Prince’s Friend/Best Man Accused Of Aiding Prince’s Meds Addiction Speaks Out

Posted On : April 18, 2017

Now that some of the search warrants that were issued for Paisley Park at the time of Prince’s untimely passing have been unsealed as of Monday (4-17-18), more details have been surfacing. According to The Associated Press, one pretty interesting detail listed within search warrant is that Prince’s long time friend, Kirk Johnson, in some way allegedly aided Prince in obtain the prescribed meds he was addicted to for pain.

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 19: Musician Prince is seen on stage at the 36th NAACP Image Awards at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on March 19, 2005 in Los Angeles, California. Prince was honored with the Vanguard Award. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Kirk was also Prince’s best man in his first wedding (to Mayte Garcia), as well as his drummer of several decades.

The search warrants implied that Prince’s doctors were prescribing opioids for Prince in Kirk Johnson’s name to maintain Prince’s privacy. The search warrant also revealed that authorities found several prescription bottles in Kirk’s name throughout Paisley Park, as well as meds found in various envelopes throughout the home.

The AP reported that ‘an attorney for [Kirk] Johnson says Johnson “did not secure nor supply” the drugs that caused Prince’s death.’

Kirk Johnson, Prince's longtime friend/drummer
Kirk Johnson, Prince’s longtime friend/drummer

We don’t know what the truth is behind this because none of us were there, so all we can do is listen carefully to what was reported in the search warrant at that time.

On a side note, we did a little further research into Kirk as well and found a few more interesting facts out about him:

  • He was seen with Prince in 2016, during a rare daytime sighting as Prince was leaving a doctor’s office on a well-populated New York city street. Kirk was attempting to shield his friend from the cameras and attention…

  •  Kirk was one of the few people who found Prince deceased in his Paisley Park elevator during that tragic day on April 21, 2016, when the icon had passed away from an accidental overdose of fentanyl.
  • He was also reportedly with Prince when Prince’s plane had to make an emergency landing due to Prince falling unconscious just days before his death.
  •  Johnson is a drummer for Prince, but he’s also a fitness trainer.
  •  On March 29, 2017, Kirk did an interview with CBS, discussing the life and legacy of his friend inside of Prince’s Paisley Park home. At the time of the interview, Kirk was described as one of the few friends who knows the Prince’s home the best. Check out what he said about his Prince below…

As of Monday afternoon, Prince’s doctor, Dr. Michael Schulenberg, also released a statement in his defense, stating that he had nothing to do with the prescribed drug that Prince accidentally overdosed on and that his name should not be included in those accusations that were also listed in the search warrant.

According to The AP, ‘one affidavit says Dr. Michael Todd Schulenberg admitted he prescribed oxycodone for Prince in a Prince’s associate’s name “for Prince’s privacy.”’

A lawyer not connected with the case also told the AP that, ‘authorities could charge Dr. Michael Todd Schulenberg and Prince’s friend, Kirk Johnson, with a low-level felony that wouldn’t result in prison time. But, he says, that [opioid] prescription is tangential to the case. Documents unsealed Monday don’t say how Prince got the fentanyl that killed him, and [the attorney] says finding the answer to that will be the target for investigators.’

Like we said, we have no clue who is to blame in this case, but it’s been almost a year since Prince’s passing and it’s about time his family and loved ones get closure on all of the details behind his overdose. Rest on Prince.

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We salute the incredible people and beautiful memories of that "old school". We’re not saying that every artist and every facet of the soul era was perfect, but the artists’ contributions to soul music and the old school memories of that particular time are PRICELESS.