Culture - Ike Turner overdosed on cocaine

[enquirewithin]

Cocaine kills off music stars with regularity... I loved "Nutbush City Limits"!
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7193080.stm

US soul legend Ike Turner, who died last month at the age of 76, was killed by a cocaine overdose, Californian coroners have established.

"We are listing that he abused cocaine and that's what resulted in the cocaine toxicity," said an official at the San Diego County medical examiner's office.

Cardiovascular disease and pulmonary emphysema were also given as "significant" factors in the death.

Turner's daughter Mia said she was shocked by the report. The singer had waged an "ongoing struggle" with drugs, she said, but the coroner was "overstating the situation".

"Daddy at that point was not doing drugs to the level it leads to believe," she told the North County Times in a telephone interview.

The former husband of Tina Turner died at his home near San Diego on 12 December.

Paul Parker, chief investigator at the medical examiner's office, was quoted by The Associated Press as saying hypertensive cardiovascular disease and pulmonary emphysema were also "significant and contributing factors" in Turner's death.

Rising to fame in the 1960s, the musician is best remembered for his musical partnership with Tina.
Their stormy marriage, in which she said he abused her, overshadowed his considerable achievements in popular music.

In his autobiography, he estimated he had spent $11m to support his cocaine habit in the 1970s and 1980s.