Prince’s family to see investigative papers

MINNEAPOLIS — Prosecutors have agreed to provide Prince’s siblings with investigative documents so the family can determine whether civil litigation is warranted.

The late rock star’s siblings and their lawyers must keep the information confidential, or could be held in contempt of court, the agreement says.

A judge hasn’t yet signed off on it, according to court records, but that is typically a formality when both sides agree.

Prince was 57 when he was found alone and unresponsive in an elevator at his Paisley Park estate on April 21, 2016. It was found he died of an accidental overdose of fentanyl.

Search warrants released one year later showed authorities searched his home, cellphone records of associates and his email accounts to try to determine how he got the drug. Authorities found pills in containers around Prince’s home, including some counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. The source of those drugs hasn’t been determined.

Lawyers for Prince’s siblings filed motions this year to get the investigative data, including the medical examiner’s investigation, so they could determine whether lawsuits were merited before the time expires to file civil claims.

The statute of limitations could be two years in some cases. “That’s why we need the records,” said John Goetz, a lawyer for Prince’s siblings. “They should give us some guidance on who might be culpable in his death.”

Carver County Attorney Mark Metz said last month he would object to releasing the data. But the agreement, filed in Anoka County, Minnesota, bears his signature.

“We’re very pleased we can finally get all the facts,” Goetz said.