Reports from various sources suggested last night that Joni Mitchell is in a coma in a Los Angeles hospital, but they are not true, said a representative of the legendary folk singer.
Mitchell was hospitalised at the end of last month after an emergency call was made from her house. She was placed in intensive care but was allegedly 'alert' and in "fair" condition, according to a hospital spokesperson.
Rumours abounded that the 71-year-old's condition has deteriorated as legal documents were filed by her friend Leslie Morris in order to obtain a conservatorship over her. A conservatorship effectively gives a person the power to make decisions on behalf of an incapacitated person after they are appointed by a judge.
The documents suggest that Mitchell is "unconscious and unable to make any responses", but a rep for the singer said that she is not in a coma and expects to make a full recovery.
They released a statement saying:
"Contrary to rumors circulating on the Internet today, Joni is not in a coma. Joni is still in the hospital - but she comprehends, she’s alert, and she has her full senses. A full recovery is expected. The document obtained by a certain media outlet simply gives her longtime friend Leslie Morris the authority - in the absence of 24-hour doctor care - to make care decisions for Joni once she leaves the hospital. As we all know, Joni is a strong-willed woman and is nowhere near giving up the fight. Please continue to keep Joni in your thoughts."
