Judge keeps Jackson search warrant sealed

A judge decided Wednesday to keep sealed the latest search warrant issued in Clark County after pop superstar Michael Jackson's death.

After a closed-door hearing Tuesday with a Los Angeles detective, District Judge Valerie Adair decided there was additional information in the Aug. 7 warrant that, if released, could impede the homicide investigation into Jackson's death.

In late July, investigators searched Dr. Conrad Murray's home at Red Rock Country Club, his Flamingo Road medical office and a storage unit. Two weeks later, a Las Vegas pharmacy was raided. The search warrant issued for the pharmacy will remain sealed.

Adair unsealed Wednesday the July 24 and July 28 search warrants for Murray's home, office and storage unit.

Authorities did not oppose unsealing those search warrants, because the information contained within the documents was similar to search warrants already released in Houston and Los Angeles.

In August, a Los Angeles County judge also ruled to keep sealed search warrants issued there that revealed new or different information than the ones already released.

Murray has told investigators he administered propofol and multiple sedatives to help Jackson sleep hours before he died in his Holmby Hills mansion on June 25.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal, Los Angeles Times, The Associated Press and other media organizations filed a motion earlier this month to unseal the search warrants.

Adair set a status check date for Nov. 18 to determine if it is still justified to keep the warrant sealed.

Murray has not been charged in the near four-month investigation. Authorities are investigating Murray in connection with several potential crimes, including manslaughter and prescribing to an addict, according to court documents.

Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.