U.S. police search Jackson's doctor's office in manslaughter probe

HOUSTON, July 22 (Xinhua) -- U.S. federal agents and police on Wednesday raided the Houston office of pop star Michael Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray, and the doctor's lawyer said the research was related to a manslaughter investigation.

Los Angeles police detectives carry out a search at the office of Conrad Murray

"The search warrant authorized law enforcement to search for and seize items, including documents, they believed constituted evidence of the offense of manslaughter," a statement posted on Murray's attorney Ed Chernoff's website said.

"Law enforcement concluded their search around 12:30 p.m., and left with a forensic image of a business computer hard drive and 21 documents. None of the documents taken had previously been requested by law enforcement or the L.A. Coroner's office," the statement said.

A team of several dozen U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents, Los Angeles police detectives and Houston uniformed police officers arrived around 10:20 a.m. local time at Murray's Armstrong Medical Clinic in Houston, and swarmed inside the clinic.

The search was based on preliminary results of an autopsy which indicate Jackson's death was tied to the drug Propofol, a powerful anesthetic normally used only in hospital operating rooms, according to ABC news.

Murray, a cardiologist with offices both in Houston and Las Vegas, was with Jackson when the 50-year-old King of Pop died on June 25. Murray had left Houston to be with Jackson as the singer prepared for his comeback tour.

Los Angeles police have denied reports by a celebrity website that they are investigating Jackson's death as a homicide, but Jackson's families have hinted that they think foul play was involved.

Investigators from the Los Angeles Police Department and agents from the DEA also conducted an investigation Tuesday on Murray's office in Las Vegas, according to a FOXNews.com report.