Joan Rivers: Doctor Took Selfie With Unconscious Comedian & Performed Biopsy Without Consent

Shocking new details have emerged surrounding Joan Rivers' clinic visit which led to her ultimately fatal hospitalization. According to CNN, a source close to death investigators revealed that the late comedienne went into cardiac arrest while her personal doctor was performing a biopsy on her vocal chords without her consent on Aug. 28. CNN reports that a staff member at New York City's Yorkville Endoscopy told investigators the doctor also took a selfie in the procedure room with Rivers while she was under anesthesia.

Rivers, who passed away a week following her emergency hospitalization on Sept. 4, was at the clinic for a routine endoscopy performed by gastroenterologist Dr. Lawrence Cohen. After Cohen assessed the Fashion Police host's throat to help diagnose her hoarse voice, Rivers' personal doctor, who according to CNN's source is not a throat specialist or certified to perform biopsies at the clinic, then performed a biopsy on her vocal chords without her consent.

Investigators believe that Rivers' vocal chords began to swell during the biopsy, cutting off her oxygen flow and leading to cardiac arrest.

Last week, Yorkville Endoscopy issued a statement denying reports that any vocal cord biopsy has ever been done at the clinic. In the statement, the clinic didn't mention Rivers' name due to confidentiality rules. A day after the denial was issued, the clinic also stated that Dr. Cohen had resigned from his position as medical director.