Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 30, 1994 TAG: 9409300039
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MEMPHIS, TENN. LENGTH: Medium
There long has been speculation that Presley's death was caused, or at least hastened, by drug abuse. Thursday's state Health Department statement, based on a new review of Presley's death records, contained no mention of drugs.
Presley died in Memphis in 1977 at age 42.
The new review was ordered at the request of the Shelby County Commission, the county lawmaking board in Memphis.
``There is no basis to conclude that any person willfully and knowingly made false statements on the death certificate of Elvis Presley,'' the Health Department said.
The 11/2-page statement did not indicate whether heart disease was the best diagnosis, just that there was no evidence that the coroner had lied in his findings.
The new review was conducted by Joseph Davis, chief medical examiner for Florida's Dade County. Davis, who refused to discuss his findings, focused on medical records available at the time of Presley's autopsy to see if the cause of death was accurately reported.
Vasco Smith, a longtime member of the commission who recently retired, pressed for the review, saying he suspected that Memphis Medical Examiner Jerry Francisco wrongly listed the cause of death on Presley's death certificate.
Presley's autopsy report never has been publicly released. Tennessee courts have held it is the private property of Presley's relatives since it was performed at their request.
by CNB