Lamar Odom Claims He Didn't Do Drugs the Night of Overdose: Brothel Owner 'Tried to Kill Me'

Source: People Magazine:

May 28, 2019 at 17:53

He was eventually transferred to a hospital in Los Angeles, where he remained until January.

Lamar Odom is blaming his 2015 overdose on late brothel owner Dennis Hof, alleging the businessman tried to kill him by possibly poisoning him.

The former Los Angeles Lakers forward made the shocking claim on The View on Tuesday, claiming that he did not take any drugs the night he overdosed at Hof’s Love Ranch brothel in October 2015.

“I think Dennis Hof… I don’t know what he had against me, but I didn’t do drugs that night, to be honest with you,” said Odom, 39. “So I don’t know if he tried to poison me, or … I don’t know what he had against me. He tried to kill me.”

When pressed for proof by co-host Joy Behar, Odom, 39, said he was unable to back up his allegation, but that his lawyer found workers at the brothel who said that was the case.

“He almost succeeded, though,” Odom said. “I didn’t [take drugs that night]. I’ve been at odds with my daughter [Destiny] about this. She’s like, ‘Leave it alone.’ I would like to clear my name.”

Later, Odom spoke to TMZ outside the studio, telling the outlet he’s unsure why Hof, who died of a heart attack in October at age 72, would have wanted him dead.

“I would like to ask him that question, too. I don’t know,” Odom said. “That’s a question I asked myself when I was waking up.”

Odom was rushed to the hospital on Oct. 13, 2015 after he was found unconscious three days after checking into Hof’s Las Vegas brothel.

The former NBA player writes in his new book Darkness to Light that he was close to death after overdosing on a combination of drugs and alcohol.

“There was an unholy concoction of cocaine, cognac and cannabis coursing through my veins,” he wrote. “My heart stopped twice. I had twelve seizures and six strokes. My lungs collapsed and my kidneys ruptured. I was on life support. Everyone I’d ever loved was looking at me through bleary eyes.”

Odom awoke three days later, but he told PEOPLE earlier this month he was initially unable to speak or walk.

He was eventually transferred to a hospital in Los Angeles, where he remained until January.

Hof spoke to PEOPLE at the time of Odom’s overdose and said the star had come to the Love Ranch looking to “get away from all the pressure and have some fun.”

“We [told cops] he wasn’t taking any illicit drugs, he did take herbal Viagra, but that’s the thing with addicts, you never know because they hide things,” he said. “He was just trying to have a good time and get away from all the attention.”

Representatives for Hof’s estate did not immediately return PEOPLE’s request for comment.