No Evidence B.B. King Was Poisoned, Autopsy Reveals

Larry Busacca/Getty ImagesAn autopsy did not uncover evidence that B.B. King was poisoned before his death in May, a lawyer for his estate said Monday.

A statement from E. Brent Bryson begins, “It is unfortunate that Mr. King’s body had to be subjected to a needless autopsy based upon fictional assertions.”

Two of King’s children, daughters Karen Williams and Patty King, had alleged in court papers filed in May that the legendary blues great died prematurely after being poisoned. They further claimed that King’s business manager, LaVerne Toney, and his personal assistant, Myron Johnson, were involved.

However, autopsy findings reportedly showed that the cause of death was Alzheimer’s disease, plus physical conditions such as coronary disease, heart failure and the effects of Type 2 diabetes.

Bryson’s statement on Monday said, “Both Ms. Toney and Mr. Johnson are happy that the spurious and disparaging allegations made by certain of Mr. King’s children against them, have been dispelled.”

“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,” the statement concludes.

Copyright © 2015, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.