts, that they have drugs of choice. Michael was absolutely a person who wanted propofol, but to widen the range, that he wanted every single drug in the world is not correct.

Levin      You knew him for decades. Is the only time he ever asked you for a specific drug four years ago, when he asked you for propofol?

Klein      No. If you want me to say drug by name, yes. If you want me to say that he wanted some sedation when he had procedures, yes. Did I do…

Levin      Did he name the drug?

Klein      A drug that he wanted? No, he just wanted a drug. He didn’t care if I gave him five Percocet, you know, that he could have sedating him, or three Percocet which sometimes I would sedate him with when I gave him injections, but I didn’t inject him that much. But when he came to me when he came back from Las Vegas, do you know what he looked like? He looked like he came from Auschwitz. He had no body fat in his face. You understand? He looked terrible. He looked haggard, if you see the pictures beforehand, and I rebuilt his face.

— You know, when I started rebuilding his nose, it was totally recollapsed and so I reconstructed his nose. You know, it’s not like rebuilding the Babylon but you have to do a lot of work to do this. I did it very seriously because you know what? I knew they’d be wanting to try to rebuild his career.

– –  Levin      But the thing that’s hard to believe is that…I mean, I knew when Michael Jackson was alive that he was a drug addict from the people I knew in town and it just seems like everybody knew he was doctor-shopping, who was involved in his life and I was, at the time a reporter and I knew this from people I was talking to.

Klein      But I would say that he was not the addict that he became with the use of propofol, that the drug that he was in search of mainly was propofol, of all drugs, which people didn’t know.

Levin      Did he repeatedly come to you and ask for drugs?

Klein      No, not at all. Because when he stayed at my house he didn’t ask me for drugs, when he brought his kids to my house he didn’t ask me for drugs. I mean, he didn’t…he was not…

Levin      But yet he was using drugs every single night with Dr Murray for months.

Klein      But you know, you have to understand one thing, that he was over my house some of those nights, he was not on propofol unless he got propofol after he returned home, and he used to stay at my house overnight remember, not during that period of time but before so I did not know anything about this propofol insanity with Murray. There’s no way I could have known because it was gone out of his body. And so, you know, and we saw his body, so he didn’t act strange. I mean, there was lots of people at my house at that time , one very famous actor, so we didn’t see him strange, but I think if we spend this whole time just discussing…his addiction, we’re just going to go nowhere. But I’ll just tell you one thing…

Levin      What about…can I…I do want to switch gears for just a second.

Klein      We have to go away, only from addiction only for one reason.

Levin      Okay.

Klein      I think the key thing in him is the drug propofol. I think you can go anywhere you want with any other drug but the key thing was propofol. I think propofol is a drug that someone must know how to administer. Now we know this doctor was incompetent in the manner in which he administered. Where was the EKG? Was there an EKG there? No.

Levin      No.

Klein      And we know that he could have fallen asleep during the exhalation of propofol from Michael. So if anyone really wants to run into a problem here, it’s that.

Levin      Is that criminal?

Klein      I think it’s…there’s no question it’s criminal to me.

Levin      Do you think it’s manslaughter?

Klein      I think it’s manslaughter.

6/14/2010 1:07 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Arnie Klein — Joe Jackson’s a Hypocrite!

Dr. Arnold Klein — the man who was probably closest to Michael Jackson — came out swinging against Joe Jackson, claiming the elder Jackson could have tried talking Michael off a ledge, but all he cared about was making money.

Dr. Klein tells TMZ, “Michael was very close to Katherine, but Joe talked to him too, but all Joe ever wanted to talk about was business.

Everything Joe utters is nonsensical.” Joe is taking lots of flack for telling News of the World Katherine is responsible for Michael’s death by not trying to cheer him up.

But Klein says he’s over the drama:  “I’m no longer interested in the Sodom and Gomorrah show on Havenhurst (the family home).

My main concern is the welfare of the children, especially Michael’s, and the preservation of Michael’s memory.” http://www.tmz.com/person/more-stories/dr-arnie-klein/2/

THE INTERVIEW:

Klein      He had no family relationship. I mean, you have to understand that in 2008, you saw the article that none of his brothers were really that employed whatsoever, none of them, that the father we know has multiple children we know that were not his, correct? We know his father has multiple children that are not his. His father, he told me, was a thug. He used to beat him. And we know that everyone thinks his mother is good and we know that La Toya has said some very strange things. But for some reason Katherine Jackson gave a letter to Steve Hoefflin, who is not quite with us, I mean, remember he’s been in two mental institutions and was found shooting people from a tree, that he could speak about me when he doesn’t know anything about me except a letter he wrote me where he thought I was the best dermatologist in the world.

Levin      What did Michael think of Katherine?

Klein      Michael loved Katherine but the strange part of it was he never talked to her on the phone when I was around but, I mean, he told me he loved his mother and I think..his mother, he said, he only really blamed his mother because during the beatings his mother would say she couldn’t stop the father from beating. So I’m telling you that while everyone thinks this woman is so perfectly pure, when there…you know, it’s like good cop, bad cop, but a mother like that, I would take the kids and leave. You understand? I would leave. But I mean, you know, I would think that there’s a problem when a man beats his children. Now they made fun of Michael’s nose, terribly. You know that? They used to call him tomato nose and they made fun of his nose all the time, including his father, and he got beaten quite often, with a leather belt. I mean, he told us in the Oprah interview, if you remember this correctly.

Levin      Right.

Klein      And so I really think that they really had a lot to blame but they’re trying to appear flawless now. You suddenly hear all these people are flawless. Now the one who Michael did absolutely not get along with was Jermaine and Jermaine is singing Smile at that whole memorial. I mean, the memorial seemed too planned to me to be…and I wasn’t there. It really bugged me. And then when AEG has every satellite truck around the place, rented, every satellite space rented and then wants to charge us, the City of Los Angeles, it’s totally ridiculous. Then AEG films the funeral and they feed it to CNN, don’t you begin to think about how much AEG was involved in this? I’ll probably get shot on the way out but, I mean, how much is their money involved in this whole thing. And then they own the movie, which they released through John Branca.

Levin      You’re not suggesting there was foul play here?

Klein      No, I don’t think there’s foul play but I think they’re making a lot of money there and I don’t think they should have the City of Los Angeles pay for the funeral. That’s what I’m saying. Why should we pay nickels and dollars for the funeral when AEG’s making money off of this whole thing and rented out the satellite spaces all around the Staples Centre when they filmed this. So I don’t think there’s anything here but I think they’re culpable in this because they should have known the background of Dr Murray when they hired him.

Levin      Would you settle something once and for all? Are you the father of any of Michael Jackson’s kids?

Klein      To the best of my knowledge, absolutely not.

Levin      Yet you donated sperm.

Klein      I once donated sperm but I don’t think absolutely I’m the father. I don’t think so. What’s wrong with giving sperm?

– – I said once, he was at my house and all the kids were at my house and the kids really like me and they gave me two little…a bunch of toys, he said, “If I ever go I want you to be responsible.” My greatest fear with these kids, and I don’t about the father, the schmather, that’s not important, I’m worried about whether their money is going to be taken, so what I made sure of is that they had their own legal representation. I went to court over that.

Levin      That’s right.

Klein      I don’t want children. I mean, I understand why guppies eat their young. You know, that’s the school I come from. I’m serious, I do. I’m really not… You want children?

Levin      I don’t feel the way you do, let me tell ya.

Klein      Children are alright for about one day. Those kids though, I’ll tell you one little thing, those kids are great kids, they’re brilliant kids. He’s raised really good kids, which is an indication of how much he loved the kids and how much the kids really loved him. I mean, there was an immense love affair. I mean, they would never pass their father without saying, “I love you Daddy.”

And they were very happy to wear the masks and that’s the one thing I can never forget. Martin Bashir wants to interview me, right? He thinks I’m going to be an idiot and allow him to do that when he destroyed Michael with that one interview that Uri Geller sold Martin Bashir…sold that interview to Martin Bashir for like, $50,000. Remember the guy who would bend spoons with his mind, and for him to do that interview was horrific because what basically he did was destroy Michael Jackson in that one interview, because the kids never wore those strange masks, they wore Hallowe’en masks. And why did they wear masks? Because he did not want his children recognized and kidnapped.

Levin      Yet they’re now showing their faces full on.

Klein      I think what they did at the funeral was absolutely horrific because Michael would not want those children on the stage. Michael would not want his children recognizable. That’s one thing he didn’t want them to be. Remember once he was over my house. It was Hallowe’en last year, and he came over to my house, he brought the kids with him and Blanket got out from in back and they snapped some pictures, and he said, “Get your face out of it Blanket. I want to get you. I don’t want you to have any pictures.” Because he really wanted to protect his children. He was an incredibly loving father. So yeah, he had bad qualities, a drug addict, right? But he had some really wonderful qualities. He was gifted as a musician and he was an incredible father, a much better father than I would ever have been. And I think as a person…my house loves him…listen, my housekeepers want me to get the kids but you know, I’m not going to get the kids, I don’t want the kids, but the welfare of the kids I was worried about. I was worried that the family would steal all the money because I think that’s what they’re there for.

Levin      Yet Katherine was the one who was really kind of the gatekeeper, so why would you be that concerned if it was Katherine and Michael loved Katherine and she loved him?

Klein      Because, I would tell you one thing. She keeps going asking for more money, doesn’t she?

Levin      Yeah.

Klein      She does. So would you…

Levin      Do you think ultimately Katherine’s greedy?

Klein      I think…if she’s asking for more money, what do you think?

– – Klein      Here’s the person. Katherine, this is Katherine (holds up walking stick) and this is a person that keeps coming back asking the Will for more money. That person, forget what her name is.

Levin      But you just said that they’re broke, so if they’re broke she needs to keep the ship afloat.

Klein      Does she have to keep the ship…the whole group, every one of them? Doesn’t Janet have a few shekels?

Person in studio        They’re Michael’s kids.

Klein      Yeah, and Michael’s kids have their own income now. They have their own amount of money.

Person in studio        She’s got to take care of them.

Klein      What?

Person in studio        But she’s got to take care of them, right? That’s why she needs the money.

Klein      Yeah, but they have enough money to take care of themselves.

Levin      I guess, you know, you’re kind of dancing around it.

Klein      I’m not dancing around. But you know, I think the whole thing is about greed because I think they’re only interested right now, the brothers and the father, in money. And it’s all about money. The father announced his new record label with thumbs up on the day his son died. Is that what you would do if your son died?

9/15/2010 6:12 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Dr. Murray Targets Arnie Klein in MJ Death

Dr. Conrad Murray is going after Michael Jackson’s longtime physician and friend, Dr. Arnold Klein, claiming Klein is at least partly to blame for the singer’s death and should be a defendant in Joe Jackson’s wrongful death lawsuit.

In legal papers filed today and obtained by TMZ … Dr. Murray challenges Joe Jackson’s decision not to name Dr. Klein as one of the physicians allegedly responsible for his son’s death.

In the new docs, Murrayquotes from Joe’s lawsuit, “Dr. Klein may have been medicating Michael Jackson up until or even beyond June 18, 2009, less than one week before Michael Jackson’s death.”

And Murray continues quoting from Joe’s lawsuit that Dr. Klein “prescribed or may have over medicated Michael Jackson including to such point that AEG Live, LLC had to hire Dr. Murray in order to separate Michael Jackson from Arnold Klein.”

And Murray goes on to quote Joe’s lawsuit which claims “AEG Live, LLC read Michael Jackson the proverbial ‘riot act’ to get him to stop subjecting himself to overmedication by Dr. Arnold Klein.”

So with all that, Dr. Murray concludes, “The plaintiff [Joe Jackson] does not explain why, given these allegations, Dr. Arnold Klein is not a required party to be added to accord proper relief.”

In other words … why didn’t Joe sue Arnie?

As TMZ first reported, Dr. Klein shot Michael full of Demerol — 51 injections in a 3-month span, right up until the week of his death.

Dr. Murray also points the finger at other doctors who treated Michael Jackson, citing TMZ stories revealing that 7 doctors other thanMurraywere fueling MJ with meds at or near the time of his death.

Murray’s team also asked the court to dismiss Joe’s wrongful death lawsuit — claimingJacksondoesn’t have the right to file because he’s not a beneficiary of MJ’s estate.

http://www.tmz.com/person/more-stories/dr-arnie-klein/2/

Joe Jackson never stopped playing a crucial role in his son’s life. Now we find out that it was him who introduced Dr.Conrad Murray to Michael Jackson.

THE INTERVIEW with A.Klein:

Klein      We didn’t see him [Michael] in May, we didn’t him in June. Remember that. We had a two-months period where we didn’t see him.

– – Levin      Did you know Murray?

Klein       No, I never met him. I didn’t know he existed.

Levin      Ever talk to him on the phone?

Klein       No. I only knew he existed from Michael telling me he’d met him in Las Vegas.

Levin      Met him through..

Klein       Through his father.

Levin      …Joe Jackson?

Klein       Yes. We both know that. Through his father.

Levin      And am I correct? That this was probably in October of 2008?

Klein       Somewhere around then. Yes.

This article dated July 2009 says that some of Klein’s medical records were provided a month after Michael’s death, however part of them were only promised at a later time:

Coroner’s investigator visits Jackson’s dermatologist’s office to get more records

An official says Dr. Arnold Klein failed to turn over records he’d promised to provide. The physician’s attorney says his client has been ‘fully cooperating’ with a subpoena. 

July 15, 2009

Richard Winton and Jeff Gottlieb

As the paparazzi trailed his movements, a top Los Angeles County coroner’s investigator probing the death of Michael Jackson went to the pop star’s longtime dermatologist’s office Tuesday to collect additional medical records.

Coroner Assistant Chief Ed Winter visited Dr. Arnold Klein’s Beverly Hills office after the physician failed to turn over records he had promised to provide to authorities earlier this month, said Craig Harvey, operations chief for the coroner’s office.

Harvey said Winter obtained an agreement that the doctor would provide the outstanding medical records. Klein has been “fully cooperating” with a subpoena issued by the coroner’s office, his attorney Richard L. Charnley said.

Authorities also continued their investigation into the role that prescription drugs may have played in Jackson’s death. Teva Pharmaceuticals, which produces a generic version of the powerful anesthetic Propofol, said Tuesday that it had been contacted by the Drug Enforcement Administration asking about a “specific lot number” stamped on the drug’s packaging, said Teva spokeswoman Denise Bradley.

The lot numbers let authorities pinpoint the wholesaler or distributor that supplied the Propofol that sources said was found in Jackson’s home. “If you call the manufacturer and tell them the lot number, they can tell you when it was manufactured and who it was sold to,” said Dr. Zeev Kain, anesthesiology department chairman at UC Irvine Medical Center.

“Even if there was a middleman, they know where . . . that bottle” went.

Since the performer’s June 25 death, both Klein and Jackson’s nurse Cherilyn Lee have said the singer used Propofol as a sleep aid.

The drug, which takes effect in less than a minute, is administered intravenously and is intended to be used as an anesthetic for medical procedures.

Klein told CNN’s Larry King last week that Jackson was using Propofol “when he was on tour in Germany.”Klein said Jackson “was using it, with an anesthesiologist, to go to sleep at night. And I told him he was absolutely insane.”

Lee said that Jackson called her requesting the drug earlier this year but that she warned him it was unsafe. She said she did not see him use the drug.

The coroner’s office has issued subpoenas to some of Jackson’s physicians in an attempt to determine the cause of death. The Los Angeles Police Department and DEA are investigating whether any doctors or others should face criminal charges.

“Neither the coroner’s office nor the Los Angeles Police Department have advised Dr. Klein or his representatives that he is a target of their investigation,” said Charnley.

“Reports in the media claiming that Dr. Klein is allegedly not cooperating in the investigation surrounding Michael Jackson’s death are patently false.”

Detectives have already questioned Dr. Conrad Murray, the Las Vegas cardiologist who was at the performer’s home when he stopped breathing. http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jul/15/local/me-jackson15

Despite promises the outstanding part of the records – from the final months of Michael’s life – was provided only a year and a half later:

Dr. Klein Hands Over Michael Jackson’s Records

2011/4/6

Michael Jackson’s friend and dermatologist Dr. Arnold Klein was forced to turn over medical records today from the final months of Michael’s life …

TMZ has learned. Dr. Klein and his attorney handed over the documents during a pretrial hearing in Dr. Conrad Murray’s manslaughter case. Murray’s team wants the paperwork to determine exactly what drugs Klein used to treat MJ. As TMZ reported …Klein’s medical records show he injected Michael with Demerol 51 times in the three months before he died.

Last month, Dr. Klein asked the judge to quash the subpoena for his records. Fail. http://www.tmz.com/2011/04/06/michael-jackson-doctor-arnie-klein-doctor-conrad-murray-dermatologist-manslaughter-trial-pretrial-hearing-demerol-injections/

Los Angeles County Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter has told Radar Online.com exclusively that he had a private one-on-one discussion with Dr. Arnold Klein about the Michael Jackson death investigation.

Winter visited Klein’s offices in Beverly Hills on Wednesday, August 19, as reports surfaced that the dermatologist-to-the-stars was going to be charged in connection with the investigation.

Winter told Radar Online.com Friday: “I met with Dr Klein privately for a lengthy time to corroborate medical records which Klein had turned over to our office weeks ago. At this stage in the investigation I cannot confirm if I removed further medical records from Dr Klein’s office.”

Following Winter’s dramatic visit, Klein’s lawyer Garo Ghazarian claimed that malpractice charges against his client were not imminent and that he was fully working with the coroner’s office in their probe. He said: “I have seen no cause for concern on behalf of my client.”

RadarOnline.com — who was present during Wednesday’s dramatic raid — saw Winter pay a visit to the Mickey Fine Pharmacy in the same building, where Jackson picked-up prescriptions after his frequent visits to the dermatologist.

Jackson’s June 25th death is also the focus of an investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department, the State Attorney General’s Office, and the US Drug Enforcement Administration.

Results of an autopsy performed on the superstar singer have not been made public.

http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2009/08/exclusive-la-coroner-chief-investigator-meets-michael-jackson%E2%80%99s-dermatologist

THE INTERVIEW:

Klein      So I’ve turned my records all over to the police, okay? And they go through my records and they don’t find anything, and Murray…you know, Dr Winter, Mr Winter, excuse me, he’s not a doctor, if he wanted to be a real human being he would park under my building, walk the elevator, come to my office, if he wanted to be like a human being. He wanted to turn this into a spectacle, but you know what? I’ve seen enough spectacles, I’ve seen Ben Hur, and we know the truth is he told you, he told every news source. I’ve had helicopters there, I had everyone in front of my office, that he’s going to come to my office doing nothing, because he had the records. And this was the problem I had, because I have a patient down at the Medical Examiner’s office, who died from Botox and Artofill, Botox being one agent you’re using and Artofill being a filler, due to an infection after having them, that I would like them to report to the FDA but they have more time doing this. We have kids dying, getting Oxycontin on the street and he’s doing a spectacle in front of my office. So what I’m saying to you is I wish the Coroner would stick to doing important things rather than feeding their own narcissism. And that’s what this whole thing bothers me because you get a famous person who dies and everyone wants to be in front of the spotlight and it becomes really abhorrent to me. I mean, you have everyone doing this. You have, you know, you have to know that Steve Hoefflin also spoke for the family. He said he was a representative, witness now, and with the family, together with the police.

But did the police ever speak to me? Ask me that. Have the police ever spoken to me?

– – Levin      …of 1993, that the accuser in the 1993 molestation case, we know, was able to identify, in great detail, discolorations and markings on Michael Jackson’s genitals because he had vitiligo. [Poor homework, Levin. How much longer will this willful ignorance last? And he expresses it so confidently that Klein thinks that it is true and starts explaining. No need to explain, Klein – no matter whether it was descriptive or not THERE WAS NO MATCH!]]

Klein      Do you think he studied his penis, the kid would study the penis? Like we would study the map of…maps?

Levin      Well, he gave such…

 Klein      I know he gave a description but it was not…

Levin      Dr Klein, Dr Klein, so descriptive…

Klein      You can call me Arnie by now by the way, Arnie.

Levin      Oh, fair enough. But so descriptive that some think it was what triggered the nearly $20 million settlement. [Absolutely not. The description was wrong, that is why it immediately reduced the initial sum of the suit from $30 mln. to $15 mln. and Larry Feldman demanded to bar the photos from trial!]

Klein      Let me tell you what triggered the $20million settlement. Let me say something. I rode up with Howard Weitzman on my left and Johnnie Cochran on my right, in a helicopter, noticing Johnnie Cochran had a facelift, as I would only notice because I saw his facelift scars. Okay? So you should all know that. So we went up there to the thing…

Levin      If you say that, I must say then, one of the great lawyers of all time.

Klein      Johnnie Cochran?

Levin      Yes.

Klein      He was very good at getting money out of people.

Levin      Great lawyer.

Klein      Yes. Was he a great lawyer or was he a greedy lawyer?

Levin      Great lawyer.

Klein      Okay, but we know he was greedy too a little bit because he got money out of UCLA. He would threaten people. He signed the settlement and Howard Weitzman never did, for Michael Jackson.

Howard never signed the settlement for Michael Jackson in that case and Johnnie Cochran did to get the $20million, [correct figure is $15,3mln] and if Michael had not settled the case, which he would have won in court, he would have never have had all these problems with being accused of being a pedophile.

– -Levin     You said to me that the last couple of weeks of his life you saw a radical change in him.

Klein      Absolutely. And I didn’t know what it was but there was a radical change in his behaviour and I couldn’t really put my finger on it but there was something really strange going on, and I just felt…

Levin      How did that manifest itself?

Klein      He just didn’t seem as comfortable with himself, in his own skin, as he was before, and he was a little nervous and I couldn’t figure it out. I mean, I couldn’t pinpoint what it was, and it really was one visit more than any other visit. But he used to… he started dancing for all my patients and singing, and he would go and meet them. And there was one girl, who was a Charlie’s Angels girl, she’s now Kevin Spacey’s manager, Joanne Horowitz, who came into the office and he danced for her for a long time, and he danced for Laurie Stark from Chrome Hearts(?) too, in my office. He would always like to dance and sing with all the patients and can you imagine what this did to my patients? Here they’re coming in and suddenly Michael Jackson comes in the room, because he, you know, they always wanted to meet him, and I’d introduce him and then he’d start dancing around the room, doing all these body movements. So I thought that was extraordinary but he would do that in my house too.

– – Klein      Let me tell you something. I saw the movie but I couldn’t…I saw the movie and what I saw of it was sensational, okay? I couldn’t find myself…I got really emotional during it because I’m really an emotional person. … I’d seen the movie and I didn’t see the whole movie because I couldn’t emotionally stand it, I really tell you one thing, I really…

Levin      Okay, sorry about that.

Klein      I’ll tell you one thing. Let me tell you something…

Person   You left in the middle?

Klein      I couldn’t make it through it because, I mean, I was far too involved with him as a person, as a human being. …So I went to this movie and I really wanted to enjoy it. The first thing I ran into was someone who knew me there, which was the first mistake because I can’t really go out anymore because my face is recognizable. And the second thing is I found myself too emotional in the whole thing because when he started singing the song, and he was one of my close friends…

 And also, I kept think of what you said, could I have prevented it, could I have stopped this, was I in part, responsible for this whole thing, could I have somehow recognized something I didn’t see, you know, could I have, like, really gotten into this and figured it out. And the answer is, and I’ve thought about this a lot since I saw you because I didn’t sleep well one night after I saw you, and the answer is, no, because there was nothing that really gave me a big…

Levin      Okay, okay.

– – Klein      ….let me tell you one thing. We have to consider him as a gift. He was one of the greatest performers, if not the single greatest performer ever of our time. I think you’ve done an excellent job of really showing the public what we know because I told you, there’s nothing I hid from you, there’s nothing I have to hide from you. The movie’s sensational what I saw of it but to ask me to go sit through that movie right now…ask me in a year, okay?  It’s better that I… I went out and brought the video of Transformers2, avideo of that and watched that at home because I really can’t…

Person   I’m sorry. (Laughter)

Klein      I didn’t mind that little car that turns into a monster, you know. But I have to tell you the honest-to-God truth, it’s a very tender subject with me right now because I have been crucified for it. You feel like you’re a jewel in a cross again, you know? And I didn’t do anything wrong. I tell you the best thing is that I’ve done nothing wrong.

Klein      You know, I really think it’s important to get the real story out there. I think it’s important to show the people out there what’s happening because I think that we have something…we have a family who I think is trying to blame everyone for everything wrong, they use a doctor who I think is, who did things that I think was very wrong, and I’m talking about this plastic surgeon. And he’s trying to blame everything on me and I didn’t do that and I think everything will eventually come out of this and I just don’t want to be tortured anymore by this. I mean, it really…with all the paparazzi my office was shut down for a long period of time and it was very difficult. But I think right now, I think I’ve told you everything I know and if I think of a few more things we could do this again if questions come in.

Levin      I would like to.

Klein      …question come in because I enjoyed doing it. You’re easy to talk to and you’re easy to tell the truth to and that’s what I have to offer you, nothing more than the truth, okay?

Levin      I appreciate it, I really appreciate it.

Klein      Me too. You really have a good day.

A year and a half later:

“TMZ torture.

by Arnold W. Klein, April 18, 2011, 08:30

One of the most difficult things over the last few years has been Harvey Levin, and TMZ. He is guilty of slander, defamation of character, preventing fair business trade and endangering my life. Historically the records firmly show Michael jackson was addicted to Propofol by Steve Hoefflin. In 2003 Michael made a cease and desist order against Hoefflin. Harvey Levan’s best friend is Howard Weitzman who was well aware of Hoefflin’s involvement.

Also by pointing the finger at me, which Mrs Jackson did, no one ever wondered who hired Murrayor how Howard Weitzman and John Branca got together with AEG totally to totally control the Jacksonestate. I enclose an article about the true story but as recent as last week Harvey Levin released a story about me, Demerol and Karen Faye (Michael’s hair stylist) saying I contributed to Michael’s death. She later tweeted that he totally misquoted her. Michael was totally not himself the last two weeks of his life. He said it was benadryl but it seemed more than that. I guess it was Murray injecting Propofol into his muscle because…

The things you should be aware of is before I was a dermatologist I spent two years studying addiction and wrote a text on it. I made two interventions on Michael’s Propofol Abuse myself and was aware of Mark Honzel making one. Mark is an addiction specialist who I consulted before ever giving Michael medication

AEG camera’s were always at my office and forced me to close my office twice. Randy phillips of AEG hired Murray Phillips said that Jackson insisted that AEG hire his doctor of choice, Dr. Conrad Murray, the Houston – and Las Vegas-based physician who was with Jackson as he died, for 24-hour medical assistance on tour in London.

AEG was paying Murray$150,000 per month for compensatory fees, as well as hotel and travel costs..”Why did AEG not talk to me his physician of 30 years before doing this?

Howard Weitzman was my lawyer during the Botox trial, he knew the truth when Hoefflin pointed to me.Weitzman knew what Hoefflin was saying regarding me and propofol was unfounded in that he represented Michael during the first molestation trial and interviewed me extensively.

Allegations about me teaching Murray to give Propofol ( i never used it without an anestheologist) or Jason being Michael Jackson’s lover are ridiculous. That story was made up by Paul Camuso who will admit to it.

Boyer and Charmley my lawyer released Michael’s records when he ask for payment of Michael’s bill’s because Jason Pfeiffer thought it was the right thing to do telling Murray I gave Michael 41 shots of ? when I was rebuilding his face. Charmley releases the records and Hippa does nothing.

Levin came to a huge news conference held in front of my office with Dick Winters from the Coroner’s . There were helicopters and everything there. TMZ was there and it was planned by AEG.

Then Dick Winters ends up in the third row of the memorial service. Winters came to my office requesting the records I already had given him. So this mass news conference was a ploy to make look responsible for something i never did.

As per the DEA Mickey Fine was the problem but Levin portrayed me as addict. I am alreading suing Hoefflin but wish to sue Harvey Levin, Howard Weitzman and Phillips before the trial begins, I remember TMZ almost killed me while they chased my car onBeverly Blvd…

You want to talk about the will? How could Michael sign it when he was with me and Sharplon in NYC? i never saw any will or notary there. Ask Meko Brando, he does not lie”

This is why Michael is gone. The truth has power.

http://www.facebook.com/arnold.klein

Michael Jackson Was Not Gay’ – Arnold Klein Admits He Lied

on his facebook

Michael was not gay

by Arnold W. Klein on Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Michael Jackson’s sexuality? I do not believe at this time there is any evidence to indicate that he was gay.Jason Pfeiffer an ex-emloyee of mine together with a lawyer,my ex-accountant and a shady busines man sold the story of Jason’s so-called affair with Michael to the foreign press as well as the US media. I recently found out this story was fabricated my a ghost writer. I apologize to Michael’s family for any damage this might have caused. Nevertheless, I feel the accusations of Michael’s so called pedophilia forced him to live a tortured life with even his own sister accusing him of this behavior.

“I have a question, if the Jason Pfeiffer story was false, why did you do the Extra interview?

Arnold W. Klein
because Extra is a piece of crap. Alicia Jacobs fromLV did an interview of Jason and Me. She sold only the piece about Jason to Extra. Only found out Jason made up the tale 6 months ago.

The Secret World of Dr. Arnold Klein

Aug 25, 2011 8:21 PM EDT

by Diane Dimond (excerpts)

Hollywood’s “dermatologist to the stars” has been caught up in the investigation of Michael Jackson’s death. But he may have some tough new questions to answer thanks to a litigious battle he launched against his former office manager and former accountant.

Michael Jackson’s favorite doctor, celebrity dermatologist Arnold Klein, ought to be preparing to deal with the onslaught of negative publicity sure to erupt around him once the manslaughter trial of Dr. Conrad Murray gets underway.  Yet he has kept his legal team busy filing a (new) bombshell pleading to augment his January 2011 bankruptcy case.  In it, Klein blames several people and institutions for what he claims is a multimillion-dollar fraud that caused his financial misfortune.

Meanwhile, those in the know say Dr. Murray’s defense team is expected to tell the jury it was Dr. Klein who caused Michael Jackson’s late-in-life frail condition by prescribing repeated doses of narcotics to Jackson, specifically Demerol. They will hint darkly that it was the drug-dependentJackson’s craving for more and stronger drugs that caused him to seek out the anesthetic Propofol and to hire the ostensibly well-meaning Dr. Murray to administer it to help him fight chronic insomnia. Defense lawyers will argue thatJackson’s death from a lethal dosage of Propofol was a tragic and inevitable accident.

Dr. Klein filed a complaint (called an “adversary proceeding”) with the bankruptcy court on June 27, 2011, blaming his former office manager Jason Pfeiffer, his former accountant Muhammad Khilji, and nearly a dozen financial institutions for what he alleges was a $10 million fraud against him.  Naming them as defendants, Klein claims Pfeiffer and Khilji conspired to set up false businesses through which millions of dollars were embezzled. Klein also alleges that his banks, mortgage companies, and financial advisers should have caught the criminal behavior.

That action by Klein has now caused a legal blowback that is sure to rock his Hollywood clientele, which includesCher, Dolly Parton, Carrie Fisher, and the late Elizabeth Taylor.

Pfeiffer has answered with a counterclaim. “I just couldn’t take it without filing a response with the court,” he told The Daily Beast. “I could not let him get away with blaming me for his outlandish lifestyle. Everyone was telling him, ‘You’ve got to cut back spending!’ But he didn’t listen and now he blames us.”

Codefendant and Certified Public Accountant Muhammad Khilji asserts a similar story of reckless spending.  “I’m going to defend myself,” he told The Daily Beast.  “It shouldn’t be too hard, because he’ll have to prove I took money and he knows he was running out.”

Khilji worked with Klein for about three years and said he witnessed a shocking disregard for the bottom line. According to Khilji, Dr. Klein saw his monthly office revenue drop drastically between early 2007 and 2011, inlarge part due to the departure of two of his top-grossing medical partners. Dr. Klein told The New York Times in 2004 that his practice brought in $20,000 a day; in his bankruptcy court filing, his gross monthly revenue is listed as $93,872.

(sorry for making it so small) the original is here: http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/...100/klein1.jpg

“To say I’m a thief?

He still owes me $50,000 from outstanding invoices,” Khilji said, adding that his next step is preparing a slander suit against Dr. Klein. Pfeiffer, 38, began working for the doctor as a personal assistant in 2008 and was quickly promoted to manager of Klein’s high-profile medical office.

As the doctor’s righthand man, Pfeiffer asserts he was privy to all aspects of Klein’s life, and his counterclaim lays bare his account of that life in jaw-dropping, graphic detail. Pfeiffer depicts Dr. Klein, 66, as an obsessive sexual predator who repeatedly and sadistically took advantage of Pfeiffer’s loyalty as an employee, used Pfeiffer’s name to illegally prescribe prescription drugs (mostly sex-aid drugs like Cialis and amyl nitrate) for himself and others, and humiliated Pfeiffer by forcing his participation in Klein’s late-night, obsessive online trolling for male sex partners.

…As salacious in nature as much of the counterclaim allegations are, it is Pfeiffer’s claims of overprescribing of drugs and prescription fraud by Dr. Klein that could be the dermatologist’s professional undoing. According to the legal filing, some of it involved Michael Jackson.  From page 8:

“Throughout 2009, Michael Jackson was a frequent patient of Klein. Several times, Klein told Pfeiffer to help Michael down to the car because Michael was too drugged up and disoriented to stand on his own. Pfeiffer told Klein many times that although Pfeiffer is not a doctor, Pfeiffer and Klein’s own nurses were worried that Michael was being “overmedicated” by Klein. Klein retorted to Pfeiffer that he knew what he was doing and that Pfeiffer should keep his mouth shut.”

The counterclaim is also very specific when discussing prescriptions that were allegedly written using Jason Pfeiffer’s name as the patient.  Pfeiffer provided The Daily Beast with records from twoBeverly Hillspharmacies—Mickey Fine’s and Roxsan—listing thousands of dollars of prescriptions in his name—drugs he said he never received. The documents, which date from May 2008 to September 2010, carry Klein’s name as the prescriber and are for narcotics like Percocet, prescription sleep aids like Ambien and Lunesta, and the antifungal medication Clotrimazole, used to treat jock itch and yeast infections.

Pfeiffer says he first became aware of Klein’s questionable prescription practices when he was ordered to pick up an “emergency” package and deliver it to the doctor’s home inPalm Springs.  From Page 9:

“Klein opened the package in Pfeiffer’s presence and Mr. Pfeiffer discovered that the ‘medication’ was amyl nitrite—‘prescription poppers’ Klein wanted to use during sex, as Klein told Mr. Pfeiffer at the time … Mr. Pfeiffer also discovered at that time that Klein had written the prescription in Pfeiffer’s name.”

The former office manager says he repeatedly confronted Dr. Klein about using his name on prescriptions. From page 10:

“Pfeiffer told Klein he was angry and upset with what Klein had done.  Pfeiffer told Klein that he would report Klein if he filled another prescription under Pfeiffer’s name.  In response, Klein laughed at Pfeiffer, saying that he would simply take the position that he had prescribed the amyl nitrite for Pfeiffer’s ‘heart condition’, though Klein knew Pfeiffer had no such condition.”

The allegation that Klein misused his power to dispense drugs is mentioned several times in the court filing. On page 10, the pleading alleges that Dr. Klein admitted he had written an illegal prescription for Cialis for a “celebrity architect” who did not want his own name on record. Klein allegedly admitted he had used Pfeiffer’s name on the prescription. On page 16 there is mention of a famous (but unnamed) substance-abusingHollywoodactress who often dropped by the medical office to pick up free narcotics. According to the pleading, Klein instructed his staff to “give her 10 to 20 Percocets” each time.

When Skip Miller, Dr. Klein’sLos Angelesattorney, was asked to comment, an associate told The Daily Beast: “All of Jason Pfeiffer’s allegations are false and will be demonstrated to be baseless in court.”

In September 2010, Pfeiffer walked away from his $90,000-per-year job. “I couldn’t take the abuse anymore, no matter how badly I needed a job,” he said. He claims that Dr. Klein withheld his final paycheck and the personal property Pfeiffer had moved into theHancockParkmansion, including all his clothes and family heirlooms.

Since leaving his job, Pfeiffer has given his account of Dr. Klein’s practices to both the California Medical Board and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

The celebrity doctor was already on the agencies’ radar.  In the wake of Michael Jackson’s death, the DEA raided Klein’sBeverly Hillsoffice, carting out boxes of evidence, and the agency has been comparing Klein’s narcotics scripts with triplicate copies filed with the office of the state’s attorney general. One source close to the California Medical Board tells The Daily Beast that the Board may be just weeks away from taking action against Klein.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/08/25/dr-arnold-klein-michael-jackson-s-longtime-physician-courts-substance-abuse-allegations.html

PART 2

Dr. STEVEN HOEFFLIN

FACE OFF By Richard Leiby Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, October 26, 1997; (Excerpts) …  It is a sordid tale that grew from a bare-knuckle fight among three rich doctors. The beautiful people of Hollywood have no idea how ugly it is.

Meet the central characters: Wallace A. Goodstein, MD, James S. Hurvitz, Steven M. Hoefflin.

…  What was once a lucrative professional alliance among these three plastic surgeons has devolved into an exceedingly nasty feud. Once they were close colleagues, sharing patients and profits, trading expertise and public praise for one another’s work. Now they slash at each other with septic allegations — some lodged with the Medical Board of California, some contained in lawsuits.

They accuse one another of dreadful things. Hoefflin asserts that Goodstein was a dope-addled incompetent who threatened his life. Hurvitz and Goodstein have urged authorities to investigate alleged drug use by Hoefflin. Hoefflin contends that Hurvitz is an inferior doctor, a disreputable poacher of clients, that he suffers from “personal problems.”

Hurvitz has provided medical board investigators with a document containing allegations by former female staffers who say Hoefflin sexually harassed them. But that is the least of it. Some of these women also contend in the document that several of Hoefflin’s high-profile patients — unnamed — were used as sexual props, objects of the doctor’s ridicule, their genitals exposed while they were unconscious.

The California Attorney General’s Office is seeking a hearing next month to compel four former staffers to cooperate in a medical board investigation of Hoefflin. A senior medical board investigator, Joanna Rykoff, in a declaration filed recently in Los Angeles Superior Court, indicates that her inquiry focuses on allegations that Hoefflin fondled patients, “many of whom were in the entertainment industry.”

Who is telling the truth? Right now, it is impossible to know for sure. The denials are heated.

Through his attorney, Hoefflin says all these charges are “slanderous and inaccurate, to the point of being disgusting.” He says this article is “an irresponsible and malicious attempt [by The Post] to engage in tabloid journalism.”

The doctor contends these allegations have been concocted by embittered former associates whom he dismissed. Indeed, both Hurvitz and Goodstein have a financial ax to grind: They blame Hoefflin for driving them into bankruptcy. Both claim he has deliberately tried to destroy them — not because they’re bad doctors or bad people, they say, but because they dared to get too close to some of his richest patients.

…The Hoefflin-Hurvitz-Goodstein dispute centers on money and ego and access to celebrities. There are other, more substantive issues involved — patient safety, medical ethics — but the war at ground zero is really over celebrities, including the most visible plastic surgery patient in the world: Michael Jackson.

For more than 15 years, Steven Hoefflin was Jackson’s surgeon of choice. He reportedly performedJackson’s first rhinoplasty in 1979, though he has a policy of never publicly commenting on his patients.

Sometimes, though, it’s hard to avoid publicity — as in January 1984, whenJacksonsuffered scalp burns while filming a Pepsi commercial. Trained in burn care, Hoefflin raced to his patient’s side, handled the reconstructive surgery and briefed the press. Although Hoefflin was already part of the show-biz firmament, known for operating on Playboy Playmates and hanging out at Hugh Hefner’s mansion, friends say his star rose after the Pepsi debacle.

According to various accounts, Hoefflin has givenJacksona series of nose jobs and repeated “touch-ups,” as well as a cleft chin. The results haven’t earned the doctor the universal respect of his peers. Some colleagues say Hoefflin allowedJacksonto go too far, to become a creature beyond race and gender.

Jackson’s dramatic facial overhaul “may have been against my recommendation,” Hoefflin said in an interview published last year in the San Diego Union-Tribune. But “if a patient of mine desires a major change in his appearance . . . it’s his choice.”

Having Jackson as a patient certainly hasn’t scarred Hoefflin’s reputation. In 1985, to handle his growing clientele, the surgeon opened a half-block-long medical complex inSanta Monica. He named it the Hoefflin Building– a red-brick testament to the ego and drive of a doctor who began his career at a Mexican medical school and later rose to the top of his class at UCLA. So many stars tiptoed into the building, patient Joan Rivers once joked in Allure magazine, that “the carpet is worn out at the back entrance the celebrities use.”

In the early 1990s, Hoefflin took on help. He recruited reconstructive surgeon Jim Hurvitz to serve as his all-around backup man and Wally Goodstein to be his liposuction specialist. Hoefflin regarded both as “excellent surgeons,” as he said in letters of recommendation to local hospitals. He’d known them for years.

Though he has handled his share of prominent patients, Hurvitz’s specialty is pediatric surgery. “He has a very kind heart,” says Tad Fujiwara, a family practitioner who has known Hurvitz for more than 20 years. “But in business, he’s naive.”

In the spring of 1995, Hurvitz began to develop a friendship with Michael Jackson, after being summoned to the singer’s Neverland ranch to handle minor medical problems. Hurvitz sees this as the beginning of the end of the two doctors’ relationship.

Then, that August, Hurvitz hired one of Hoefflin’s operating room assistants to work at his other office. Suddenly, he says, their friendship shattered.

Hurvitz says he was locked out of the Hoefflin Building and denied access to patient charts and financial records. Last year he filed a breach-of-contract suit against Hoefflin, seeking more than $4 million in damages. Hurvitz accuses Hoefflin of cutting his business by 50 percent, defrauding and slandering him.

In a counterclaim, Hoefflin accuses his former associate of conspiring to steal away celebrity clients and besmirching his good name. In legal papers, Hoefflin’s attorneys question Hurvitz’s ethics and talents. They also say that Hurvitz’s wife, a nurse who assisted his practice, once abused Demerol.

So it’s gotten very personal. And dirty. And now, public.

In the court papers seeking the testimony of Hoefflin’s former employees, medical board investigator Rykoff disclosed that she had received a complaint from a confidential source alleging that “Dr. Hoefflin had fondled” anesthetized patients. “The complainant alleged that the patients’ private parts were exposed while they were being operated on for a facelift. The complainant made other allegations regarding drug abuse . . . on the part of Dr. Hoefflin.”

A phalanx of cardboard boxes lines a wall near Hurvitz’s kitchen. They are filled with office files, legal pleadings, depositions. Among them is a lengthy document that Hurvitz says elaborates on the charges the medical board is investigating.

“Defendant [Hoefflin] would continually engage in vulgar and sexually offensive behavior in the operating room with male and female patients,” the document reads. “This was especially so when the patient was a VIP.”

No patients’ names are given — only pseudonyms. To wit:

“While patient John Roe 1 was under general anesthesia . . . defendant [Hoefflin] pulled his gown up and exposed his genitals. He then stated to plaintiff . . . `I bet you wouldn’t know what to do with that.’ “

The document continues: “While patient John Roe 2 was under general anesthesia for a surgical procedure to his face, defendant pulled his blanket off, disrobed him below the waist and exposed his genitals,” it reads. “He then stated, `You know he has never used it.’ “

And: “While patient Jane Roe 3 was under general anesthesia, defendant pulled off her blanket and spread and lifted her legs in a vulgar manner.”

These lurid allegations are connected to a sex-harassment suit filed against Hoefflin by four of his longtime female employees. Part of a staff of about 25 nurses, technicians and secretaries in theHoefflinBuilding, the women left the practice in the fall of 1995.

(John Bornstein, who is Hoefflin’s usual anesthesiologist, disputes such claims. He said in an interview he never witnessed any conduct by Hoefflin that was unseemly or compromised the dignity of patients.)

The women did not immediately go to the police or any other investigating authorities with their charges of patient abuse. Instead they filed formal complaints with a state anti-discrimination agency, alleging that Hoefflin subjected them to a “sexually charged hostile work environment” that included improper advances and lewd remarks. It was a routine first step before suing Hoefflin. In one complaint, filed in October 1995, Kim Moore-Mestas, an operating room staffer, states that she witnessed Hoefflin’s “touching of patients in a sexual manner.”

By April 1996, she and three others — Lidia Benjamin, Barbara Maywood and Donna Burton — sued Hoefflin in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging sexual harassment (Burton also alleged that Hoefflin beat her). The suit was settled and withdrawn during 20 hours of out-of-court mediation, but it remained in an open court file for several weeks.

As part of the settlement, each woman reportedly accepted several thousand dollars from Hoefflin. Their attorneys persuaded a judge to seal all public records connected to the suit. Under the settlement, the parties were forbidden to talk with anyone — especially the news media — about their dispute.

But Hurvitz has obtained copies of various documents connected with the dispute — including a version of the complaint that was never filed. Hurvitz never observed any of the alleged activity himself, but says he felt morally obliged to alert the authorities. He first phoned in a complaint about Hoefflin to the medical board in July 1996. He says he later sent a copy of this document to theLos Angelesdistrict attorney’s office and the Medical Board of California.

Court records show that the investigation of Hoefflin bogged down because the four women refused subpoenas from the medical board earlier this year. That forced the state to seek a judicial order to make them appear. (A hearing is set for Nov. 6.)

Other doctors say Hoefflin is often the focus of anger because he is a demanding perfectionist who sometimes alienates his own employees; staff purges are routine. Moreover, because of Hoefflin’s prominence, they say, jealous lesser surgeons may want to destroy his reputation.

A plastic surgeon who’s known Hoefflin more than 20 years but asked that his name not be revealed says he has never seen him impaired, or even take a drink at social gatherings.

What about hitting on women?

“I’ve worked over in his office, seen him day in and day out, and I’ve never seen anything that I would have called sexual harassment,” this doctor says.

Anesthesiologist Bornstein, who has worked with Hoefflin for years, describes the plastic surgeon as “one of the finest physicians I’ve ever had the privilege of being in contact with or knowing. The finest in every aspect: morally, ethically, and in terms of his medical ability.

“He’s one of the brightest, most capable, most morally upright persons I’ve ever known in the medical profession — or in any profession,” Bornstein says. “I have nothing but the utmost esteem and respect for him.”

TheHollywoodDuality

Wallace A. Goodstein has been inHollywoodlong enough — more than 20 years — to have developed an aloof, intellectual appreciation of the culture here. “I have become an expert on Jungian duality,” he says in his office tower onWilshire Boulevard. “You know, inL.A., nothing is what it appears to be. It’s all an image, a facade.”

Goodstein is a good example. His many diplomas, his monogrammed shirts, his professorial demeanor — he drops allusions to Marx, Malthus, Proust, Thoreau — make him appear to be a trustworthy, esteemed, perfectly stable physician.

In fact, he’s been sued for malpractice repeatedly, was dropped by his insurance carrier, denied hospital privileges and is facing the ultimate penalty of his profession: loss of his medical license.

A few weeks ago, Goodstein had his head examined by a team of psychiatrists and psychologists working for the Medical Board of California. A petition by the board alleges that he’s a chronic cocaine abuser who has had sexual relations with patients, threatened people with guns and employed a “questionable liposuction technique” that resulted in serious complications.

From Goodstein’s point of view, he is a persecuted visionary, the inventor of an inexpensive, revolutionary fat-carving instrument that threatens to cut into the profits of his peers. He also considers himself the victim of a hate campaign masterminded by his former friend Steve Hoefflin, whom he has known since they trained as residents two decades ago.

He still considers Hoefflin “an extremely gifted and talented man.” He just happens to dislike him intensely. “Hate” is too strong a word, Goodstein says, but upon reflection, he decides:

“You can use `seething hatred,’ but it’s more contempt. Hoefflin represents Jung’s dark shadow. He is irredeemable. Anything that would eliminate his power from the Earth should be celebrated, including his death.”

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,26334,625581,00.html

Goodstein joined Hoefflin’s practice in early 1991 and spent 20 months working there part time. He was hired as the “below-the-neck man,” handling breast surgeries and fat-suctioning duties.

He never operated on the most famous patient to visit the Hoefflin Building — Michael Jackson — but says he saw him there “four or five times,” having nose work done.

[ When  Goodstein spoke in an NBC “Dateline” he alleged that MJ had undergone “well over 50 operations” on his face. Please compare it with what he says here to the correspondent of the Washington Post].

Both he and Jim Hurvitz say they picked up on the nicknames bandied about. They say Hoefflin’s moniker for Jackson was “Meat.” The star’s pet name for the surgeon was “Meat Hooks.”

Goodstein believes Hoefflin should not have acquiesced to Jackson’s requests for surgery.

“You can’t say no to that kind of person in Hollywood. If he turned him down, Jackson would just get somebody else to placate him.”

The son of a Bronx butcher, Goodstein, 51, salts his rapid discourse with psychiatry references. “Steve’s character disorder is etched on Michael Jackson’s face,” he says. “He’s literally the prototype malignant narcissist.”

Michael Jackson resorted to plastic surgery after he was taunted about his “big nose”, says surgeon

No less has been said of Goodstein. “I was very concerned about his mental condition,” Hoefflin testified in a 1994 deposition that has become part of the medical board’s investigative file on Goodstein. “Extreme defensiveness, a paranoia, misrepresentation of facts, jitteriness, hyperactivity to the point that we canceled his surgeries. . . . I discovered that he was using drugs.”

Patients, according to Hoefflin, “represented to me that Dr. Goodstein was carrying a weapon here in the office . . . that he had had five guns . . . that he wanted to kill me and one of my other employees, also.”

In an interview last year with medical board investigators, Hoefflin mentioned Goodstein’s arrest in 1981 for cocaine possession (the police found a vial in his pants during a traffic stop, but he ultimately wasn’t charged). Hoefflin also told of patients “complaining to him about sexual relationships with Goodstein.”

http://www.everythingy.com/blog/michael-jackson-resorted-to-plastic-surgery-after-he-was-taunted-about-his-big-nose-says-surgeon

“I’m not an angel,” Goodstein admits. But he says he hasn’t taken illegal drugs in 15 years and denies everything else in the board’s voluminous file, calling it a case of “transference” by Hoefflin.

Hoefflin and Goodstein have publicly lunged at each other’s throats since an April 1993 conference of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in Boston, where they debated the “subdermal liposculpture” (SDL) technique championed by Goodstein.

Then, as now, Hoefflin characterized SDL — which trims fat closer to the skin than normal liposuction — as dangerously aggressive. But earlier the doctors had co-authored a letter in a plastic surgery journal describing the method.

Goodstein says Hoefflin at first enthusiastically embraced the technique. (During his tenure, they divided more than $1.5 million in surgical fees, he says.)

Four years later, Goodstein offers another explanation for their falling-out. He says he performed SDL on two globally famous women, with good results, and Hoefflin resented his success.

“He needs control,” Goodstein insists. “I left him. And any time you end a relationship with Hoefflin, he will destroy you.”

The Jackson Factor

Hurvitz, who practiced at theHoefflinBuildingfor more than five years, knows Goodstein only casually. But they have shared the same bankruptcy attorney — and share the same view of Hoefflin’s motivations: More than anything, Doc Hollywood feared losing his rich and famous patients.

“He has perceived that we have stolen something from him,” Goodstein says. “He saw Hurvitz taking Michael Jackson away. He saw me taking other celebrities away.”

Yes, Hurvitz says, this all goes back to Michael Jackson. He says he has never performed a major procedure on the star but has accompanied him on trips, and has been available in emergencies.

© 1997 The Washington Post Company

Source: http://homepage.mac.com/ferlauto/KFNews/8/8.html

To balance the above here is some positive stuff about Dr. Steven Hoefflin. Among other things the article cites the fact that he saved the life of a man who attempted a suicide:

Hoefflin’s office supplied The Associated Press with a letter signed by two anesthesiologists, Drs. John B. Bornstein and Martin Gordon, who wrote: “We have never witnessed any impropriety or unethical conduct of any sort” during a 16-year association with Hoefflin.

Hoefflin was the reconstructive surgeon who treated Jackson when he suffered burns during the making of a Pepsi commercial. He also has operated repeatedly on Jackson’s nose.

In 1995, Hoefflin was cited for heroism when he dived into chilly water to save a suicidal man who had jumped off the Santa Monica Pier. http://www.thefreelibrary.com/SURGEON+WHO+SCULPTED+STARS+INVESTIGATED.-a083889963

“FACE OFF” read the headline on the front page of the Washington Post’s popular Sunday Style section on October 26, 1997. Plastic surgeon Steven Hoefflin, the Post reported, was embroiled in a battle with two of his former associates, Dr. James S. Hurvitz and Dr. Wallace A.Goodstein, who had accused him of drug use and of masterminding a campaign to ruin their reputations and practices.

The newspaper also reported the outrageous, explosive allegation that would light up the tabloids for the better part of a year: that Hoefflin exposed and fondled VIP patients while they lay unconscious on the operating table. The article seemed especially weighty thanks in part to one of its bylines: Watergate legend Bob Woodward.

Prompted by the charges, the Medical Board of California is conducting an investigation but has thus far taken no action against Hoefflin. (Hoefflin has made available hundreds of copies of laboratory results of routine drug tests he has taken over the years for insurance purposes–all negative–and his present OR staff unanimously proclaims him innocent of dallying with patients.)

Hoefflin has filed defamation suits against Hurvitz and Goodstein (who cross-complained in response), and his lawyers have put the Post on notice for a potential libel action. To the celebrity clients who still stand by him, Hoefflin is “simply a genius–a man totally dedicated to his metier,” says Joan Rivers. “They’re incredibly bad jokes, these accusations–considering the buffoons they came from.” Adds Tony Curtis, “He is my friend as well as my doctor, and I am proud to say so.”

To be sure, Hoefflin is also the compleat celebrity physician, with a stack of glowing profiles in publications ranging from Allure to scandal Muscle & Fitness (for the latter, he posed flexing dumbbells dressed in a Tony Robbins Mastery University tank top), He hands out a black dossier containing his curriculum vitae, press clippings and an oblique essay, “The Raping of a Professional Reputation”–apparently an allusion to his recent troubles.

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-20910664.html

However the rumors persist as the BBC reports:

Star surgeon ‘mocked patients’

A Hollywood plastic surgeon is alleged to have crudely mocked celebrity patients – including Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor – while they were under anesthetic.

Dr Steven Hoefflin is accused of fondling and photographing his patients while they were on the operating table and of cocaine use and tax fraud.

The allegations about the doctor are contained in papers deposited with a Los Angeles court. They relate to the testimony of four of his former assistants, which was taken as part of an investigation by the California Medical Board into the doctor.

The four assistants had originally sued the doctor for sexual harrassment, but settled out of court.

String of big-name clients

Dr Hoefflin, 52, is a celebrity in his own right in Hollywood, with a string of big-name clients. He was a consultant on the film Doc Hollywood, starring Michael J Fox.

It is alleged Sylvester Stallone walked into the surgery when Dr Hoefflin was operating on his then girlfriend, Angie Everhart, and demanded she be given bigger breasts. He is said to have told the doctor he wanted them to be “big but perky, kinda like a 17-year-old”, and the doctor complied against Everhart’s wishes.

In papers lodged with Los Angeles Superior Court, former operating room co-ordinator Barbara Maywood alleges Michael Jackson – one of the doctor’s best customers – was tricked into paying for surgery which didn’t take place.

She testified: “On multiple occasions Mr Jackson would be anaesthetised and the clocks in the operating room would be turned ahead by hours. Mr Jackson would then be revived, look around the room, and settle back to sleep, at which time the clocks would be reset to reflect the correct time.

“This scheme gave Mr Jackson the perception that he had just undergone a nasal surgery of several hours, when in fact he was only unconscious for several minutes.”

Ms Maywood also said Dr Hoefflin examined the singer’s genitals on another occasion – when he was supposed to be operating on his face.

‘Insulted Taylor and Johnson’

She also alleged Dr Hoefflin sneered at 66-year-old screen legend Elizabeth Taylor – then married to Larry Fortensky, 20 years her junior – while he was operating on her. He is said to have commented: “What’s a young guy doing with this old stuff?” She said he had stripped her naked – even though she was in for facial surgery.

Actor Don Johnson – then married to Bonfire of the Vanities star Melanie Griffith – came in for the same treatment, it is alleged. After having surgery on his eyelid and liposuction on his abdomen, Dr Hoefflin is said to have looked at his genitals and said: “Why would a beauty like Melanie Griffith settle for that?”

Ms Maywood said of Sylvester Stallone that he entered the operating theatre while Angie Everhart was under anaesthetic, and was ushered out for “not wearing proper surgical attire”.

She said Ms Everhart – who starred in Another 9 ½ Weeks with Mickey Rourke – has insisted she wanted a small breast size as she “needed to maintain the lithe appearance that accounted for her success”.

‘Involved in tax dodge’

But Stallone allegedly returned to the theatre to tell Dr Hoefflin to make her breasts bigger. Ms Everhart had a difficult recovery from the surgery, and four months later it was reversed. The couple later split.

Assistant Kim Moore-Mestas backed Ms Maywood’s allegations – adding Dr Hoefflin would mislead patients into believing he would be carrying out all surgeries when junior assistants performed the operations.

Another assistant, Lydia Benjamin, said Dr Hoefflin would offer cash discounts to patients to avoid paying tax.

He is also alleged to have encouraged receptionist Donna Burton to have surgery so she could show off the results to customers.

She said: “I was used by Dr Hoefflin as a flesh and blood example of the female form. He required me to disrobe before potential breast implant patients and on multiple occasions their male companions. It was dehumanising and humiliating.”

Dr Hoefflin has called the accusations “slanderous and inaccurate, to the point of being disgusting,” and claims the allegations were invented by two former partners who were bitter about being sacked.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/281882.stm

Here is the official bulletin in reply to all those allegations from the The Hoefflin Center for Plastic Surgery:

PLASTIC SURGEON DR. STEVEN M. HOEFFLIN IS CLEARED AND VINDICATED OF ALL LEGAL CLAIMS AGAINST HIM

Former employees and physicians who made accusations agree to pay settlements and offer apologies to world famous doctor.

After several years of litigation involving what Dr. Steven M. Hoefflin, M.D., FACS has always contended were baseless claims, Dr. Hoefflin has won apologies and agreements to make substantial monetary payments from the former employees and physicians who had made false public allegations against him and his patients.

These false allegations first were made public in 1996, after four ex-employees filed a lawsuit claiming sexual harassment.  At that time, their attorneys made a statement that the lawsuit had been mistakenly filed and issued a letter of apology to Dr. Hoefflin stating that “the allegations contained in the mistakenly filed complaint were without sufficient factual or legal basis.”  The lawsuit was dismissed.

Thereafter, in 1997, Dr. James Hurvitz, a disgruntled former associate of Dr. Hoefflin, obtained documents containing the former employees’ false claims made in 1996, and forwarded those documents to The Washington Post and The Medical Board of California.  This generated worldwide attention involving Dr. Hoefflin fueled by repeated media appearances by Dr. Hurvitz and Dr. Wallace Goodstein.  As a result, Dr. Hoefflin immediately filed legal action against the doctors and the former employees and their attorneys, seeking damages for defamation due to the false statement and other alleged wrongful acts.

Dr. Hoefflin successfully prosecuted all actions, and he has been vindicated of all false claims:

In May 1999, after a complete investigation, The Medical Board of California, as expected, found no grounds to substantiate any of the claims and brought no disciplinary action against Dr. Hoefflin.

In April of 2000, Dr. Hoefflin was paid a substantial sum of money to settle his claims resulting from Dr. Hurvitz’ release of scurrilous and untrue information to The Washington Post.

In August 2001, the four former employees who originally made the false allegations issued apology letters to Dr. Hoefflin and agreed to pay a large amount of money to Dr. Hoefflin in settlement of his claims against them.

In January 2002, Dr. Wallace Goodstein, the final remaining defendant in the litigation brought by Dr. Hoefflin, also issued an apology letter to Dr. Hoefflin and his patients and agreed to pay Dr. Hoefflin an undisclosed sum of money.

Dr. Hoefflin has expressed his gratitude for the support of his family, patients, colleagues and friends from around the world throughout this ordeal.  Dr. Hoefflin has stated that he will continue to uphold the highest standards of care and safety for his patients while vigorously protecting their right of privacy and confidentiality.

http://www.hoefflin.com/news.htm

Plastic Surgeon Denies Responsibility For Jacko Nose

November 15, 2002

The New York Daily News reports Michael Jackson looked so scary during his Santa Barbaracourt testimony that his former plastic surgeon denied any responsibility. “Dr. Steven Hoefflin has not done any of Michael Jackson’s nasal surgery since 1998, and had advised him against any further surgery,” said Karen Cotton, lawyer for theSanta Monica doctor. “We have no information or knowledge about anything that Michael has done recently.”

http://popdirt.com/plastic-surgeon-denies-responsibility-for-jacko-nose/10116/

Michael Jackson’s Plastic Surgeon On ‘VH1 All Access’

January 24, 2003 at 7:23 pm

Michael Jackson’s plastic surgeon of over 20 years, Dr. Steven Hoefflin, is speaking out about the pop star’s dramatic transformation. VH1′s ‘All Access: Skin Deep,’ airing Monday, scored an exclusive interview withthe doctor who gave Michael his first nose job. He reveals what other work he performed on Michael in the following two decades and why Jackson may have taken the surgeries so far. According to Dr. Hoefflin, the last surgery he did on the King of Pop was in 1998. Jackson’s dermatologist is also interviewed and discloses what he told Michael when he wanted even more work done.

http://popdirt.com/michael-jacksons-plastic-surgeon-on-vh1-all-access/12341/

Four days later the same source said the documentary was reworked removing Michael Jackson from the broadcast:

VH1 Backs Off Featuring Jacko’s Skin Condition

January 28, 2003

Insiders tell Entertainment Tonight that VH1′s ‘All Access: Skin Deep,’ which debuted Monday night, was reworked to remove the section dealing with Michael Jackson from the broadcast. In the special, the King of Pop’s former doctors spoke out for the first time about Michael’s skin condition and startling transformation over the years. It is not clear what prompted the last minute editing of the show. When contacted by ET, a spokesperson for VH1 had no comment.

http://popdirt.com/vh1-backs-off-featuring-jackos-skin-condition/12443/

Klein tells some details on the above in his interview with Harvey Levin (Nov. 6, 2009). He speaks of the surgeon but doesn’t mention that he also took part in the documentary:

Arnold Klein’s INTERVIEW:

“…he [Michael] had a cease and desist against this plastic surgeon in 2003 because this plastic surgeon did a television show about Michael Jackson, and I bring up this plastic surgeon for many good reasons and I’ll explain to you, that he would not want anything to do with him. He issued a cease and desist order against Hoefflin because Hoefflin’s the one who’s gone down to the police…just remember that with me, and he’s told the police and the medical examiner that I taught Murray how to give propofol, which I never have given”.

And though the video was ‘reworked’ to remove the section dealing with Michael Jackson, six years later another article is able to give an account of what Dr. Hoefllin said about Jackson. It is even accompanied by the respective video:

Michael Jackson’s Plastic Surgeon Tell All (Video)

August 16, 2009

By Jen Ellyson

In 2003, Michael Jackson’s plastic surgeon sat down with VH1 To talk about Michael’s dramatic transformation over his life time.

The interview ‘All Access: Skin Deep,’ went into detail about the several surgeries Michael underwent, including his first nose job.

According to Dr. Hoefflin, the last surgery he did on Michael was in 1998. Also in the interview,Jackson’s dermatologist reveals what he told Michael when he wanted even more work done.

Here is a look at what the show unveiled about Michael’s obsession with surgery.

It all began in 1979 whenJacksonfell and broke his nose. This incident gave him an opportunity to change the feature he hated most, thanks to cruel teasing.

In 1990 we noticedJackson’s skin tone was is much lighter, as the result of skin-bleaching creams, pale makeup, or both. The tip of Michael’s nose also seems narrower, more pointed, and upturned.

In 2009 the physical proof of multiple surgeries is evident. Klein has said he was using injections of Restylane, a temporary tissue filler, to build up some areas and even out others.

Also, previous steroid injections in the nose seem to have made the skin so thin that the tissue-filling gel injected by Klein appears visible underneath.

http://www.rightcelebrity.com/?p=6473

And here comes our old friend Daphne Barak with her own piece of a story – which naturally has a lot of controversy about it:

Michael Jackson’s Nose Includes Cartilage From His Ear

August 22, 2004

The New York Daily News reports that at Dr. Werner Mang’s famous clinic in Germany, he told celebrity interviewer Daphne Barak how he stole a sliver of cartilage from Michael Jackson’s ear and transplanted it in the tip of his nose. And he issued a stern warning to his former patient: “Michael Jackson should never again have aesthetic surgery for the face. It’s dangerous.” While Mang said the work done on Jacko early in his career turned out fine, in the following years, Jackson underwent another half-dozen operations in the Santa Monica, California clinic of Dr. Stephen Hoefflin.

http://popdirt.com/michael-jacksons-nose-includes-cartilage-from-his-ear/32156/

If we are to believe Daphne Barak Dr. Mang allowed himself totally non-professional comment and behavior. He openly gossiped about his patient saying that he thought “Michael Jackson wanted to change from a black man to a white woman”. Something tells me that all this is Daphne Barak’s doing and fruit of her vivid imagination again:

Sunday, August 22, 2004
At his famous clinic in Germany, Mang told celebrity interviewer Daphne Barak how he stole a sliver of cartilage from Jackson’s ear and transplanted it in the tip of his nose.
And he issued a stern warning to his former patient: “Michael Jackson should never again have aesthetic surgery for the face. It’s dangerous.”
“I think Michael Jackson wants to change from a black man to a white woman. He always came to Stephen Hoefflin and told him, ‘Could I have a tattoo? Could I have the nose thinner?’
“Stephen Hoefflin told me that after each album [Jackson] has an aesthetic plastic surgery,” Mang told Barak.
The back-to-back procedures, along with cortisone injections and the skin condition vitiligo, laid waste to Jackson’s face, Mang said.
Jackson, 45, may need to have another operation in the future – but only to correct any damage.
And fortunately, Mang said, “he has another ear for ear cartilage transplantation.”

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2004-08-22/news/18268438_1_nose-two-plastic-surgeries-cartilage

Dr. Steven Hoefflin does not confirm Dr. Mang’s (or Daphne Barak’s?) statements. However we know by now that Daphne Barak never admits a lie:

Jax Doc Sniffy On Nose Claim

Monday, August 30, 2004

TWO TOP plastic surgeons are at odds over who did what to Michael Jackson’s nose.
Last week, Dr. Werner Mang said in an interview from his clinic in Germany that he had helped Dr. Stephen Hoefflin of Santa Monica, Calif., rebuild Jacko’s nose in the late 1990s.

The singer’s nose was ravaged by so many plastic surgeries over the years that a piece of his ear had to be used to make it look better, Mang told celebrity journalist Daphne Barak.

But Hoefflin now says that’s not true.

“Despite Dr. Mang’s recent interview statements, I have not performed surgery on the patient he discussed for many years,” Hoefflin said in a statement released after the Mang comments appeared in media here and around the world.

“At the time, I advised him [Jackson] against any further surgery. I have no firsthand knowledge about anything he has done more recently.

“In addition, I have never asked Dr. Mang to consult, operate or assist me in the care of any of my patients. He has never operated in my Santa Monica clinic.”

Mang told Barak in a followup interview that he stood by everything he said about helping Hoefflin with Jacko’s nose operation.

“I have advised him regarding Michael Jackson!” Mang said when told of Hoefflin’s statement. “He sought my advice because I [specialize] on noses. “We also discussed the vitiligo disease [a skin condition] that Michael has . . . I have been in his clinic at least three times.”

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2004-08-30/news/18273108_1_plastic-surgeries-santa-monica-clinic-michael-jackson

Below is the Sun article which triggered off Dr. Klein’s lawsuit. Please mind the question marks in this story which Dr.Hoefflin thinks to be so well-researched. In his opinion the Sun is studying their facts “under a microscope” before publishing them, however the number of inaccuracies and blatant fabrications in their article produce a different impression:

Jacko ‘dead 47 mins’ as doc made 3 calls

DAVID WILLETTS
inLos Angeles

 26 Aug 2009

Panicking Murray rang fellow doc Arnold Klein for advice on what to do as Jacko lay dying.

He also allegedly called a LAWYER before finally telling a security guard to dial 911 and summon paramedics to the star’sLos Angeleshome.

Both Murray and Klein are being investigated by police over their role in Jacko’s death, which is being treated as homicide.

Murrayhas claimed he tried to revive the star, but leaked court papers reveal he spent 47 minutes making three separate phone calls around the time Jacko died.

And last night Dr Steven Hoefflin who treated Jacko for 25 years ? said: “Murray definitely called Klein because Klein taught him how to administer propofol.

“There were two in-state calls then one out-of-state. He was calling an attorney ? he had to because Michael was dead.

“He tried to cover it up by telling everyone Michael had a weak pulse, but Michael was dead.”

Lethal

Dr Hoefflin, 63, arespected plastic surgeon who is carrying out his own probe into Jacko’s death, added:“Murray would have counted on Klein to be the source of propofol and guide him in its use.”

Skin specialist Klein is being probed for giving potentially lethal prescription drugs to addict Jacko.

Murrayhas admitted giving the star FOUR different painkillers, including propofol, on the night he died. But he never told paramedics he had administered the knock-out dose of propofol, drastically undermining their attempt to save Jacko.

The leaked warrant also reveals Klein has ignored a subpoena demanding he hand over his records.

Murray’s lawyer last night claimed much of the affidavit was “police theory” and contained inaccuracies.

Court papers show Jacko, 50, had “lethal levels” of propofol when he died in June. The drug is used to anaesthetise patients for major ops. Authorities have demanded records from at least five doctors, but onlyMurrayis named as the target of a manslaughter probe.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2607012/Michael-Jackson-dead-47-mins-as-doc-made-3-phone-calls.html

Michael Jackson Doc Sues

Posted Sep 15th 2009 2:32PM by TMZ Staff

Dr. Arnold Klein has sued Dr. Steven Hoefflin in the Michael Jackson prescription drug saga — sued him for defamation of character.

According to the suit, Dr. Klein claims Dr. Hoefflin told The Sun in the minutes following Jackson’s death, “[Dr. Conrad] Murray definitely called Klein because Klein taught him how to administer Propofol … Murray would have counted on Klein to be the source of Propofol and guide him on its use.”

Klein claims Hoefflin’s conduct was “willful, fraudulent, malicious, oppressive and reckless” and was done “with the intent to injure and harm Dr. Klein.”

UPDATE: Hoefflin tells TMZ: “They [The Sun] check their facts with an electronic microscope. There is factual evidence that the statements that I made are true. They have in their possession phone records, recordings, documents and other evidence that confirms facts in their stories before they’re published.”

OPINION

15 September 2009 – 08:42 PM

Hoefflin has already proven that he knows little to nothing about this case despite having stacks of so-called confidential medical documents and despite claiming to speak for the family. He seems to have a vendetta-driven angst against Klein and Rowe.

Hoefflin was the first to formally go on the record as saying that Michael had “lethal amounts of Demerol” in his system, which was categorically false as the coroner’s report would later confirm. He also tried to paint Debbie Rowe as someone who administered Michael unheard of amounts of Demerol on a near hourly basis just to feed his addiction at Klein’s request–not once mentioning that the log he was showing was from the early 1990s when Michael had painful scalp reduction surgery stemming from the fire incident and required Demerol as a proper form of pain medication.

Having said that, I still believe Klein is the worst of the two evils.

http://www.mjj2005.com/kopboard/index.php?showtopic=46966

EXCLUSIVE DOCUMENTS: Michael Jackson’s Doctor Says He Has Evidence To Put People In Prison

Posted on Sep 18, 2009

Dr Steven Hoefflin, Michael Jackson’s former plastic surgeon, has released a statement in response to the lawsuit being brought against him by Dr. Arnold Klein for defamation of character, claiming it’s part of a larger conspiracy.  In addition, RadarOnline.com has obtained secret documents revealing the behind-the-scenes war between Hoefflin, various lawyers and Klein.

The documents include nasty email exchanges between Hoefflin and lawyers and also what purports to be a handwritten note from Katherine Jackson authorizing Hoefflin to talk to the press and correct false information. Other documents from Katherine’s people say she never gave that permission.

Click here to read the documents

There’s even a  handwritten note from Michael Jackson in 1999 authorizing Hoefflin to use the pop star’s medical records to dispel misinformation.

Click here to read Hoefflin’s letter filled with outrageous charges

Hoefflin claims to have had his life threatened because “members of law enforcement know that I possess abundant incriminating evidence [regarding theJacksondeath] that is going to put a lot of people in prison.”

In his lengthy statement Hoefflin claims people are colluding, with the police “to use false documents to threaten me, obstruct my independent investigation into Michael’s death and to stop me from providing evidence to the proper authorities.”

He claims Colin Powell is a friend of his, and that he has called and left messages at the house of the retired General and former Secretary of State, asking him to “engage a congressional investigation into all of the LAPD and Los Angeles Sheriff Department Law Enforcement Corruption in Los Angeles that is taking place in the Michael Jackson and other important investigations that is ruining our city.”

Hoefflin says that he is an established Government Witness in theJacksondeath investigation and that Dr. Arnold Klein and his attorneys are “attempting to prevent me from discussing incriminating evidence that I possess on Dr. Klein.”

Hoefflin claims that Klein’s lawsuit against him is frivolous and that he expects the Attorney General of California himself, Jerry Brown, to end the lawsuit.

http://www.radaronline.com/category/tags/steven-hoeffli

Statement from Steven M. Hoefflin, M.D., F.I.C.S., F.A.C.S.

I am personally going to put a stop to all of the threats on my life and the threats against my family.

I am now bringing out to the public all of the credible evidence in my possession on the corruption in Los Angeles Law Enforcement pertaining to the Michael Jackson Investigation.

I am going to personally stop all of the threats from the LAPD on my life and the threats against my family. These are occurring because those members of law enforcement know that I possess abundant incriminating evidence that is going to put a lot of people in prison.

I am not going to allow and will expose those people who are colluding together, such as Diane Dimond of Entertainment Tonight, with the police to use false documents to threaten me, obstruct my independent investigation into Michael’s death and to stop me from providing evidence to the proper authorities.

All of the people that have been threatening my family and I that I have incriminating evidence on are going to be exposed with this evidence in the public eye so they will stop their attempts on my life that I have been experiencing for too long. For me to wait for the slow wheels of government investigations to catch on and bring these people to justice is no longer feasible.

Colin Powell is a friend of mine. I have already called his house and left a message for him. I am asking him to engage a congressional investigation into all of the LAPD and Los Angeles Sherriff Department Law Enforcement Corruption inLos Angelesthat is taking place in the Michael Jackson and other important investigations that is ruining our city. I want a Congressional Committee to subpoena these people, put them under oath, gather credible evidence for a good District Attorney, and bring them to proper justice. I have already asked Bob Woodward to report on this matter in the Washington Post.

I am going to put an end to these threats now. I owe it to my family. I owe it to myself. But, most of all, I owe it to the public who always wants to know the truth and especially the truth about what happened to Michael Jackson.  In reference to yesterday’s lawsuit filed against me by Dr. Arnold Klein, I am established Government Witness in the Michael Jackson Death Investigation. It is my clear opinion that Dr. Arnold Klein and his attorneys are attempting to prevent me from discussing incriminating evidence that I possess on Dr. Klein.

They know that I have provided this evidence to the authorities.  They also know that credible, incriminating evidence is going to be shortly released in my book.  In my opinion and that of others, they desperately want me to stop any further investigation and to stop providing the public and the authorities the evidence that I acquire.   It is my opinion that Dr. Klein is using a letter with falsified information sent to him by Howard Weitzman, Esq. In July 2009, I was asked to have a privileged meeting with Mr. Weitzman and another attorney.

I shared incriminating evidence that I possessed on Dr. Klein and that he was under investigation by multiple agencies of the Department of Justice.  Mr. Weitzman told me that he would neither talk with Dr. Klein, would not provide him any defense, nor would he assist his defense attorneys.   On August 1st, 2009, after that privileged legal meeting, Mr. Weitzman prepared a letter with false information to Dr. Klein’s defense attorney, Mr. Charnley, in an attempt to discredit me. The false information in his letter was known to be false by both he and Mr. John Branca.

Mr. Weitzman had told me he had discussed it with Mr. Branca. Mr. Weitzman falsely stated that I had no permission nor right to talk about Michael or his mother. H also stated that he and Mr. Branca did not condone me providing evidence to the public about Dr. Klein’s criminal activities, that may have actually contributed to Michael’s death, the very person who’s estate they now represent.  Shortly after the publication of his letter containing false information, I had left Katherine Jackson’s home, and Mr. Weitzman, my wife and I had a telephone conversation.

We requested that he provide a corrected letter to Mr. Charnley, to the media who requested a correction, and to send a copy to me.  He already had the hand-written and signed consents from both Michael Jackson in March 1999 giving me permission to publically discuss his medical records and from Katherine and Rebbie Jackson from July 18, 2009 giving me permission to talk with the media about Michael.  He told me that he had discussed the issue with Mr. Branca and that both of them agreed to provide me, Mr. Charnley and the media with a corrected letter.  Both of them failed to do this despite having documents proving the information in Mr. Weitzman’s letter was false.

On July 24th, 2009, had corresponded about the issue of slander and defamation with one of Dr. Klein’s lawyers, Mr. Boyer.  I invited Dr. Klein and Mr. Boyer to sit down with me and go over all of the evidence that I had on Dr. Klein’s criminal activities and that I would delete anything that they proved to be false.  I never heard back from them. His client, Dr. Klein, also had knowledge of my being given consents by Michael Jackson and by Katherine and Rebbie Jackson to discuss Michael and his medical records.  Dr. Klein, all of his attorneys Richard Charnley, Bradley Boyer, Susan Wootton and the firm “Ropers, Majestic, Kohn, and Bentley” together with Howard Weitzman and now apparently John Branca knew of the falsity of Weitzman’s letter, yet are attempting to use it in their attempts to bring a frivolous lawsuit against me, obstruct my testimony, and to discredit me.

With this evidence, I have contacted the Attorney General of California, Jerry Brown. I expect that he will put a stay on this lawsuit because he would never allow a court to proceed in an action that would obstruct one of their primarywitnesses (myself) in a federal investigation. In addition, I expect that he will now open an additional investigation into probable felonies that all of these individuals have committed in attempting to obstruct justice, intimidating a government witness with a document that is known to be false, and possibly other crimes. I believe that with this evidence, I now have a legal standing to bring a lawsuit against all of them, which I certainly will, for possible felonies committed against me.

I am going to start providing the media and Michael Jackson’s fans all of the evidence that I have involving the Michael Jackson Death Investigation, the Corrupt Los Angeles Law Enforcement, and others colluding together to obstruct Justice.  If anyone wants to file another slander and defamation suit, I suggest that they send a copy directly to the Attorney General of California Jerry Brown.    Those trying to hurt my family and I should stop because all of the evidence that we possess will not be with us but with the public.

Steven M. Hoefflin, M.D., F.I.C.S., F.A.C.S.

Sincerely,

Steven M. Hoefflin, MD, FACS

Immediate Past President

Los AngelesSociety of Plastic Surgeons

Since I am totally unable to understand what this mess is all about let me refer you to the short and excellent study of Dr. Hoefllin’s declarations made by the administrator of the following site  http://thetruthaboutmichael.com/ :

Truths, Lies and Propofol                           

Written by Administrator

Sunday, 20 February 2011 23:31

While Murray may have been the cause of death what got Jackson addicted to Propofol.  Certainly Murray is not the responsible person for that.  For clues we have to look back into Jackson’s timeline.

We previously reported that Dr. Steven Hoefflin may be a stone that has not yet been turned over to point to culpability in the death of Michael Jackson.

In his letters back and forth to Geraldo Rivera he stated that Howard Weisman (sp) was preparing an authorization to speak:

“From: Steven Hoefflin, MD, FACS

Sent: Sunday, August 02, 2009 4:43 PM

To: Rivera, Craig

Subject: my statement.

Dear Craig:

Howard Weisman is preparing a new letter to you re: my authorization to speak. He will  call you and email you a copy. I am on my way out to see the children, Katherine and the family.”

When Howard Weitzman was contacted to ask about this claim that Hoefflin made:

“I DO NOT REPRESENT HOEFFLIN. I only represent the Estate and the Special Administrators in the Jackson matter.

HW

Howard Weitzman, Esq.

808 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 300

Santa Monica, CA 90401

Furthermore, Arnold Klein’s attorney asked Weitzman and Londell McMillan (Katherine Jackson’s attorney) the same question on whether Hoefflin had the right to speak.

RadarOnline.com published the emailed statements:

Both Law Firms responded that they do not know about Dr. Hoefflin’s authority to speak on behalf of the Estate or Mrs. Jackson.

http://thetruthaboutmichael.com/

It’s Getting Even Weirder

Aug 5, 2009 8:12 PM EDT

by Diane Dimond

The plastic surgeon who built Michael’s noses may be the most dubious character in the entire Jackson saga. Diane Dimond on the doctor whose bizarre behavior—like providing goodie bags of syringes filled with Demerol for celebrity patients; climbing a tree with a pellet gun; claiming to work undercover for the DEA and the Secret Service; and filing as a candidate for president—has attracted police attention, including a mental evaluation by the LAPD last year. But that hasn’t stopped him from serving as the Jackson family’s authorized medical representative, advising them on how to handle lawsuits, doctors, insurance, and the singer’s promoter, AEG.

Dr. Steven Hoefflin seems perfectly suited to his role as the authorized medical representative for Michael Jackson’s grieving family, assisting them as they contemplate wrongful-death lawsuits against several doctors, insurance companies, and maybe even the singer’s promoter, AEG. The King of Pop’s personal plastic surgeon says he is making media appearances on behalf of the family and co-writing a book with Michael’s mother Katherine, tentatively titled1,000 Wonderful Things About Michael Jackson That the Public Doesn’t Know About. Hoefflin also says he helped the family plan and carry out a drug intervention for his “good friend” in 2002.

“Were some of those things a little nutsy? Yeah. But my wife was being threatened, I was being threatened.”

But recent history has shown that in theJacksondrama, nothing is what it appears, and that seems true in the case of Hoefflin. Since last year, and continuing through Jackson’s death, Hoefflin, the immediate past president of the Los Angeles Society of Plastic Surgeons, has engaged in a pattern of behavior so “delusional,” as a Los Angeles Police Department report terms it, that the LAPD’s Threat Assessment Unit has been monitoring him. Two police sources familiar with Hoefflin say the LAPD took him into custody for a mental evaluation following a 2008 incident in which officers observed him in a tree, clutching a pellet gun and babbling about assassination attempts.

Other incidents include various written statements from Hoefflin that he’s either an agent for, or a target of, the FBI, the CIA, the KGB and the Secret Service. He says he has received death threats from those tied to John McCain’s presidential campaign, apparently due to Hoefflin’s decision to run for president, a campaign that he thought he would win.

Michael Jackson began seeing Hoefflin in1978. A“plastic surgeon to the stars,” Hoefflin told me that he’s treated 700 celebrity patients. His client roster has reportedly included Elizabeth Taylor, Donald and Ivana Trump, Joan Rivers, Don Johnson, Nancy Sinatra, Phyllis Diller, Sly Stallone, and Angie Everhart. The doctor began the work that would create the most infamous nose in the world, admitting to the first two ofJackson’s nose jobs.

But it was in 1984, after a pyrotechnic display set Michael Jackson’s hair on fire during the filming of a Pepsi commercial, that the world fully met a dynamic young surgeon named Steven Hoefflin. After the emergency surgery, Hoefflin stepped before the cameras, still wearing his blue surgical scrubs, to explain how he’d rebuilt the King of Pop’s scalded scalp. With his mop of trendy curly brown hair, moustache, and one rakishly raised eyebrow, Hoefflin seemed to relish the news-conference spotlight and to delight in his own momentary importance.

Hoefflin said he continued to be Jackson’s plastic surgeon until 2002, when he refused to treat him after a failed drug intervention. They remained personal friends, he said, right up to the end.

In a 90-minute interview Tuesday, Hoefflin, 63, said he was one of the few people near theJacksonfamily who have their interests at heart. When I asked him about his recent bizarre behavior, however, his response at three different points was: “I have a genius IQ.”

Perhaps, but looking back through last spring, when he filed his federal Statement of Candidacy to run for president, writing to a colleague that a commissioned study gave him a 90 percent chance of winning, I’ve chronicled about a dozen incidents that point to serious issues for the man the Jackson family is apparently leaning on:

• In April of last year, a letter on “Dr. Hoefflin for President” stationery, addressed to the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, pronounced that the candidate had prepared a manuscript of a “very important new technique to significantly reduce consumption and trade of illegal drugs” with Mexico. The letter, obtained by The Daily Beast, claimed that Hoefflin had presented his plan to a top security agent for Mexican President Felipe Calderon. Dr. Hoefflin said he got a threatening phone call at 7 the next morning demanding he stop the drug talk or he would be killed.

• In May2008, areport from the Los Angeles Police Department shows an officer responded to a call from Dr. Hoefflin’sL.A.home complaining of “criminal threats.” The officer’s report dryly states that, “Vict-Hoefflin, Steven stated that he is involved as an undercover agent for the FBI, DEA, CIA, Secret Service, and many other agencies. Vict is also an independent presidential candidate for2008.”This time Hoefflin claimed the death threats he’d been receiving were coming from convicted stock manipulator Barclay Davis. When I asked Hoefflin about this, he told me it was correct, except he didn’t say he was an undercover agent for those agencies, merely a witness.

• On June 12, 2008, another police report obtained by The Daily Beast shows officers were alerted that Dr. Hoefflin had been sending threatening letters to his down-the-street neighbor, L.A. real-estate mogul Fred Sands. Officers made two trips to the doctor’s residence to speak to him about it. After a 90-minute conversation, the officer made this notation: “At time of interview suspect did not meet the 72-hour-hold criteria. No hold requested.” That note seems a clear reference to what’s called a 5150 hold, a mandatory commitment for a person considered to be a danger to himself or others. The last paragraph of the report reads, chillingly: “It should be noted that the suspect is in need of mental-health evaluation via personal doctor. Subject is delusional and thinks he’s being followed by KGB, CIA, FBI and CORRUPT LAPD.”

• In the letter from Hoefflin to Sands, dated June 6, 2008, which I have obtained, the doctor gave a five-page rambling account of the death threats he’d been receiving and grandly declared that after the threats, “a very extensive investigation took place with about a dozen different Department of Justice agencies, my Israeli security, and one of my patient’s Saudi Arabian security services.” The threats were traced back, Hoefflin claimed, to the rival presidential campaign of Senator John McCain. Since Fred Sands had publically endorsed McCain over Hoefflin, the doctor wanted the immediate return of a $1.6 million investment he’d made with Sands.

When asked whether he’d written the five-page letter to Sands, Hoefflin told me, “Absolutely. I was under threats that I didn’t know where they were coming from. Were some of those things a little nutsy? Yeah. But my wife was being threatened, I was being threatened.”

• On June 13, 2008, Hoefflin sent an email to the LAPD, which I’ve also obtained. He wrote to warn them about organized crime’s infiltration of the LAPD, LAX Police, and the Sheriff’s Department and the dirty cops he’d identified during his “undercover cases that I was working on…” He elaborated on six of those cases. Hoefflin complained bitterly in the letter about theU.S.government’s refusal to provide him with personal security. He mentions the “37 attempts to get the attention of Governor Schwarzenegger” and tells of attempting to get in to see Daniel McMullen, the Special Agent in Charge of theL.A.office of the FBI, to discuss his case. “He was in his office but refused to see me… despite my working with the FBI on several investigations…”

When I asked the doctor about this email, he went into a minutes-long tirade about Gov. Schwarzenegger’s refusal to take seriously a document he’d sent him entitled, “100 Points on Improving California.” He did tell me that governor’s wife, Maria Shriver, called him and asked him for another copy.

• Less than a week after firing off the long-winded email to the LAPD, the department’s special Threat Assessment Unit responded to a call in Hoefflin’s neighborhood. According to two officers with knowledge of the incident, unit officers found a man up in a tree, clutching a pellet gun and babbling incoherently to invisible people. It was Steven Hoefflin, according to police reports. Sources knowledgeable about the incident say he kept repeating there was a conspiracy to assassinate him. He was taken into custody on a 5150 mental-evaluation hold, and the discussion at the scene with police centered around whether the doctor was “off his meds,” these sources said.

“That gun looked just like our standard-issue Berettas,” one officer told me, “Right down to the texture on the gun handle. He’s lucky because if he’d pointed it at any of the responding officers they would have shot him dead.” Two LAPD sources tell me Dr. Hoefflin was held atUCLAMedicalCenterfor at least 72 hours. In his car, police found a stack of disjointed and disturbing handwritten notes, including one in which he claimed “…a police helicopter is following me. Call my wife. I am a witness due to dirty cops inL.A.” In others he writes about foreign governments, nuclear bombs, and al Qaeda.

Dr. Hoefflin categorically denied to me that he had ever been held under a 5150 procedure. “Absolutely did not happen,” he said.

In one of many phone messages he left me after our long discussion, Hoefflin warned me that he’d learned that I had received falsified police records, and in an eight-page threatening letter he sent the next day, he claimed the district attorney’s office had been alerted that I’d engaged in “obstruction of justice” and witness intimidation by asking him questions.

FollowingJackson’s death, Hoefflin again began exhibiting erratic behavior in conjunction with his work on behalf of theJacksonfamily. Specifically, last week, after Katherine Jackson’s attorney, Londell McMillan, apparently didn’t take his advice and try to banJackson’s ex-wife Debbie Rowe from ever seeing the children during the recent custody hearing, Hoefflin blasted out a three-page confrontational letter to McMillan. He expressed his displeasure that his phone calls were not being returned, he accused the attorney of grandstanding and conflicts of interest. He ominously warns McMillan, “If you don’t take me seriously in my desire to protect the best interests of Katherine and the children, then please immediately step into the ring with me.” He again mentions his “well-known genius IQ” and says, “I would just love to litigate with you, both in court and in the public media.”

Hoefflin has previously been on the receiving end of serious allegations. In a lawsuit filed in 1996, four of Hoefflin’s administrative and medical staff from his Santa Monica, California-based surgical center sued for sexual harassment. The women claimed the doctor fondled and made disparaging remarks about the genitals of several of his celebrity patients while they were under anesthesia, that he anesthetized patients and then billed them for procedures he didn’t perform, and that he sent some of his favorites home with goodie bags of syringes filled with Demerol. The suit also said that the DEA also investigated Hoefflin—if true, no charges were ever filed—and alleged that Hoefflin “began to exhibit huge character and mood swings because of drug abuse and the effects of his lifestyle choices.”

During our lengthy interview, Hoefflin told me that the case ended with him receiving “a substantial amount of money.” However, court papers filed in a related case maintain the women each received $42,500 in compensation.

And did Hoefflin,Jackson’s first plastic surgeon, ever give Michael Jackson Demerol, or narcotics? “Well, yes, but only in the hospital,” he said, and only after surgeries. He firmly maintained he never overprescribed drugs to Michael Jackson.

As for his recent allegations about McMillan, the attorney for his co-author, Katherine Jackson, Hoefflin upped the ante in his eight-page letter to me, claiming that McMillan “extracted, without approval, $6.5 million to pay himself for apparent fabricated legal billings” and thus “attempting to intimidate me into seclusion.”

The letter also had some direct threats for me, suggesting that I should “stop having telephone conversations or emails with anyone until you hire a good criminal-defense attorney.”

“My investigational (sic) team will use an electron microscope to examine every second and every millimeter of your life,” Hoefflin’s letter continued. “When something tangible, important, involving torts, or criminal activities is found, it will be reported to the authorities investigating you and will then be added to my book.”

The book Hoefflin should probably be worried about is the LAPD’s. According to an LAPD source familiar with the incidents involving Hoefflin, investigators have taken notice of the plastic surgeon’s recent missives, including the comments about McMillan. “Next time he goes off the deep end,” a police source told me, “he won’t be on a 72-hour [psychiatric] hold. We’ll make sure he’s held for a significant period of time.” http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2009/08/06/its-getting-even-weirder.html

In the article below Dr. Steven Hoefflin claims that there were lethal amounts of Demerol in Michael’s blood. He assumed it as previously he had reviewed Dr. Klein’s records and seen the amounts of Demerol given to Michael (as a result of Hoefllin’s surgery). It turned out that he jumped to erroneous conclusions – Demerol was not found in Michael’s system according to the autopsy report. Evidently the doses administered by Arnold Klein were indeed very small.

It is interesting to note that though Dr. Klein was the doctor who treated Michael’s lupus condition and insisted on Dr. Hoefflin stopping plastic surgery to avoid further lupus scarring, it is Dr.Hoefllin who thinks that the collagen and cortisone treatment provided by Dr. Klein damaged Michael’s nose as these two substances are not recommended for lupus patients. On the other hand Dr. Klein says in that interview with Harvey Levin that cortisone was given to Michael in another clinic:

• “You know how terrible his acne was, that he wouldn’t go to school? You know, he used go to this clinic out in the Valley, near Grenada Hills. He used to have cortisone injections in his face”. 

Below Dr. Hoefflin also speaks of some mysterious mistakes allegedly made by the coroner, for example his taking Michael’s tape on the nose for a prosthetic, but none of this was stated in the autopsy report:

Former Jackson Doctor Claims Michael ‘Had Lethal Amounts Of Demerol & Propofol’

July 23, 2009

LOS ANGELES,Calif.–

Dr. Steven Hoefflin, a longtime friend and doctor Michael Jackson, has claimed that the King of Pop “had lethal amounts of Demerol and Propofol in his body” at the time of his death.

In an interview on Thursday with Access Hollywood, Hoefflin, who performed surgery on Jackson after he sustained second and third degree burns while filming his 1984 Pepsi commercial, claimed he was speaking out on the authorization of his late friend’s mother, Katherine Jackson, to put rumors to rest.

Hoefflin claimed he last provided care for Michael in 1998, and participated in a 2002 intervention for the star.

Hoefflin claimed to Access that according to a reliable source of his,Jackson’s toxicology report indicated Michael “had lethal amounts of Demerol and Propofol in his body” when he died on June 25. Results from theLA Coroner’s official autopsy ofJackson have yet to be publicly released.

Hoefflin claimed that the Demerol came from Dr. Arnold Klein – Michael’s dermatologist – and the Propofol came from Dr. Conrad Murray,Jackson’s personal physician in the weeks before his death.

Further, Hoefflin claimed it was Jackson himself who told him about his heavy drug intake — at the time of his intervention.

“Michael told me Dr. Klein was injecting him with massive amounts of Demerol” in 2002, Hoefflin claimed.

And authorities searchedMurray’sHoustonoffice on Wednesday as they looked for what aMurraylawyer described as “evidence… of manslaughter.”

On July 6,Murray’s lawyer stated on his firm’s Web site, “Dr. Murray didn’t prescribe or administer anything that should have killed Michael Jackson.”

When asked by Access if the family planned to “go after” those they believed were involved inJackson’s death, Hoefflin said they would.

“Of course they are,” he said, adding an additional claim that Klein had givenJacksona number of drugs over the years.

“Dr. Klein is the one who made his face white by using Benoquin, a permanent bleaching agent,” Hoefflin claimed. “[Michael] had Lupus and it was made worse by Dr. Klein’s massive injections of collagen.

Patients who have lupus should not have collagen… For many years, Dr. Klein was using the very powerful cortisone Celestine to inject into the deep pimples on Michael’s face and nose – cortisone injections can thin out tissue in the face. I told him that he should not have any further injections… as it was thinning out his face and nose… [And Klein] was prescribing him narcotics under an alias name, Omar Arnold.”

When reached for comment by Access, a spokesperson for Klein released a statement on Thursday, which did not directly address the allegations.

“The Coroner’s Office again confirmed that Dr. Klein is not the subject of the death investigation,” the spokesperson said in Thursday’s statement. “Dr. Klein should not to be cast with the lot of other physicians who may or may not have anything to do with any investigation into the death of Mr. Jackson. The Coroner’s Office has a security hold on the investigation and will not further comment. Dr. Klein is doing the same so as not to jeopardize the integrity of the Coroner’s investigation.

“Dr. Klein has been maligned in the press by sources who have profit making agendas and/or have been paid by media companies who have given them an unfettered public forum in which to spout fiction and innuendo for cash,” the spokesperson continued.

On Friday, a rep for Klein released an additional statement.

“Certain personalities, including those with medical credentials, one of which who we believe has not treated Michael Jackson in ten years, continue to provide self-serving and/or potentially libelous comments to the media about Dr. Klein and his history with Michael Jackson. In profiling Dr. Klein’s role as it relates to Mr. Jackson, we ask the media to refrain from speculation and innuendo regarding Dr. Klein and his medical care and personal relationship with Mr. Jackson,” the rep said in the statement.

Hoefflin maintained to Access he has not been paid for his interviews — including one inBritain’s The Sun, which ran on Thursday.

A spokesperson for Murrayalso responded with a statement to Access on Thursday.

“Until we get tangible results, we are not going to respond to someone’s theory about how Michael Jackson died. We don’t know how Michael Jackson died,” the spokesperson stated.

During his interview with Access, Hoefflin said theJackson family would also go after unofficial biographer Ian Halperin, who just released his new book, “Unmasked: The Final Years of Michael Jackson,” earlier this month. Halperin has claimed in his book that the pop star was gay and that greed led to his death. Hoefflin said fans should “boycott the book and burn it on the street.”

A rep for Halperin declined to comment when contacted by Access.

Denying the gay allegation, Hoefflin, who Michael lived with the doctor during the time surrounding his 1987 album “Bad,” also said he previously took the singer to the Playboy mansion.

“All the time, Michael was commenting on the beautiful women,” he said.

Hoefflin also put down a number of stories circulating about the pop star, including one report that Michael had a hole where his nose should have been.

The LA coroner made an “involuntary error,” Hoefflin said of the report, noting Jackson wore a compressive tape that he used to shape his nose on a nightly basis — not a prosthetic, which he thought may have confused the coroner.

“I believe that the coroner’s office is profoundly competent and did a commendable job in their postmortem examination of Michael Jackson,” he said. “It is my belief that the Los Angeles Coroner has made involuntary errors in their description of the anatomical findings.”

Hoefflin said he has not been questioned by the police, but he’s “sure [he] will be a witness.”

Finally, Hoefflin denied doing the last plastic surgery on Jackson, which he claimed was done by another Beverly Hills plastic surgeon and attended by Klein.

A spokesperson for Jacksonfamily attorney Londell McMillan was not immediately available for comment when contacted by Access.

Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.

http://www.accesshollywood.com/former-jackson-doctor-claims-michael-had-lethal-amounts-of-demerol-and-propofol_article_20954

Dr. Hoefllin was indeed vehement in refuting gay allegations against Michael.  See this lovely article where he says Michael loved beautiful women and in passing also mentions that he went on tour (tours) with Michael Jackson:

Hoefflin takes Michael to the Playboy Mansion, after Thriller 82-

Dr Hoefflin also said he took the singer to the Playboy mansion, adding: “I know Michael Jackson was not gay. The truth is he lusted after beautiful women.

“I knew he was not gay because in all the time that I knew him that we were best friends – and I was his confidante and doctor – I never had any information that he was anything but straight.

“We would also spend time together over the years going through books and magazines. Michael would always look at magazines of pretty girls, never boys.

“And finally, I know factually he had sexually relationships with women.”

Dr Hoefflin, 63, said: “Michael loved beautiful women.

“After Thriller came out he asked me to take him to the Playboy mansion to see the stunning girls.

“I was friends with Hugh Heffner, made those arrangments and was with him when he decribed how beautiful and desirable all the women were.

“All the time I was ever with him – whether it was on tour or off tour – he would always comment to me and others about pretty girls he would see.”

http://lacienegasmiled.wordpress.com/2011/02/28/michael-jackson-and-playboy/

Klein also says that Michael was straight and loved women, and in his interview with Harvey Levin also mentions that Dr. Hoefflin went on tours with Michael, implying that Dr. Hoefflin administered him Propofol there. He refers us to the first operations and says we should look at the beginning of how Propofol started.

This makes us finally realize that while Dr. Hoefllin accuses Dr. Klein of excessive use of Demerol, Dr. Klein accuses the plastic surgeon of subjecting Michael to too many procedures under Propofol.  Some of those surgeries were totally unnecessary and even fictional – which evidently stemmed from the doctor’s well-meaning desire to bring Michael’s surgery to a minimum but simultaneously exposed him to more and more Propofol (as well as additional financial expense):

Harvey Levin interviews Arnold Klein, November 6, 2009

Klein       Okay. According to Associated Press, Steve Hoefflin, when he operated on Michael Jackson, did close to…it doesn’t say there but he did close to twenty nose procedures. He put him under anaesthesia and according to the article in Associated Press, he would put the time of the clocks forward and wake him up and say he did a nose job. You understand? He was also accused of playing with the genitalia of patients and also he used so much anesthesia…

Levin      I know but I would rather not get into…

Klein       We’re not going to get into…

Levin      …blind accusations.

Klein       No, this is not an accusation. I’m just quoting an article, okay? In the article the doctors were frightened about the amount of anesthesia he used. That’s in the article.

Levin      And that’s the issue. Were you frightened about the propofol when he came to you four years ago and said, “I need propofol to sleep”?

Klein       I wouldn’t want to give him propofol because I knew that this very doctor had gone on tours with him.

Klein thinks that Hoefflin’s animosity towards him resulted from him interfering with further surgeries on Michael’s face and alienating him from Hoefflin. The plastic surgeon does not deny the animosity but explains it by the shock he experienced when he reviewed Michael Jackson’s records in 1993 and saw the amount of Demerol administered to him in Klein’s office:

LAWYERS FOR ‘DERMATOLOGIST TO THE STARS’ ARGUE AGAINST DEFAMATION CASE

By WIRE SERVICES

Story Created: Jun 16, 2011 at 5:44 PM PDT

Lawyers for Michael Jackson’s former dermatologist — who alleges a plastic surgeon falsely implied in a media interview that the skin specialist had a hand in the singer’s death — are firing back at their opponents’ bid for dismissal of the suit.

Dr. Arnold Klein sued Dr. Steven Hoefflin in September2009 inLos Angeles Superior Court, alleging slander, trade libel, false light, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress and unfair competition. Both once provided medical services to the late pop star.

Attorneys for Hoefflin maintain that Judge Amy D. Hogue erred when she decided in February 2010 that Klein’s lawsuit could move forward.

Hogue rejected claims that the suit infringed on Hoefflin’s right to free speech. She also said Hoefflin knew he could be sued because Klein’s attorneys had warned him that statements in an email he sent to a CBS producer in July 2009 also allegedly were false.

In that email, Hoefflin said Klein had “ruined [Jackson’s] health” and appearance and “helped take his life,”according to court papers.

Hoefflin’s lawyers appealed Hogue’s ruling to the 2nd District Court of Appeal, arguing that Klein is a “limited public figure” known as the “Dermatologist to the Stars.” They argue he cannot prove Hoefflin said anything malicious about Klein.

But in a 19-page brief filed June 9, Klein’s legal team argues Hogue’s decision should stand and that Hoefflin has long disliked their client.

“Dr. Hoefflin harbors animosity toward Dr. Klein because he blames Dr. Klein for Michael Jackson’s decision years ago to stop using Dr. Hoefflin’s cosmetic surgery services,” Klein’s court papers state.

Klein claims Hoefflin made false statements in an interview hinting that Klein might be implicated inJackson’s death. According to the lawsuit, Hoefflin told reporters for the British tabloid The Sun in August 2009 that Jackson’s personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, would have asked Klein to tell him how to administer propofol and would have counted on him to be his source of the drug and to guide him in its use.

“Dr. Klein did not teach Dr. Murray how to administer propofol,” Klein’s appellate court papers state. “Dr. Klein did not speak with Dr. Murray in the months following Michael Jackson’s death.”

Klein also was not in contact with Murray on June 25, 2009, the day the singer died of what was later determined to be acute propofol intoxication, his court papers state.

“Dr. Klein was treating a patient that morning and learned of Michael Jackson’s death indirectly through a patient call to his office,” according to his court papers.

But in a sworn declaration, Hoefflin says The Sun reporters told him that Klein showed Murray how to administer propofol and that he had “no reason to doubt the veracity of what they said …”

Hoefflin goes further and says his belief Klein was involved in giving propofol and other narcotics to Jackson is based on a review of Jackson’s medical records he conducted in 1993 at the entertainer’s request.

“I was shocked to see the huge amount of narcotics … and other medications that both Dr. Klein and [Jackson’s former wife] Debbie Rowe were injecting into Michael,” Hoefflin states.

For example, Klein and Rowe, who worked as a nurse for Klein, injected as much as 1,850 mg of Demerol into Jackson during a three-day period in August 1993, according to Hoefflin’s declaration.

“It is my understanding that this dangerous trend did not end until Michael’s death,” Hoefflin states.

Hoefflin additionally says he believes, based on media reports, that while treatingJackson, Klein “or someone else at his direction, used Demerol, propofol and tranquilizers on Michael Jackson.”

Hoefflin also says the singer’s mother, Katherine Jackson, wanted him to try and find out what happened to her famous offspring .

“Jackson’s mother asked Hoefflin to privately investigate her son’s death,” according to court papers filed on behalf of Hoefflin with the Court of Appeal.

But Klein’s lawyers dispute the claim. They state in their appellate court papers that Hoefflin “misrepresented his authority to make statements on behalf of theJacksonfamily and the estate of Michael Jackson.”

The plastic surgeon says he and Klein had a falling-out in 2002 when the dermatologist “advised Michael Jackson not to go into a planned drug rehabilitation program.”

http://www.wavenewspapers.com/news/local/Lawyers-for-Dermatologist-to-the-Stars-argue-against-defamation-case-124042899.html

Wallas Goodstein, plastic surgeon, former Dr.Hoefflin's associate

Wallace Goodstein is the former associate of Steven Hoefflin, who according to a petition to the Medical Board of California cited in the Washington Post is alleged to be a chronic cocaine abuser who has had sexual relations with patients, threatened people with guns and employed a “questionable liposuction technique” and who used to lie on TV about MJ’s “50 operations”. Now he is teaching us ethical behavior.

These days he calls his irresponsible and false talk about Michael’s 50 surgeries an attempt to “bring to light” some important ethical issues in the field of plastic surgery per se.

What is top important is that he admits that the surgical and reconstructive treatment Michael had to undergo (mostly due to all those accidents) was accompanied by doctors giving him narcotics and this, he says, destroyed his stamina, spirit and health – which is ‘too common a tragedy’.  He says the surgeon was ‘possessive’ of his patient:

Posted: April 2, 2010 04:24 PM

Michael Jackson, Dr. Conrad Murray and the Need For Regulatory Reform

Nineteen years ago, I was in my twelfth year of practice in plastic surgery where I shared a surgical suite with Michael Jackson’s plastic surgeon. Though I never personally treated Jackson, I observed his possessiveness over his patient.

In my opinion, the accompanying prescription of narcotics destroyed his stamina, spirit and health.After every plastic surgery, there is a recovery and with every recovery there are pain relieving drugs. In Michael’s case, these drugs became an escape from the disappearing man in the mirror.

Eighteen years ago when I suspected that this was the beginning of Michael Jackson’s path to destruction, my colleagues, as well as many on the California Medical Board, and even the media shied away from accepting this as a reality.

Instead, my relationship ended on less than cordial terms with my colleague and I received a menacing letter from a high profile attorney who warned me about discussing any aspects of Michael’s care. It was not until 2002, when I was asked to do an analysis of Michael’s facial photographs for “Dateline, NBC” that I was able to bring some of these issues to light. Even then, I was brought before a committee of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (where I had been a member for approximately 25 years) because of a complaint filed by an anonymous member alleging that I had violated my privacy oath. This charge was dismissed on a number of grounds.

The most pressing dilemma for doctors, medical regulatory agencies and politicians is how to distinguish between those who serve the needs of patients truly benefiting from medication and those who engage in overprescription and the enabling of individuals on the path to addiction. There must be a middle ground between overzealous prosecutors and regulatory agencies and the “blind eye” approach that was taken in Michael Jackson’s case. Accommodating Michael’s desire for relief from his emotional pain with drugs and surgery did him no service.

The failure to investigate the physicians who contributed to Michael’s demise along the way is a disservice to society and to my profession. Attorney General Jerry Brown’s decision to investigate the trail of prescription narcotics in the Anna Nicole Smith case is a step in the right direction.

Convicting Dr. Conrad Murray may appease the public’s anger and sadness over his role in a beloved icon’s death. But unless there is true and effective regulation and oversight, not from government officials, but amongst doctors themselves, such a conviction will not help prevent history from repeating this all too common tragedy.

Regulatory reform is needed in several areas. State government regulation of physicians is currently wasteful and ineffective. Investigations should be carried out by individuals with medical knowledge and training. The solution lies in early and impartial investigation.

Most importantly, we must conquer the selfish aspect of human nature that distances us from concern for the common good. If we do not, statistics from drug related deaths will continue to mount, hospitals will continue to shut down en masse, and the quality of medical care in this country — once the best in the world — will continue to decline.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wallace-goodstein-md/michael-jackson-dr-conrad_b_523716.html

As a closure to this truly crazy medical circus here is the opinion of a good friend of Michael Jackson, his security chief Mike La Perruque, who worked for Michael in the years 2000/04 and 2007/08.  The man is perfectly normal and doesn’t throw wild accusations to the left and right.

He says that Michael had an terribly hard time trying to beat the addiction forced on him by his doctors. While they were fighting each other he had to fight all the consequences of their poor decisions trying to overcome the disaster they forced him into and which was none of his doing:

Dr. Drew: MJ`s Security Chief: My Life With The King Of Pop

Aired August 23, 2011  

PINSKY: Impacting to that response, though, I suspect, is you did see him doing drugs or you were aware he was doing drugs.

LA PERRUQUE: I was aware that he was doing drugs.

PINSKY: Were you aware of the magnitude of the problem?

LA PERRUQUE: Yes.

PINSKY: And so, when you say you hope for the best, you hoped he didn`t die of it?

LA PERRUQUE: Of course.

PINSKY: Were you aware of his use of propofol?

LA PERRUQUE: No. I had never — I never heard of the word propofol before. It came out after his passing.

–
PINSKY: In terms — again, in speaking about his use of medication, the producers told me that you actually — he would be so, I guess, intoxicated or affected by medication that, sometimes, you`d actually have to carry him out of meetings?

LA PERRUQUE: Yes. There were a few meeting a few times where he seemed to be under the influence of some kind of stimulant, and he would basically sit there and just pass out. So, I would have to walk in and stop the meeting. And then, basically, try to wake him up and then carry him into his room. And, I would unzip his boots, put him in bed, and then, for the next couple hours, I would just sit there and watch him just to make sure he was breathing.

PINSKY: Was there a doctor that you would call to come and to attend at that point?

LA PERRUQUE: No.

PINSKY: That seems strange to me.

LA PERRUQUE: He was being seen by physicians. And, I guess, because I had seen it so many times that I felt comfortable in just being able to watch him. And then, of course, if he has stopped breathing or if it did take a turn for the worse, then, of course, I would have called the 911.
–
LA PERRUQUE: Michael worked very hard to try to get away from the drugs. I knew about him using certain prescription drugs, but he wanted to be clean. He did not like taking the medications. And, he was strongly against any kind of illegal narcotics. So, I know of two times that he worked hard working with doctors to try to get himself clean, sober, and away from the hard narcotics.

PINSKY: I tell you one of the most heartbreaking things I hear my peers tell patients sometimes is I know what`s good for you. I`m your doctor. Listen to me. You need these medicines. Did he ever hear that kind of stuff? 

LA PERRUQUE: Yes. Unfortunately, yes.

–

LA PERRUQUE: He was an excellent father. You would not believe the extent that he would go to just to make sure that he provided a very normal life for his children.

PINSKY: So, they weren`t spoiled that they weren`t sent away to nannies? I understand each one had their own little team, isn`t that right?

LA PERRUQUE: No.

PINSKY: That`s what the rumor. Well, this is the part, you know, I`m trying to imagine what it`d be like to be a child and have Michael Jackson as your father. It`d be kind of peculiar.

LA PERRUQUE: I don`t think that there was that much of a — the children never expressed like my daddy is Michael Jackson. It was just my daddy is daddy.

PINSKY: Now, again, I get that. That`s what I keep hearing is that they loved him as dad, and he was dad like anyone is just dad, but he was an unusual person. He didn`t seem like the kind of person to easily get close to. That that ever affect or was that a more natural role for him?

LA PERRUQUE: I think that was the role for him. I mean, his role as a father was probably more natural than his dancing and that was a God- given talent. So, I think that, you know, his raising the children and trying to just give them that unconditional love and gave that unconditional love back.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1108/23/ddhln.01.html

Michael wanted to be clean and wished to do what God gave him numerous talents for. But due to  his accidents, lupus and someone else’s poor decisions he was caught up in a game he never wanted to be in.

Poor Michael – what a terrible mess you had to deal with….