Joe Jackson Says Michael Jackson Died Due To “Foul Play”

Los Angeles, CA—The Jackson family is raising the volume on its charge that Michael’s death was no accident.

Joe Jackson, Michael Jackson’s father: “I do believe it was foul play. I do believe that. Yes.“

In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Michael Jackson’s father specifically points a finger at Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael’s Jackson’s personal physician, who was with him at the time of his death.

Joe Jackson: “They must have had…given ‘em somethin’ to make him rest. You know? And, I’m hearin’ that this doctor went to sleep or somethin’. I don’t know.  I mean, I guess Michael passed, on that situation. But, Michael probably been dead a long time before they started taking him to the hospital. And, you don’t revive a person in a soft bed. You know?  Then he…the doctor left when they…and they couldn’t find him in three days or somethin’? That’s what made me believe somethin’s wrong. Yeah.“

Murray, who’s reportedly a subject of the LAPD’s ongoing investigation, declined to comment specifically on Jackson’s claim. But, a spokesperson for Murray’s attorney told ABC News that “Dr. Murray continues to be fully cooperative with the Los Angeles Police Department and the Medical Examiner’ s office.“

Meanwhile, Michael’s sister, La Toya, went even further than her father, this weekend, telling the ‘Daily Mail’ that Michael “was surrounded by a bad circle of people who didn’t have his best interest at heart…manipulative people who effectively murdered Michael with addictive drugs to control his mood.“ She says, “they were interested in Michael, the ‘cash cow.‘“

As the family waits for results from the various toxicology tests on Jackson’s body, ABC News has learned they were trying desperately to help Michael with his addiction, as recently as one week before he died, planning an intervention to try to stop his ongoing drug use.