Jay Reatard: "Cocaine toxicity and alcohol"

The Memphis Commercial Appeal is reporting the findings of coroner Karen E. Chancellor's investigation into the death of Jay Reatard:

Shelby County Medical Examiner Karen E. Chancellor ruled that Memphis musician Jay Reatard died Jan. 13 from "cocaine toxicity, and that alcohol was a contributing factor in his death."

How crushingly pointless.

Maybe they wanted to check Jackson was still dead

Interesting statistic tucked into the LA Times piece about how the coroner's office has been leaking Jacko information like a cryogenics facility in a powercut:

In the days before Michael Jackson’s death certificate was made public, only a few people had legitimate reason to view the file in the state's password-protected database.

Even after the document was released, access was supposed to be limited toauthorized staffers.

But by the first week in July, the pop star's records had been viewed more than 300 times, said Craig Harvey, the chief coroner's investigator.

Which isn't even near as the number of times people have run round the offices with his brain on their head, pretending to be Monty Burns pretending to be Davey Crockett.

[Spokesperson Ken] August said it was too early for him to say how many people inappropriately viewed Jackson's death certificate or where they worked, but said he had no indication of "widespread, inappropriate access."

Sure: in California, everyone's death certificate gets passed around like an especially piquant New Yorker cartoon.

Jackson: There's a pleasing image to carry with you

You remember yesterday? That big funeral? You know the casket? The guy in it? He didn't have his brains with him.

Not, apparently, in case a bunch of Zombie tribute acts tried to eat them, but because the LA coroner is keeping it in a glass jar for the time being. Apparently there won't be any funeral until Jackson gets his brains back.