BRYNN HARTMAN: COCAINE, ALCOHOL AND A PRESCRIPTION ANTI-DEPRESSANT

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Brynn Hartman had cocaine, alcohol and a prescription
anti-depressant in her system after she shot and killed her husband,
``NewsRadio'' star Phil Hartman, then committed suicide, toxicology reports
revealed Monday.

Mrs. Hartman, 40, had a .12 percent blood alcohol level, well above the .08
percent level at which a driver is legally under the influence in California.

There also were traces of cocaine, said Los Angeles County coroner's
spokesman Scott Carrier. Craig Harvey, coroner's operations chief, said
``the levels of cocaine were such that it's estimated that use could have
occurred within five hours of her death.''

The drug Zoloft was ``found within therapeutic levels in her blood,'' Harvey
said. However, he did not know whether Mrs. Hartman had a prescription for
the drug, which is used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder
and panic disorder.

Coroner's investigators found a prescription for an antibiotic and no other
prescription medication in the house when they picked up the bodies, Harvey
said. He did not disclose the name of the antibiotic.

He could not say what amounts of cocaine and Zoloft were found in Mrs.
Hartman, but the combination of alcohol and cocaine intensifies the effects
of the two drugs.

Harvey was unsure whether the drugs had anything to do with her actions. No
``psychological autopsy'' would be conducted by the coroner unless the
family requested it, he added.

Hartman, 49, did not consume any illegal drugs, results showed. Testing
showed evidence of an over-the-counter cold medicine, but the name of the
medicine was not disclosed.

The bodies of the Hartmans were found May 28 in their suburban Encino home.
Mrs. Hartman shot her husband several times before 3 a.m. that day, before
shooting herself once in the head at about 6:30 a.m., police said. Officers
found no evidence of illegal drugs in the home or illegal drug use.

Mrs. Hartman drove from her home to a friend's house nearby sometime after 3
a.m. on May 28, police said. The friend described her as ``quite
intoxicated.'' The two drove back to the Hartmans' house in separate cars
where the friend found Hartman's body and called police. Mrs. Hartman locked
herself inside the bedroom with her husband and shot herself.

No suicide note was found.

Checked-by: Melodi Cornett