Lawyers says arrests coming in UConn stabbing
By PAT EATON-ROBB, Associated Press Writer
STORRS, Conn. (AP)—A Bloomfield man will be arrested in the stabbing death of a University of Connecticut football player, his lawyer said Monday night, as police continued to sort out what happened during a fight outside a school-sponsored dance over the weekend.
Attorney Deron Freeman declined to identify his client, but says the man and several others got into a fight “with about six” UConn football players early Sunday. Freeman says his client did not stab Jasper Howard, but was present when Howard was mortally wounded.
Freeman said police searched his client’s home in Bloomfield and removed some items. Freeman said police told him that his client and others will be arrested.
“(Police) have indicated to me that they expect to get a warrant for his arrest,” he said. “I’m not sure if I would say that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but I could say that he was not involved in the actual stabbing of Mr. Howard.”
It would be the second arrest connected to the stabbing, which occurred hours after Howard starred in UConn’s homecoming victory over Louisville.
Johnny Hood, 21, of Hartford, was arraigned Monday on charges of interfering with an officer and breach of peace, but he has not been charged in Howard’s death.
Authorities said Hood gave a false name when he was questioned. His bond initially was set at $100,000, but that was reduced Monday to $10,000.
Hood’s attorney, Justin Freeman, said at the arraignment that his client is a full-time dental assistant and a part-time student at Capitol Community College, who was “at the wrong place at the wrong time,” and did not even know a homicide had occurred.
Deron Freeman, who is Justin Freeman’s brother, declined to say whether his client knows Hood, but he said there were at least a half-dozen UConn football players with Howard at the time of the stabbing.
Hood was pointed out to police at the scene by another UConn player, 19-year-old Brian Parker of Sarasota, Fla., who also was stabbed but sustained minor injuries. The sophomore wide receiver, who is academically ineligible to play this season, was treated and released from a local hospital.
Coach Randy Edsall said two other players tried in vain to save Howard’s life.
“One had Jasper in his arms and the other was pressuring where the wound went in and had blood on his hands,” Edsall said. “And those two young men are pretty deeply affected right now.”
Sophomore receiver Kashif Moore said he was the player who held Howard until help arrived. He said he did not think his friend was going to die.
“He was like in and out (of consciousness),” Moore said. “I didn’t have time to be scared.”
The state’s medical examiner’s office said Monday that Howard died from a single stab wound to the abdomen.
Howard, a junior and starting cornerback, came to the school to get away from the violence on the streets of his hometown of Miami. He was the first person in his family to go to college.
UConn basketball player Kalana Greene said Monday night that Howard was a good person who wanted to help lift his family out of poverty and away from crime.
“He’s from Little Haiti in Miami, and he talked about doing everything for his mom and his two little sisters, doing something to make it out,” Greene said. “He was talking about how, ‘I’ve got to make it out to help my family out. I don’t want my family to live the life that I lived. I don’t want my kids to live the life that I lived. I want to make it good for them.”’
Center Tina Charles said Howard—nicknamed Jazz—loved to play pickup basketball with the UConn women’s team.
“He always made the games fun,” she said. “That smile would get probably any girl, that smile that he had.”
Howard’s death was especially tragic, because he was about to become a father, Edsall said. Police declined to provide any additional information about the expectant mother, whom Edsall identified as Howard’s girlfriend.
Police interviewed dozens of witnesses but had made no other arrests late Monday.
“We’re pursuing active investigative leads,” UConn police Maj. Ron Blicher said.
Blicher said Howard was mortally wounded during a fight between two groups that included students and non-students. The fight broke out just after a fire alarm went off in a student center, forcing around 300 people to evacuate from a party and dance sponsored by the school’s West Indian Awareness Organization.
The violence came less than 12 hours after UConn’s 38-25 homecoming victory over Louisville. Edsall identified Howard’s body at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford Sunday morning.
Students gathered for two vigils Monday night. Teammates and friends placed candles and flowers at the spot where Howard was killed, along with a poster that included the words “Live 365” next to pictures of Howard playing football and having fun.
Outside the team’s football complex, dozens of athletes and other students joined hands as punter Desi Cullen, a team captain led them in prayer.
“Value the breath you breathe,” he told the crowd. “Value every day you wake up.”
Cullen said it had been a tough day for players, as they met with Howard’s parents, who had flown up from Florida.
Earlier Monday, the campus co-op store sold out of T-shirts styled like jerseys with Howard’s No. 6.
The team will wear a sticker with Howard’s initials on its helmets for the rest of the season and will carry Howard’s helmet or jersey to away games, Edsall said.
The coach said he doesn’t know if the two teammates who helped Howard will play when the Huskies visit Big East foe West Virginia on Saturday. “I’ll honor whatever decision they want to make,” he said.
West Virginia coach Bill Stewart said plans are in the works to honor Howard at the game in Morgantown, W.Va. He said he expected the game would be very emotional for both teams.
“The youngsters from our Miami area took it very, very, very hard,” he said. “Our guys were quite shaken, as they should be and they really, really liked that young man immensely.”
Edsall said his team will resume practicing on Tuesday.
“It’ll be good for us to be getting back on the practice field tomorrow and getting a little bit of what in this tragic situation, back to a little bit of normalcy with what we have to do,” he said.
Showing posts with label update. Show all posts
Showing posts with label update. Show all posts
Monday, October 19, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Pitchman update
Pitchman Billy Mays Had Enlarged Heart
Popular product pusher Billy Mays had an enlarged heart and likely died over the weekend of a pulmonary embolism, or blocked artery, a medical examiner told reporters on Monday. There was no sign of head trauma. He was 50.
Dr. Vernard Adams told reporters that Mays' heart weighed 500 grams, or about 17.6 ounces. A typical male heart weighs about 10-12 ounces. The "heart disease that was found was certainly capable of causing the sudden death that he experienced."
Skip over this content
Billy's Pitchiest: From Quick Chop to Mighty Mend It
There was no indication of drug abuse, prescription or otherwise. Further test need to be made and the official ruling of cause of death won't be available for several weeks, Adams said.
Mays told his wife, Deborah, he didn't feel well when he went to bed Saturday night. In the morning she found the booming-voiced OxiClean pitchman unconscious. Earlier in the day, he said he was hit on the head when the airplane he was riding in had a rough landing at Tampa Bay's airport.
However, doctors found no evidence of head trauma during the autopsy.
The airline, U.S. Airways, said no passengers reported any serious injuries, and Mays himself cheerfully recounted the landing for a local TV station. The bumpy landing occurred because the plane blew its front tires.
Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said linking Mays' death to the landing would "purely be speculation." She said Mays' family members didn't report any health issues with the pitchman, but said he was due to have hip replacement surgery in coming weeks.
"Although Billy lived a public life, we don't anticipate making any public statements over the next couple of days. Our family asks that you respect our privacy during these difficult times," Deborah Mays says in a statement.
Police do not suspect any foul play.
Born William Mays in McKees Rocks, Pa., on July 20, 1958, Mays developed his style demonstrating knives, mops and other "As Seen on TV" gadgets on Atlantic City's boardwalk. For years he worked as a hired gun on the state fair and home show circuits, attracting crowds with his booming voice and genial manner.
AJ Khubani, founder and CEO of "As Seen on TV," said he first met Mays in the early 1990s when Mays was still pitching one of his early products, the Shammy absorbent cloth, at a trade fair. He said he most recently worked with Mays on the reality TV show 'Pitchmen' on the Discovery Channel, which follows Mays and Anthony Sullivan in their marketing jobs.
Popular product pusher Billy Mays had an enlarged heart and likely died over the weekend of a pulmonary embolism, or blocked artery, a medical examiner told reporters on Monday. There was no sign of head trauma. He was 50.
Dr. Vernard Adams told reporters that Mays' heart weighed 500 grams, or about 17.6 ounces. A typical male heart weighs about 10-12 ounces. The "heart disease that was found was certainly capable of causing the sudden death that he experienced."
Skip over this content
Billy's Pitchiest: From Quick Chop to Mighty Mend It
There was no indication of drug abuse, prescription or otherwise. Further test need to be made and the official ruling of cause of death won't be available for several weeks, Adams said.
Mays told his wife, Deborah, he didn't feel well when he went to bed Saturday night. In the morning she found the booming-voiced OxiClean pitchman unconscious. Earlier in the day, he said he was hit on the head when the airplane he was riding in had a rough landing at Tampa Bay's airport.
However, doctors found no evidence of head trauma during the autopsy.
The airline, U.S. Airways, said no passengers reported any serious injuries, and Mays himself cheerfully recounted the landing for a local TV station. The bumpy landing occurred because the plane blew its front tires.
Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said linking Mays' death to the landing would "purely be speculation." She said Mays' family members didn't report any health issues with the pitchman, but said he was due to have hip replacement surgery in coming weeks.
"Although Billy lived a public life, we don't anticipate making any public statements over the next couple of days. Our family asks that you respect our privacy during these difficult times," Deborah Mays says in a statement.
Police do not suspect any foul play.
Born William Mays in McKees Rocks, Pa., on July 20, 1958, Mays developed his style demonstrating knives, mops and other "As Seen on TV" gadgets on Atlantic City's boardwalk. For years he worked as a hired gun on the state fair and home show circuits, attracting crowds with his booming voice and genial manner.
AJ Khubani, founder and CEO of "As Seen on TV," said he first met Mays in the early 1990s when Mays was still pitching one of his early products, the Shammy absorbent cloth, at a trade fair. He said he most recently worked with Mays on the reality TV show 'Pitchmen' on the Discovery Channel, which follows Mays and Anthony Sullivan in their marketing jobs.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Carradine's Family Suspicious of Death
Carradine's Family Suspicious of Death
Posted Jun 5th 2009 10:10AM by TMZ Staff
David Carradine's family believes foul play was involved in the actor's death because they've been told he was found with his hands tied behind his back.
Earlier today, Thai police added to the mystery saying, "It is unclear whether [David] committed suicide or not or [whether] he died of suffocation or heart failure." Police say he could have died from an "accidental suffocation."
David's body was discovered in his Bangkok hotel room early Thursday morning -- police said there was rope wrapped around his neck and genitals.
Initially cops suspected suicide, but Carradine's close friends and family immediately refuted the claim -- saying David would never do that to himself. But cops say there's no evidence to suggest anyone was in the room at the time of David's death.
Now, suspicions of foul play are growing even stronger among family members who claim the hotel has been incredibly slow in turning over surveillance video to cops.
We've been told by the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok that David's body was shipped back to the States Friday evening (Thailand is 14 hours ahead of PST).
Posted Jun 5th 2009 10:10AM by TMZ Staff
David Carradine's family believes foul play was involved in the actor's death because they've been told he was found with his hands tied behind his back.
Earlier today, Thai police added to the mystery saying, "It is unclear whether [David] committed suicide or not or [whether] he died of suffocation or heart failure." Police say he could have died from an "accidental suffocation."
David's body was discovered in his Bangkok hotel room early Thursday morning -- police said there was rope wrapped around his neck and genitals.
Initially cops suspected suicide, but Carradine's close friends and family immediately refuted the claim -- saying David would never do that to himself. But cops say there's no evidence to suggest anyone was in the room at the time of David's death.
Now, suspicions of foul play are growing even stronger among family members who claim the hotel has been incredibly slow in turning over surveillance video to cops.
We've been told by the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok that David's body was shipped back to the States Friday evening (Thailand is 14 hours ahead of PST).
Friday, January 25, 2008
More Heath news
Mary-Kate Olsen: 'Heath Was a Friend'
Jan. 25, 2008, 2:08 PM EST
The Associated Press
NEW YORK -- Mary-Kate Olsen says Heath Ledger was a "friend" in a brief statement released Friday, the same day police said they have no interest in interviewing the "Full House" star.
Released by her publicist, the statement is the first word from Olsen since the Australian-born actor's death. In its entirety, it reads:
"Heath was a friend. His death is a tragic loss. My thoughts are with his family during this very difficult time."
Police said the masseuse who found Ledger's body Tuesday spent nine minutes making three calls to the Olsen twin before dialing 911 for help, then called Olsen a fourth time after paramedics arrived. At some point during the flurry of calls, Olsen, who was in California, summoned her personal security guards to the apartment to help, police said.
NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said investigators have no interest in talking to Olsen. They interviewed everyone at the scene, each of whom was cooperative. That eliminated "any need to interview Miss Olsen," he said.
Olsen's whereabouts were unknown Friday. A private viewing was scheduled for Friday at the Frank E. Campbell funeral home in Manhattan, and Ledger's family was flying to the U.S. from his native Australia.
Police set up barricades outside the funeral home as Ledger's family made arrangements to claim the body of the 28-year-old "Brokeback Mountain" actor. Their plans were not immediately known, though Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said his government would do whatever is needed to help the family bring back his body to Australia.
Ledger's publicist, Mara Buxbaum, said no details about the funeral would be shared with the media.
Ledger's family placed a death notice in The West Australian, a newspaper based in his hometown of Perth, remembering him as "the most amazing 'old soul' in a young man's body."
"As a close knit and very private family we have observed you so determined yet quietly traveling in your self-styled path in life, nothing would get in your way ... no mountain too tall, no river too wide," said the notice, which the newspaper said had been submitted by Ledger's relatives. ".... Our hearts are broken."
The actor's sister, Kate, said she could "hardly breathe" as she tried to write her tribute. "We were the ultimate soul mates," she said.
"You were so many things to so many people, but to me you were just my little brother."
The cause of Ledger's death will not be known for at least a week, after medical examiners complete toxicology tests. Authorities suspect a possible overdose, but nothing conclusive has been determined. Several prescription drugs were found in the Manhattan apartment where Ledger's body was found.
The masseuse who found him, Diana Wolozin, apparently knew both Ledger and Olsen and knew they were friends. Messages left at telephone numbers listed for Wolozin were not returned.
Jan. 25, 2008, 2:08 PM EST
The Associated Press
NEW YORK -- Mary-Kate Olsen says Heath Ledger was a "friend" in a brief statement released Friday, the same day police said they have no interest in interviewing the "Full House" star.
Released by her publicist, the statement is the first word from Olsen since the Australian-born actor's death. In its entirety, it reads:
"Heath was a friend. His death is a tragic loss. My thoughts are with his family during this very difficult time."
Police said the masseuse who found Ledger's body Tuesday spent nine minutes making three calls to the Olsen twin before dialing 911 for help, then called Olsen a fourth time after paramedics arrived. At some point during the flurry of calls, Olsen, who was in California, summoned her personal security guards to the apartment to help, police said.
NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said investigators have no interest in talking to Olsen. They interviewed everyone at the scene, each of whom was cooperative. That eliminated "any need to interview Miss Olsen," he said.
Olsen's whereabouts were unknown Friday. A private viewing was scheduled for Friday at the Frank E. Campbell funeral home in Manhattan, and Ledger's family was flying to the U.S. from his native Australia.
Police set up barricades outside the funeral home as Ledger's family made arrangements to claim the body of the 28-year-old "Brokeback Mountain" actor. Their plans were not immediately known, though Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said his government would do whatever is needed to help the family bring back his body to Australia.
Ledger's publicist, Mara Buxbaum, said no details about the funeral would be shared with the media.
Ledger's family placed a death notice in The West Australian, a newspaper based in his hometown of Perth, remembering him as "the most amazing 'old soul' in a young man's body."
"As a close knit and very private family we have observed you so determined yet quietly traveling in your self-styled path in life, nothing would get in your way ... no mountain too tall, no river too wide," said the notice, which the newspaper said had been submitted by Ledger's relatives. ".... Our hearts are broken."
The actor's sister, Kate, said she could "hardly breathe" as she tried to write her tribute. "We were the ultimate soul mates," she said.
"You were so many things to so many people, but to me you were just my little brother."
The cause of Ledger's death will not be known for at least a week, after medical examiners complete toxicology tests. Authorities suspect a possible overdose, but nothing conclusive has been determined. Several prescription drugs were found in the Manhattan apartment where Ledger's body was found.
The masseuse who found him, Diana Wolozin, apparently knew both Ledger and Olsen and knew they were friends. Messages left at telephone numbers listed for Wolozin were not returned.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
New Heath update
Ledger Masseuse Made 4 Calls to Olsen
Jan. 24, 2008, 6:50 PM EST
The Associated Press
NEW YORK -- The woman who discovered a lifeless Heath Ledger spent nine minutes making three calls to Mary-Kate Olsen before she dialed 911 for help, police said Thursday. She called "Full House" actress a fourth time after paramedics arrived.
The calls do not have any significant bearing on the investigation because authorities believe Ledger was dead when she arrived and have ruled out foul play. But they paint a more precise picture of the bizarre series of events surrounding the Australian-born actor's final moments.
The woman, Diana Wolozin, had an appointment to give Ledger a massage Tuesday afternoon. Police originally said she made two calls to Olsen in seeking her help about what to do, but revised it to four after taking a closer look at Ledger's phone records.
Wolozin apparently knew both Ledger and Olsen and that they were friends; all the calls were made from Ledger's cell phone. Olsen's representative did not return telephone calls or emails Thursday.
Messages left at telephone numbers listed for Wolozin were not returned. Her name is not listed on the New York State Education Department's Web site, which tracks licensed health care professionals.
Among the qualifications for a massage therapy license in New York is CPR certification; police had said an emergency operator provided Wolozin directions on how to perform CPR on Ledger, but it was too late. Practicing massage in New York without a license is a class E felony that can result in fines or jail time.
The details emerged as Ledger's family made plans to bury the 28-year-old "Brokeback Mountain" actor. Ledger's body was taken to the Frank E. Campbell funeral home, where a private viewing was scheduled for Friday. Ledger's family was flying to the U.S. from Australia.
The cause of Ledger's death not be known for at least a week, after the coroner completes toxicology reports. Authorities suspect a possible accidental overdose, but nothing conclusive has been determined. Six types of prescription medication were found in the apartment, but no illegal drugs, police said.
At 1 p.m. Tuesday, Ledger's housekeeper said she saw him sleeping and heard what she thought was snoring. Wolozin showed up for Ledger's massage appointment at about 2:45 p.m. and knocked on his door, then called his cell phone at 3 p.m. to wake him up.
After setting up her massage table, she tried to wake Ledger and realized something was wrong.
At 3:17 p.m., she made a call to the Olsen twin that lasted 49 seconds. At 3:20 p.m., she made another call — this one lasting one minute and 39 seconds. At 3:24 p.m., she made another call to Olsen. That one lasted 21 seconds.
Wolozin called 911 at 3:26 p.m.
At some point during the flurry of calls, Olsen, who was in California, summoned her personal security guards to the apartment to help with the situation, the NYPD said.
Paramedics arrived at 3:33 p.m., and actually went up in the elevator to the apartment with Olsen's security guards. Paramedics did not allow the security guards into the bedroom where Ledger died, and they declared him dead at 3:36 p.m. — 19 minutes after the first call to Olsen.
Wolozin called Olsen a final time at 3:34 p.m. The duration of that call was unknown.
Ledger told The New York Times in November that playing the Joker in the upcoming Batman film "The Dark Knight" and an incarnation of Bob Dylan in "I'm Not There" had been stressful, and that he had been using the sleeping pill Ambien to deal with insomnia.
Before moving to Manhattan, Ledger lived with then-girlfriend Michelle Williams — who played his wife in "Brokeback" — in Brooklyn, and the couple had a daughter, the now 2-year-old Matilda. The couple split last year.
Williams and Matilda returned to their Brooklyn home Wednesday evening from Sweden. The 27-year-old actress had been there shooting scenes for the upcoming film "Mammoth," said Martin Stromberg, a spokesman for film production company Memfis Film.
A gaggle of reporters gathered outside the funeral home in search for news about Ledger's funeral. A long line of celebrity deaths have been handled by the Frank E. Campbell funeral over the last century, from Judy Garland, John Lennon and Notorious B.I.G. to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Leona Helmsley.
General manager George Amado refused to disclose details about Ledger's funeral arrangements, saying that any additional information would have to come from Ledger's manager.
Ledger's publicist did not return calls and e-mails seeking comment Thursday.
Jan. 24, 2008, 6:50 PM EST
The Associated Press
NEW YORK -- The woman who discovered a lifeless Heath Ledger spent nine minutes making three calls to Mary-Kate Olsen before she dialed 911 for help, police said Thursday. She called "Full House" actress a fourth time after paramedics arrived.
The calls do not have any significant bearing on the investigation because authorities believe Ledger was dead when she arrived and have ruled out foul play. But they paint a more precise picture of the bizarre series of events surrounding the Australian-born actor's final moments.
The woman, Diana Wolozin, had an appointment to give Ledger a massage Tuesday afternoon. Police originally said she made two calls to Olsen in seeking her help about what to do, but revised it to four after taking a closer look at Ledger's phone records.
Wolozin apparently knew both Ledger and Olsen and that they were friends; all the calls were made from Ledger's cell phone. Olsen's representative did not return telephone calls or emails Thursday.
Messages left at telephone numbers listed for Wolozin were not returned. Her name is not listed on the New York State Education Department's Web site, which tracks licensed health care professionals.
Among the qualifications for a massage therapy license in New York is CPR certification; police had said an emergency operator provided Wolozin directions on how to perform CPR on Ledger, but it was too late. Practicing massage in New York without a license is a class E felony that can result in fines or jail time.
The details emerged as Ledger's family made plans to bury the 28-year-old "Brokeback Mountain" actor. Ledger's body was taken to the Frank E. Campbell funeral home, where a private viewing was scheduled for Friday. Ledger's family was flying to the U.S. from Australia.
The cause of Ledger's death not be known for at least a week, after the coroner completes toxicology reports. Authorities suspect a possible accidental overdose, but nothing conclusive has been determined. Six types of prescription medication were found in the apartment, but no illegal drugs, police said.
At 1 p.m. Tuesday, Ledger's housekeeper said she saw him sleeping and heard what she thought was snoring. Wolozin showed up for Ledger's massage appointment at about 2:45 p.m. and knocked on his door, then called his cell phone at 3 p.m. to wake him up.
After setting up her massage table, she tried to wake Ledger and realized something was wrong.
At 3:17 p.m., she made a call to the Olsen twin that lasted 49 seconds. At 3:20 p.m., she made another call — this one lasting one minute and 39 seconds. At 3:24 p.m., she made another call to Olsen. That one lasted 21 seconds.
Wolozin called 911 at 3:26 p.m.
At some point during the flurry of calls, Olsen, who was in California, summoned her personal security guards to the apartment to help with the situation, the NYPD said.
Paramedics arrived at 3:33 p.m., and actually went up in the elevator to the apartment with Olsen's security guards. Paramedics did not allow the security guards into the bedroom where Ledger died, and they declared him dead at 3:36 p.m. — 19 minutes after the first call to Olsen.
Wolozin called Olsen a final time at 3:34 p.m. The duration of that call was unknown.
Ledger told The New York Times in November that playing the Joker in the upcoming Batman film "The Dark Knight" and an incarnation of Bob Dylan in "I'm Not There" had been stressful, and that he had been using the sleeping pill Ambien to deal with insomnia.
Before moving to Manhattan, Ledger lived with then-girlfriend Michelle Williams — who played his wife in "Brokeback" — in Brooklyn, and the couple had a daughter, the now 2-year-old Matilda. The couple split last year.
Williams and Matilda returned to their Brooklyn home Wednesday evening from Sweden. The 27-year-old actress had been there shooting scenes for the upcoming film "Mammoth," said Martin Stromberg, a spokesman for film production company Memfis Film.
A gaggle of reporters gathered outside the funeral home in search for news about Ledger's funeral. A long line of celebrity deaths have been handled by the Frank E. Campbell funeral over the last century, from Judy Garland, John Lennon and Notorious B.I.G. to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Leona Helmsley.
General manager George Amado refused to disclose details about Ledger's funeral arrangements, saying that any additional information would have to come from Ledger's manager.
Ledger's publicist did not return calls and e-mails seeking comment Thursday.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Heath update
Ledger Had 6 Types of Prescription Drugs
Jan. 23, 2008, 8:31 PM EST
Investigation continues in determining cause of actor's death
NEW YORK (AP) -- Six different types of prescription drugs were found in Heath Ledger's apartment — including anti-anxiety medications and sleeping pills — though the cause of his death won't be known for several days after a preliminary autopsy Wednesday was inconclusive, authorities said.
Police provided an in-depth timeline Wednesday of Heath Ledger's final moments, revealing the chaos that filled his Manhattan apartment in the moments after the Australian-born actor died.
It included a frantic call to former "Full House" star Mary Kate Olsen, a massage therapist desperately trying to wake him, and a maid who was in Ledger's bedroom in the moments before he died.
Police said Ledger probably died sometime between 1 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday of what authorities say may be an accidental drug overdose.
A rolled-up $20 bill was also found on the floor near the Australian actor's bed, but lab tests detected no traces of drug residue. Police also said no illegal drugs were found in the apartment.
Ledger's housekeeper, Teresa Solomon, arrived at his apartment with her own key and let herself in. At 1 p.m., she went to his bedroom to change a light bulb, and saw Ledger sleeping and heard him snoring. She left the room without thinking anything was wrong.
At 2:45 p.m., a masseuse named Diana Wolozin showed up for her massage appointment with Ledger, who didn't answer when she knocked on his door.
She then tried to call him on his cell phone, but again got no response. She went into the bedroom, set up her massage table and again tried to wake Ledger.
Wolozin told police that Ledger was cold to the touch, but she just assumed he was unconscious. She proceeded to grab his cell phone and call Mary Kate Olsen, whose number is programmed into the phone. Wolozin knew that Olsen and Ledger were friends, and she asked Olsen for advice on what she should do next.
Olsen, who also lives in Manhattan but was in California at the time, responded by saying she would send over her private security guards to help deal with the situation. In the ensuing moments, Wolozin realized that Ledger might be dead, and called 911.
The emergency operator provided Wolozin directions on how to do CPR, but it was too late.
Paramedics arrived minutes later — at about the same time as Olsen's security guards.
Fans left flowers and candles outside his Manhattan apartment on Wednesday. News of the death stunned family, fans and colleagues.
"Working with Heath was one of the purest joys of my life," said Ang Lee, who directed Ledger in "Brokeback Mountain."
"He brought to the role of Ennis more than any of us could have imagined — a thirst for life, for love and for truth, and a vulnerability that made everyone who knew him love him. His death is heartbreaking."
Lee Daniels, who produced the critically acclaimed "Monster's Ball" in which Ledger starred, strongly disputed any notion that Ledger had a drug problem.
"The definition of substance abuse is really up to one's perspective," Daniels said. "I didn't see him as a drug addict. I saw him as someone who enjoyed life. I know drug addicts, he was not a drug addict."
He said he saw Ledger a couple months ago and that he was in great spirits.
"He was in a good mood, he was in a great place ... he was excited about living in New York."
Before moving to Manhattan, Ledger lived in Brooklyn with his then-girlfriend Michelle Williams in a four-story, sage-green brownstone with a black wrought-iron fence. Yellow tulips with red stripes were among the bouquets left by well-wishers Wednesday.
At the Brawta Caribbean Cafe two blocks from the residence, owner Jennifer Ewers said was a frequent guest who always ordered jerk chicken, rice and beans, and sorrel.
"He was a perfect gentleman. He comes in here with his hoodie on, reads a book, and gives you a peace sign," she said. "He was always with his daughter, playing hide-and-seek among the plants, or on his skateboard, peeking his head in."
Speaking in Australia, Ledger's father called the death "tragic, untimely and accidental." Kim Ledger called his son "down-to-earth, generous, kind-hearted, life-loving, unselfish" and "extremely inspirational to many."
"Heath has touched so many people on so many different levels during his short life," he said. "Please now respect our family's need to grieve and come to terms with our loss privately."
Khaled Ali, 41, a stage manager for a Broadway show, dropped off a candle outside Ledger's building on his way to work Wednesday morning. He said he and his fellow cast members were devastated.
"I felt a connection with him as an actor, as a fellow in the theater community," he said. "With `Brokeback Mountain' he touched me personally in telling the story of my community. It was very touching."
Ledger was known for grueling, intense roles that became his trademark after he got his start in teen movies like "10 Things I Hate About You." Thereafter, he avoided the easy path in favor of roles that forced him to bury his Australian accent and downplay his leading-man looks: the tormented gay cowboy Ennis Del Mar in "Brokeback Mountain"; a drug addict in "Candy"; an incarnation of Bob Dylan in "I'm Not There."
Playing the Joker in the upcoming Batman movie "The Dark Knight," may be his final finished performance.
Ledger split last year with Williams, who played his wife in "Brokeback." The two had a daughter, the now 2-year-old Matilda, and had lived together in Brooklyn's Boerum Hill neighborhood.
Early Wednesday, Williams and Matilda left Trollhattan, Sweden, where the 27-year-old actress had been shooting scenes for the upcoming film "Mammoth," said Martin Stromberg, a spokesman for film production company Memfis Film.
"She received the news at her hotel late last night," Stromberg said, adding he had not spoken to the actress after she learned of Ledger's death.
The actor's personal strife was accompanied by professional anxiety. He said in a November interview that "Dark Knight" and "I'm Not There" took a toll.
"Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night," Ledger told The New York Times. "I couldn't stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going." He said he took two Ambien pills, which only worked for an hour.
Ledger's body was found in his bedroom, although there have been various reports about where in the room it was discovered.
Police explained the discrepancy Wednesday, saying Ledger was found by the massage therapist and maid face-down in his bed with the sheets pulled up. Paramedics, while examining his body, later put it on the floor at the foot of the bed.
A day after Ledger's death, at least six TV satellite trucks were parked on the block or around the corner from his Manhattan apartment, with a stream of TV reporters doing their stand ups. There were bouquets, letters and candles piled in front of the building.
A handwritten letter on plain white paper anchored by votive candles read:
"Heath, how could anyone hate 10 things about you. We couldn't find one bad thing about you. God bless your soul, you're in our prayers."
Jan. 23, 2008, 8:31 PM EST
Investigation continues in determining cause of actor's death
NEW YORK (AP) -- Six different types of prescription drugs were found in Heath Ledger's apartment — including anti-anxiety medications and sleeping pills — though the cause of his death won't be known for several days after a preliminary autopsy Wednesday was inconclusive, authorities said.
Police provided an in-depth timeline Wednesday of Heath Ledger's final moments, revealing the chaos that filled his Manhattan apartment in the moments after the Australian-born actor died.
It included a frantic call to former "Full House" star Mary Kate Olsen, a massage therapist desperately trying to wake him, and a maid who was in Ledger's bedroom in the moments before he died.
Police said Ledger probably died sometime between 1 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday of what authorities say may be an accidental drug overdose.
A rolled-up $20 bill was also found on the floor near the Australian actor's bed, but lab tests detected no traces of drug residue. Police also said no illegal drugs were found in the apartment.
Ledger's housekeeper, Teresa Solomon, arrived at his apartment with her own key and let herself in. At 1 p.m., she went to his bedroom to change a light bulb, and saw Ledger sleeping and heard him snoring. She left the room without thinking anything was wrong.
At 2:45 p.m., a masseuse named Diana Wolozin showed up for her massage appointment with Ledger, who didn't answer when she knocked on his door.
She then tried to call him on his cell phone, but again got no response. She went into the bedroom, set up her massage table and again tried to wake Ledger.
Wolozin told police that Ledger was cold to the touch, but she just assumed he was unconscious. She proceeded to grab his cell phone and call Mary Kate Olsen, whose number is programmed into the phone. Wolozin knew that Olsen and Ledger were friends, and she asked Olsen for advice on what she should do next.
Olsen, who also lives in Manhattan but was in California at the time, responded by saying she would send over her private security guards to help deal with the situation. In the ensuing moments, Wolozin realized that Ledger might be dead, and called 911.
The emergency operator provided Wolozin directions on how to do CPR, but it was too late.
Paramedics arrived minutes later — at about the same time as Olsen's security guards.
Fans left flowers and candles outside his Manhattan apartment on Wednesday. News of the death stunned family, fans and colleagues.
"Working with Heath was one of the purest joys of my life," said Ang Lee, who directed Ledger in "Brokeback Mountain."
"He brought to the role of Ennis more than any of us could have imagined — a thirst for life, for love and for truth, and a vulnerability that made everyone who knew him love him. His death is heartbreaking."
Lee Daniels, who produced the critically acclaimed "Monster's Ball" in which Ledger starred, strongly disputed any notion that Ledger had a drug problem.
"The definition of substance abuse is really up to one's perspective," Daniels said. "I didn't see him as a drug addict. I saw him as someone who enjoyed life. I know drug addicts, he was not a drug addict."
He said he saw Ledger a couple months ago and that he was in great spirits.
"He was in a good mood, he was in a great place ... he was excited about living in New York."
Before moving to Manhattan, Ledger lived in Brooklyn with his then-girlfriend Michelle Williams in a four-story, sage-green brownstone with a black wrought-iron fence. Yellow tulips with red stripes were among the bouquets left by well-wishers Wednesday.
At the Brawta Caribbean Cafe two blocks from the residence, owner Jennifer Ewers said was a frequent guest who always ordered jerk chicken, rice and beans, and sorrel.
"He was a perfect gentleman. He comes in here with his hoodie on, reads a book, and gives you a peace sign," she said. "He was always with his daughter, playing hide-and-seek among the plants, or on his skateboard, peeking his head in."
Speaking in Australia, Ledger's father called the death "tragic, untimely and accidental." Kim Ledger called his son "down-to-earth, generous, kind-hearted, life-loving, unselfish" and "extremely inspirational to many."
"Heath has touched so many people on so many different levels during his short life," he said. "Please now respect our family's need to grieve and come to terms with our loss privately."
Khaled Ali, 41, a stage manager for a Broadway show, dropped off a candle outside Ledger's building on his way to work Wednesday morning. He said he and his fellow cast members were devastated.
"I felt a connection with him as an actor, as a fellow in the theater community," he said. "With `Brokeback Mountain' he touched me personally in telling the story of my community. It was very touching."
Ledger was known for grueling, intense roles that became his trademark after he got his start in teen movies like "10 Things I Hate About You." Thereafter, he avoided the easy path in favor of roles that forced him to bury his Australian accent and downplay his leading-man looks: the tormented gay cowboy Ennis Del Mar in "Brokeback Mountain"; a drug addict in "Candy"; an incarnation of Bob Dylan in "I'm Not There."
Playing the Joker in the upcoming Batman movie "The Dark Knight," may be his final finished performance.
Ledger split last year with Williams, who played his wife in "Brokeback." The two had a daughter, the now 2-year-old Matilda, and had lived together in Brooklyn's Boerum Hill neighborhood.
Early Wednesday, Williams and Matilda left Trollhattan, Sweden, where the 27-year-old actress had been shooting scenes for the upcoming film "Mammoth," said Martin Stromberg, a spokesman for film production company Memfis Film.
"She received the news at her hotel late last night," Stromberg said, adding he had not spoken to the actress after she learned of Ledger's death.
The actor's personal strife was accompanied by professional anxiety. He said in a November interview that "Dark Knight" and "I'm Not There" took a toll.
"Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night," Ledger told The New York Times. "I couldn't stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going." He said he took two Ambien pills, which only worked for an hour.
Ledger's body was found in his bedroom, although there have been various reports about where in the room it was discovered.
Police explained the discrepancy Wednesday, saying Ledger was found by the massage therapist and maid face-down in his bed with the sheets pulled up. Paramedics, while examining his body, later put it on the floor at the foot of the bed.
A day after Ledger's death, at least six TV satellite trucks were parked on the block or around the corner from his Manhattan apartment, with a stream of TV reporters doing their stand ups. There were bouquets, letters and candles piled in front of the building.
A handwritten letter on plain white paper anchored by votive candles read:
"Heath, how could anyone hate 10 things about you. We couldn't find one bad thing about you. God bless your soul, you're in our prayers."
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