Pop icon Michael Jackson died from an injected overdose of heavy-duty painkiller Diprivan and the police will press "murder charges" against one or more people within days.

There will be a criminal trial and it could involve whoever administered the injection and anyone who made it available to the star, the 'News of The World' reported.

In an astonishing development, Terry Harvey, a long-time friend of the Jackson family told the tabloid: "The autopsy shows that Michael died of a drug overdose with Diprivan and a range of pills in his stomach. He had needle marks on his neck and all over his body.

"The authorities have told the family the Drug Enforcement Administration (officials) are pushing for a criminal charge.