When privacy destroys a reputation

Posted at 7:41 AM on November 20, 2010 by Bob Collins (9 Comments)
Filed under: Arts

This week, the Ramsey County Medical Examiner issued a news release on the death of Michel Larsen, the local rapper known as Eyedea. It said his death was the result of an accidental overdose that led to "opiate toxicity."

For reasons of privacy, presumably, nothing more was said. The problem, and the reason I chose not to write about the report, is it says much more, much of which might be in accurate. Much of which is likely to be inaccurate.

Restrictions in the name of privacy have made it open season on Michael Larsen's reputation.

Opiates? That's a big range of drugs, some of which are legal, some of which aren't. "Accidental overdose?" What does that mean?

It could make Larsen anything from a habitual junkie to a guy with bipolar disorder who made the mistake of having a beer with his meds, or a guy who crushed his liver by forgetting whether he even took his meds.

All you have to do is listen to the "fine print" on those TV ads for prescription drugs to understand the range of possibilities.

Yesterday afternoon, his mother issued a statement saying prescription drugs were involved, according to the Star Tribune.

"Mikey was at no time in his life a habitual user or drug addict," she said. "Many factors played a role in the death of my son, one being a toxic level of prescription drugs."

Her statement goes on to say: "While this changes nothing, I want people to have a basis for what happened while maintaining some privacy until I am ready to speak further. I trust that anyone reading this will avoid allowing conversations that would in any way desecrate the higher positivity and legacy that Mikey leaves behind."

Sadly, that won't happen.

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Comments (9)

I suspect the term "accidental overdose" is used to distinguish from an intentional overdose - i.e. suicide.

Posted by Bismuth | November 20, 2010 9:24 AM

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Bob, your compassion is laudable, but your reasoning -ie stated reasons - are flawed on this one. Anyone who understands what "accidental" and "overdose" mean would know immediately that there was no evidence of suicide in his death. And if Mikey sadly ( but unfortunately typical for many artists) suffered from the catch-all diagnosis of bipolar syndrome, none of the prescribed medications are opiates, and neither is alcohol. The question of what should or should not be reported is a legitimate one, but your arguments are fallacious.

Posted by Jim Shapiro | November 20, 2010 3:21 PM

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Was it appropriate for the medical examiner to issue cause of death at all? Is that information public and/or required by law? I'm curious. If I die tomorrow, will the medical examiner publish the cause of death?

I am glad you raised concerns about the impact of privacy laws on possible misunderstandings. It is human nature to imagine causes for important events. It takes training and experience to learn to resist those natural impulses. While we cannot help imagining things, we can think twice about what we say or publish. We can think twice about weaving elaborate fantasies based on mere speculation. But I don't expect many people to even care or see this as a problem.

Posted by David Allen | November 20, 2010 5:45 PM

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//from the catch-all diagnosis of bipolar syndrome

Bipolar is not a catch-all term any more than 'cancer' is. It's a neurological illness that's defined.

But you proved my point merely by raising the possibility of suicide, seeing as how I never mentioned it. I made no arguments one way or the other other than to point out that what little was released increases, rather than decrease, speculation.

Posted by Bob Collins | November 21, 2010 9:39 AM

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Tylenol3 (i.e. tylenol with coedeine) is an opiate and it is often prescribed for Migraines for patients with bipolar disorder as they cannot have the stronger legally "controlled" substances. There are also a couple legal opiates prescribed to assist a patient with symptoms of withdrawal if a chemical addiction is also part of their condition (CD issues often accompany severe Mental Illnesses such as Bipolar) and when they are working to stay clean there are legal opiates (such ast methodone) that help. Addicition stems from self-medicating because frequently the standard practice meds do not provide the immediate "relief" from the insidious symptoms of mental illness. Accidental overdoses happen for any and all of the reasons Mr. Collins mentioned above. In no way should it take away from the legacy this young man left, not should it sully his reputation. RIP Eyedea and blessings to those you left behind.

Posted by Minnwhaler | November 21, 2010 9:54 AM

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Bob - my use of the term "catch all" in describing the diagnosis of bipolar disorder was in no way meant to belittle or minimize the malady. "Catch-all" as in broadly defined, and frequently misdiagnosed. In the DSM-IV, there are 32 different types of bipolar disorder, followed by major depression in a not so close second with 14 types. Regarding the frequent mis-diagnosis, you might want to listen to your own station:

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/09/09/midmorning2/

And your retreat to ".. I never even mentioned suicide" after first asking "accidental overdose. What does that mean?" would get a D in a junior high debate class.

Minnwhaler, thanks for the pharmacological explanations.

We are all agreed that a tragic loss has occurred, and the right to privacy is at issue with the public reporting of a death.

Posted by Jim Shapiro | November 21, 2010 2:37 PM

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//would get a D in a junior high debate class

I count myself eternally fortunate that I'm not in a junior high debate class.

Posted by Bob Collins | November 21, 2010 4:54 PM

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"Minnwhaler, thanks for the pharmacological explanations" Jim, given your intimate knowledge of the DSM-IV and the many ranges of bipolar disorder, I am surprised you needed a pharmacolgy tutorial. Glad I could help. To state that opiates would never be part of a catch-all Bipolar diagnosis' medical cocktail gives you a D- in Junior High debate.
At least we all agree the loss was tragic.

Posted by Minnwhaler | November 21, 2010 6:17 PM

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Bob - touche' on being glad to not be in Junior high debate. Minnwhaler, my intimate knowledge of the DSM-IV comes from a great new invention called the internet. My original comment was in reference to medications specifically prescribed for bipolar syndrome, not a "medical cocktail" that could be based on any number of accompanying pathologies. But we all - myself included- sometimes read what we want to. While I knew that self -medication often results from the challenging brain chemistry, I did not know that migraines are correlated as well. I thank you for broadening my awareness (if in fact the phenomenon is statistically significant and not just a part your own experience), and you get an B+/A- for sticking up for our wonderful facilitator Bob :-)

Posted by Jim Shapiro | November 21, 2010 8:46 PM

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