CHASKA, Minn. (CN) — Prince’s siblings told a Minnesota court they cannot decide whether to file a wrongful-death suit for the superstar’s death because the county sheriff’s, medical examiner’s and attorney’s offices have denied them access to investigative data.
Prince Rogers Nelson died on April 21, 2016, apparently of an accidental overdose of fentanyl. He was 57.
In a Wednesday memorandum to Carver County Court, the trustees for Prince’s siblings say they have “requested all investigative data Carver County has regarding Mr. Nelson’s death but the county denied their request.”
The medical examiner’s office said the requested data is private or nonpublic; and the county called information confidential and said release of it “may impede the ongoing investigation and therefore disclosure is not in the public interest.”
But the family says they won’t disclose the data to anyone but their attorneys, unless under court order, and that the statute of limitations on a wrongful death suit is running. And if the family does sue, they could do so under seal or under a protective order.
“With this type of protective order in place, no information will escape, and the investigation will not be harmed,” according to the 5-page memorandum of law in support of the trustees’ motion to compel production of data.
Prince’s estate is represented by Matthew Barber with Schwebel, Goetz & Sieben in Minneapolis.
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