GOP adviser died of overdose
By Stephanie Mansfield
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Republican media adviser R. Gregory Stevens, who was found dead in the Beverly Hills, Calif., home of actress Carrie Fisher on Feb. 26, died of an overdose of cocaine and the painkiller OxyContin, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.
A spokeswoman at the coroner's office read to The Washington Times portions of the report, which was completed Friday.
"Cocaine and OxyContin," the spokeswoman said when asked by phone what was the cause of death. When asked specifically whether there was a drug overdose, she said "yes."
Another part of the autopsy revealed that Mr. Stevens also suffered from hypertrophic heart disease. However, the spokeswoman said this was not a factor in his death.
Mr. Stevens, 42, was an associate with the powerhouse Washington lobbying firm Barbour Griffith & Rogers and had traveled to Los Angeles to attend the Academy Awards.
Mr. Stevens was staying at the home of Miss Fisher. The two were longtime friends. Both attended a star-studded party at the home of film industry agent Bryan Lourd Miss Fisher's former husband -- the night before his death.
Miss Fisher found Mr. Stevens' body in a guest room the following morning. But on the previous night, the actress said when news of the death broke, Mr. Stevens "was in good shape."
"Tons and tons of people saw him. He was Greg," she said.
"People want to find a scandal in it, but there is none. I don't get it. Nobody does," Miss Fisher said.
Mr. Lourd had no comment when reached by The Washington Times.
Mr. Stevens, with strong ties to the Hollywood entertainment community, served as the head of the Bush-Cheney Entertainment Task Force for President Bush's recent inaugural. Barbour Griffith & Rogers, one of the co-founders of which was chairman of the Republican National Committee, held a memorial service for Mr. Stevens earlier this month.
He was a native of San Clemente, Calif.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20050322-110506-1261r.htm