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Feds, DEA Now Involved In Prince Death Investigation

MINNEAPOLIS (AP/WCCO) -- Federal authorities including the Drug Enforcement Administration are joining the investigation of Prince's death.

A statement Wednesday from the U.S. Attorney's Office says that office and the DEA are joining the Carver County Sheriff's Office in investigating Prince's April 21 death at age 57.

A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation has told The Associated Press that investigators are looking into whether Prince died from an overdose. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to talk about the investigation. The same official also said investigators are looking at whether Prince had suffered an overdose when his plane made an emergency landing in Moline, Illinois, less than a week before he died.

Earlier Wednesday, a Minnesota attorney said the day before Prince died, his representatives reached out to a California doctor who specializes in addiction treatment to set up an urgent meeting with Prince.

The California specialist, Dr. Howard Kornfeld, immediately had his son take a red eye flight to the Twin Cities to see the artist. He also arranged for Prince to meet with an addiction specialist in Minnesota on April 21.

Shortly after Kornfeld's son, Andrew Kornfeld, got to Paisley Park, Prince was found unconscious in an elevator. Andrew Kornfeld, who is not a doctor, called 911.

The younger Kornfeld was carrying buprenorphine, his attorney said. The controlled substance is a treatment option for patients with addiction issues. The elder Kornfeld says his son never intended to give the medication to Prince, but planned to instead to give it to the Minnesota doctor who was scheduled to see the musician the morning of his death.

The Kornfelds' attorney, Bill Mauzy, says that he believes Minnesota's 911 Good Samaritan law means that Andrew Kornfeld would be immune from prosecution for carrying buprenorphine.

WCCO reached out to Carver County Attorney Mark Metz, but he declined to comment.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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