The world was shocked when relatives of B.B. King suggested that his manager had poisoned the blues legend as an attempt to get to his will, and fortunately we can report that the Las Vegas/Clark County coroner has ruled that no poison was found during the icon's autopsy. John Fudenberg reported to Rolling Stone that Alzheimer's was the primary cause of death, but a cocktail of other ailments—including type 2 diabetes, coronary artery atherosclerosis, congestive heart failure, hypertension and cerebral vascular disease—couldn't have helped.
"There was no evidence of poisoning," were the only six words that most following the story really cared about, however.
The shocking allegations by Patty King and Karen Williams come amid a years-long battle for the care of the now-deceased performer, and perhaps more relevant to those involved, his financial holdings. The pair suggested that Laverne Toney, who had been given administration over his estate, estimated to be valued in the $5-10 million range.
"Both Ms. Toney and Mr. [Myron] Johnson are happy that the spurious and disparaging allegations made by certain of Mr. King's children against them, have been dispelled," said an attorney for the pair. "Perhaps we can now focus on the body of musical work Mr. King left the world and stop the 'witch hunt' so that Mr. King may now finally rest in peace."
Granted, that's assuming that King's daughters buy into the reports filed by the coroner. Which, of course, they don't. An attorney representing the pair issued a statement suggesting that they would continue investigating the death. They won't get any help from law enforcement officials however, as Fudenberg concluded that the formal investigation was over.
We're going to take the aforementioned advice and enjoy King's musical legacy...and hope that his death doesn't get run through the media like Kurt Cobain's.
