Prince's death: No criminal charges, but doctor fined $30k

Washington D.C [USA], Apr 20 (ANI): The prosecutor in the Minnesota county, where Prince died, has said that no criminal charges will be filed in relation to the singing legend's April 2016 death.

Minnesota's Carver County Attorney, Mark Metz, revealed in a press conference that no criminal charges could be filed because the two-year investigation into the music legend's drug-related death resulted in "no reliable evidence," Radar Online reported.

He further noted that the 'Purple Rain' hit-maker, who suffered from an opiate addiction, died of an accidental fentanyl overdose after taking counterfeit Vicodin pills.

"In all likelihood Prince had no idea he was taking a counterfeit pill that could kill him," said Metz, adding that there was no evidence that the counterfeit drugs were prescribed by a doctor or that there was a "sinister motive to murder Prince."

Meanwhile, the Minnesota physician, who saw Prince twice in the weeks before his death, was ordered to pay $30,000 to the United States to settle civil allegations that he prescribed drugs to someone else knowing that the artist would take them.

Metz further revealed that Dr Michael T. Schulenberg, who prescribed painkillers to Prince's assistant Kirk Johnson knowing the musician would be using them, was being held "accountable."

The doctor would also be monitored for two years by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

"Prince's death is a tragic example that opioid addiction and overdose deaths do not discriminate," he said, wrapping the press conference.

Prince was found dead in the elevator of his Paisley Park mansion on April 21, 2016 from a drug overdose. (ANI)