Prince ‘wasn’t drugged up’, says lawyer

L Londell McMillan, who knew the star for 25 years, says Prince led a clean lifestyle and was “doing perfect” before his death.

Prince’s longtime lawyer has disputed suggestions Prince had a drug addiction and said his death came as a complete shock.

The singer was found dead in Paisley Park, his home and recording studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota, on 21 April.

L Londell McMillan knew Prince for 25 years and was his manager at one point.

In a phone interview with the Associated Press news agency he said he spoke to the superstar on the Sunday before he died, after it was reported his plane made an emergency landing to deal with a medical emergency.

Prince had assured Mr McMillan that he was fine.

“He said he was doing perfect,” he recalled. “He said, ‘OK, I’ll call you soon.'”

Celebrity website TMZ, citing unidentified sources, reported that Prince was treated for an overdose of the powerful painkiller Percocet while travelling home from concerts in Atlanta last week.

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Asked about the report, Mr McMillan said that while Prince may have been in pain and may have taken medication from time-to-time, he was “not on any drugs that would be any cause for concern”.

“People use medication. The question is, ‘are you on meds in a dangerous way?'” he said.

He noted that Prince, a vegan, was known for his clean lifestyle.

“Everybody who knows Prince knows he wasn’t walking around drugged up,” Mr McMillan said.

“That’s foolish. No one ever saw Prince and said ‘He looks high.’ It wasn’t what he was about.”

He said he was “shocked and overwhelmed” by his death.

Mr McMillan, whose clients also included Michael Jackson, said he owed his career to Prince.

He managed the star amid Prince’s battles with his label, Warner Bros Records.

Prince credited him with coming up with the title “The Artist” when he stopped using his name and took on a symbol instead as part of that battle.

Mr McMillan was among those present for a private and intimate memorial service at Paisley Park on Saturday where Prince was cremated.

“It was a very loving and special, solemn and very appreciative. I think he would have been proud of how we celebrated his life.” SkyNews.com

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