<div id="subtitle">Brittany Murphy's death ruled accidental from pneumonia, with prescription drugs playing role</div><div><p>Brittany Murphy, the star of "Clueless" and "8 Mile," died from pneumonia, with prescription drugs and anemia also playing a role, a coroner's official said Thursday.</p><p>The Dec. 20 death of the actress was accidental and likely could have been prevented if Murphy had seen a doctor sooner, Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said.</p><p>He noted, however, that she did have an appointment scheduled with a physician a few days after she died.</p><p>Winter declined to specify what types of drugs were involved in her death and said further details would be released in several weeks when the report was completed.</p><p>He also said there was no evidence of wrongdoing.</p><p>Winter said Murphy's community-acquired pneumonia was serious and proved lethal when combined with the medications and iron deficiency anemia.</p><p>Murphy died at age 32 after collapsing in her Hollywood Hills home. Her mother and husband have said the actress didn't abuse prescription medications or have an eating disorder.</p><p>Attempts to reach them for further comment were not immediately successful.</p><p>Murphy's husband, Simon Monjack, and her mother, Sharon Murphy, told investigators the actress had been experiencing flu-like symptoms in the days before she died.</p><p>Monjack told The Associated Press last month that his wife did take several prescriptions, including an anti-seizure drug, but did not abuse the medications.</p><p>He said she had been taking over-the-counter Robitussin for her recent sickness.</p><p>Dr. Michael Baden, a former chief medical examiner in New York City, said the quantities and type of drugs Murphy was taking were key to understanding how she died.</p><p>"One doesn't die of pneumonia, usually, that quickly," Baden said.</p><p>He said the use of some prescription medications can lead to pneumonia.</p><p>"It sounds more like it's a drug-related than a natural pulmonary pneumonia," said Baden, who did not work on the Murphy case but has served as an expert witness in numerous high-profile deaths.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=68470353&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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