Coroner: McQueen took drugs before his suicide

[April 28, 2010]  LONDON (AP) -- A British coroner has ruled the death of Alexander McQueen was a suicide, and said the designer hanged himself after taking cocaine, sleeping pills and tranquilizers.

Coroner Paul Knapman said Wednesday that McQueen was under pressure from work, "had a history of self-harm and, no doubt fueled by cocaine, he resorted to desperate measures to end his life."

The inquest was told the designer was also "overwhelmed with grief" at his mother's death days before.

McQueen's psychiatrist Dr. Stephen Pereira told the coroner's court the designer was diagnosed with mixed anxiety and depressive disorder. He says McQueen had attempted suicide twice before.

The 40-year-old's body was found in his London apartment on Feb. 11.

[Associated Press]

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