Contrary to what David Pecker might actually think, this press release is not doing good things for him. From the just-issued missive by American Media Inc.:

WORLD EXCLUSIVE: STAR MAGAZINE AND NATIONAL ENQUIRER SOLVE ANNA NICOLE’S MYSTERIOUS DEATH

Star magazine and the National Enquirer have demonstrated the strength in combining newsgathering resources under Enquirer editor-in-chief David Perel, who also leads Star’s West Coast news operations and newly appointed Star editor-in-chief Candace Trunzo. Just days before the medical examiner will announce the cause of death, Star and the Enquirer’s joint reporting reveals that the former Playmate died with a toxic level of the sleeping medication chloral hydrate in her system. Also, contrary to speculation, tests show she did not have methadone or any other painkilling drug in her system at the time of her death.

So, Star and the National Enquirer had to team up to put this one together? Granted, the release sounds as if Perel wrote it himself – it's time to stir things up, Candace! – but it points out the obvious flaws in The Case For Two Tabloids: If these rags are doing each other's homework, why keep them both around when those outrageous printing costs get in the way of paring down billions in debt?

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WORLD EXCLUSIVE:
STAR MAGAZINE AND NATIONAL ENQUIRER SOLVE
ANNA NICOLE’S MYSTERIOUS DEATH

NEW YORK, NY (March 23, 2007) –Star magazine and the National Enquirer have demonstrated the strength in combining newsgathering resources under Enquirer editor-in-chief David Perel, who also leads Star’s West Coast news operations and newly appointed Star editor-in-chief Candace Trunzo. Just days before the medical examiner will announce the cause of death, Star and the Enquirer’s joint reporting reveals that the former Playmate died with a toxic level of the sleeping medication chloral hydrate in her system. Also, contrary to speculation, tests show she did not have methadone or any other painkilling drug in her system at the time of her death.

The Enquirer and Star have also learned that Anna Nicole had a raging blood infection caused by an unsterilized needle that contributed to her death. On February 5th, just before she left the Bahamas for Florida and three days before her death, Anna Nicole received an injection of an unknown substance in her left buttock. “As she boarded the plane for Miami, Anna Nicole developed a painful abscess at the site of the injection,” said a source with knowledge of the case. The needle wasn’t sterile. The pain kept getting worse as the abscess got larger and larger very quickly.”

As the needle-caused infection took over her body, Anna Nicole, who refused to go to the hospital and instead was given an antibiotic and over-the-counter flu medication, became extremely dehydrated from the symptoms. By Wednesday, February 7th, a source said, “Again, she spent the whole day in bed, as the abscess continued to grow. She was in such pain, she just wanted to sleep.”

And that’s when the final mistake was made. Sometime overnight on February 7th, Anna ingested a toxic level of the highly potent sleeping medication chloral hydrate. Star and the National Enquirer have also learned exclusively that preliminary analysis indicated the cause of death was systemic sepsis syndrome, a lethal blood infection, caused by the abscess of the left buttock. Further investigation revealed the fatal level of chloral hydrate, which can cause depression of respiration, especially in a person who is already sick.

All of the details of this investigation can be found on www.starmagazine.com or www.nationalenquirer.com.
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American Media, Inc. is one of the largest media companies in the U.S. and the leading publisher of celebrity journalism, health and fitness and Spanish language magazines. These include Star magazine, The National Enquirer, the nation’s largest selling weekly for 80 years, Shape, Men’s Fitness, Fit Pregnancy and Natural Health.