Prince’s Lawyer L. Londell McMillan Defends Him Amid Drug Use Rumors; Says He Lived A Clean Lifestyle

Rumors have been swirling about Prince’s cause of death since he unexpectedly died April 21. While some speculated he may have died from flu complications, others feared a secret addiction to Percocet may have been his demise. Nearly a week after the fact, the “Purple Rain” singer’s lawyer is defending his legacy.

In an interview with the Associated Press, L. Londell McMillan assured fans that Prince, 57 at the time of his death, did not have a history of drug abuse. In fact, he claimed the Grammy Award winner lived a clean lifestyle — he ate a vegan diet and was “not on any drugs that would be any cause of concern.” McMillan said the singer may have used medication — as many people do — but was not using it recreationally. The attorney told AP that Prince was not “drugged up,” adding that his death left him completely “shocked and overwhelmed.”

“Everybody who knows Prince knows he wasn’t walking around drugged up,” McMillan said. “That’s foolish. No one ever saw Prince and said, ‘He looks high.’ It wasn’t what he was about.”

Dr. Drew Pinsky was one of many to fuel overdose rumors, giving an interview with Billboard magazine in which he claimed that it seemed odd that Prince’s plane would make an emergency landing due to flu symptoms. His skepticism stemmed from a TMZ report claiming Prince had been spotted at a local pharmacy April 20 filling a prescription. Store clerks claimed they were worried about the singer, noting he seemed frail at the time.

Prince was hospitalized April 15 after making an emergency stop in Moline, Illinois, TMZ reported. He was was allegedly treated for a severe flu and released later that same day. Six days later, he died inside Paisley Park, his mansion in Chanhassen, Minnesota.

An autopsy was performed on Prince prior to his cremation, the results of which have yet to be made public. His family is now in possession of his ashes. It remains unclear whether their plan is to spread the ashes or hold on to them. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced, though an intimate memorial was held for the singer April 23.