Coroner: Jani Lane Died of Alcohol Poisoning

Jani Lane, former frontman for the 1980s hair metal band Warrant, died from alcohol poisoning, the Los Angeles County coroner's office reported today.

The 47-year-old glam-rock singer, found dead Aug. 11 in a room at the Comfort Inn in Woodland Hills, died of "acute ethanol intoxication," said coroner's Lt. Larry Dietz.

Born in Akron, Ohio, as John Kennedy Oswald—a nod to the president who was assassinated the year before his birth—he began using the name "Jani Lane" around 1983 and a few years later moved to Los Angeles, where he teamed up with Warrant band mates.

Lane, known for his blond locks and leather garb, penned many Warrant hits, including "Uncle Tom's Cabin," "Down Boys" and the 1989 ballad "Heaven."

Lane left Warrant in 2004, rejoined the band in 2008 but left for good several months later. In recent years, he was arrested twice for driving under the influence and served time in jail.

At the time of his death, Lane had apparently been living in Redondo Beach.

He is survived by his third wife, Kimberly, and four children.

—City News Service