Michael Jackson took Propofol as early as 1999, a former manager claims in a new book -- and says Jackson was late to his 30th anniversary concerts because he was drugged up.
Frank Cascio, a former personal assistant to Jackson who eventually became his close friend and manager, writes that he first noticed Jackson taking Demerol in 1993 during his "Dangerous" tour. He says Jackson was first introduced to the drug in 1984, after Jackson burned his head during a Pepsi commercial shoot.
In the book, an advanced copy of which was obtained by the AP, Cascio claims Jackson took Propofol in 1999 after a stage accident in Munich.
Cascio says he spoke to Jackson's siblings about his drug use in 2001 and they tried to approach Jackson about it -- but MJ "simply pushed them away."
Writing about Jackson's death, Cascio says Michael "died in his endless quest to attain some inner peace."
The controversial Conrad Murray documentary debuted in the United Kingdom tonight -- and in it the doctor emphatically states that AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips told him Michael Jackson does not have a f**king cent!."
Murray claims Phillips pulled him aside after a meeting about the "This Is It" concerts and angrily said ... "What's this bullshit all about? Listen this guy is next to skid row. He's going to be homeless. Nine security guards? Why does he need that? I'm paying for that s**t. I'm paying for the toilet paper he wipes his f**king ass with."
Phillips took the stand during the manslaughter trial and -- under oath -- denied that conversation with Murray ever took place.
"Michael Jackson and the Doctor: A Fatal Friendship" also shows strategy meetings between Murray's lawyers -- Ed Chernoff and Michael Flanagan ... as well as Flanagan's wife, Susan.
During one pow wow Susan says, "Explain a 50-year-old man who sleeps with a baby doll and has pictures of basically infants to 2-year-old children looking at him every night."
Chernoff then says, "I think the media made him appear weirder than he is." Michael responds, "You gotta be kidding me, he can't be any weirder than he is."
In the docu, Murray claims Michael "always had a chamber that was exclusively his. The bedroom that he slept in ... I had to persuade him, eventually to have it cleaned. Because ... one, he peed the bed. It did not smell good. It was mildew, and I had to get it clean."
"Who would ever believe that a man his age would still be wetting his bed?" Murray added it wasn't medication that made MJ wet the bed ... he claims it was psychological.
The documentary airs in the states, Friday night on MSNBC.
File this under creepy -- You can wake up in the same spot where Michael Jackson didn't ... because his death bed is officially hitting the auction block.
The queen-size bed is just one of the many items from the Holmby Hills home where MJ died that will be included in a Julien's Auctions event next month.
We're told the bed is still in good shape -- but linens have been changed, since MJ's death.
Other items included in the auction are a mirror from Jackson's "inner sanctum -- a private bedroom in the home where NO ONE else was allowed to enter.
A rep for Julien's says the mirror contains an inspirational message Jackson scribbled on the piece for himself regarding his This Is it concert tour -- which says, “TRAIN, perfection, March April. FULL OUT May."
The auction is scheduled to take place on Dec. 17.
Jackson’s death-bed, along with various antique furnishings and paintings and sculptures from his home, will go up for auction next month by Julien’s Auctions. Also up for auction will be a chalkboard that is located inside the home’s kitchen, where a note from one of Jackson’s is posted reading, “I (heart) Daddy. SMILE, it’s for free.” The chalkboard will be sold as is and is expected to take in at least $400.
TMZ has obtained an excerpt of a never-before-seen documentary starring Dr. Conrad Murray -- in which the good doc reveals some very intimate details about the singer ... some of which are not flattering.
The documentary -- titled, "Michael Jackson and The Doctor: A Fatal Friendship" -- was shot while Murray awaited trial for manslaughter ... and features a shockingly candid look at the preparation of the trial, which includes intense fighting between Murray's lawyers.
The movie is being distributed by a company called Zodiak Rights ... which says it's already pre-sold the rights to air the documentary to "major broadcasters around the world."
Sources tell TMZ ... NBC is one of the broadcasters ... and will air the doc in the United States.
As for Dr. Murray -- he signed on to the project back in 2009, following MJ's death. It's unclear how much cash Murray is set to make from the movie.
Los Angeles - Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley and prosecutors in the Conrad Murray trial held a news conference following the guilty verdict.
"We are gratified the jury saw the overwhelming evidence in this case ... that Dr. Murray is guilty of involuntary manslaughter," District Attorney Steve Cooley said.
He later added, "Finally, we want to extend our personal sympathies to the Jackson family, especially to (Jackson's children) Prince, Paris and Blanket."
The case was "a very strong and powerful message that this sort of conduct does rise to the level of criminal negligence," the district attorney said.
"To the extent someone dies as a result of their playing the role of Dr. Feelgood, they will be held accountable," Cooley said.
The district attorney noted that recent state legislation that calls for inmates in "so-called non-violent, non-serious, non sex offenses" cases to serve their sentences in county jail instead of state prison will "eliminate the potential for a traditional state prison sentence in state prison in this case."
Deputy District Attorney David Walgren, the lead prosecutor on the case, also extended sympathies to the Jackson family, noting that they lost "not a pop icon, but a son and a brother."
"I think that's most important to keep in mind," the prosecutor said.
He thanked the judge for overseeing "a very fair and well-run trial" and jurors "for being so conscientious in their duties."
Defense attorneys had no immediate comment after the verdict.
Read more: http://www.myfoxla.com/dpp/jackson_dr_trial/case_file/prosecution-statement-on-conrad-murray-verdict-20111107#ixzz1d4b4DJ1H
Updated: Monday, 07 Nov 2011, 4:40 PM PST
Published : Monday, 07 Nov 2011, 4:40 PM PST
Reporter:
Bob Decastro
Text Story by:
City News
Los Angeles - A throng of Michael Jackson fans shouted their approval outside the downtown courthouse today when Dr. Conrad Murray was found guilty of causing the entertainer's death in 2009.
Some cried, others waved signs reading "Guilty" and still more held pictures of the late singer aloft. A victory chant started up afterward as Jackson family members made their way through the crowd to waiting limousines.
"I'm happy," said Michelle Mitchel, a dreadlocked Jackson fan in her 30s who traveled to Los Angeles from her home in the Bay Area to stand outside the courthouse when the verdict was read.
"We've been waiting more than two years for this," she said. "I cried as soon as I heard the verdict. It's so sad -- Michael's not here."
A phalanx of police officers managed to keep Jackson supporters on the sidewalk in front of the Criminal Courts Building and keep traffic moving along Temple Street unimpeded.
Echo Park resident Lawrence Kolb was among those gathered around an iPad outside the courthouse, watching a live television feed when the verdict was read aloud nine floors above the street.
"Everyone just screamed," he said. "Everyone was jubilant. I didn't see any Murray supporters."
But there was at least one among the crowd who believed in the Houston cardiologist, who was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the superstar's death at age 50 on June 25, 2009.
A lone man held a sign reading, "Dr Murray: An innocent man who must be exonerated."
As the crowd thinned, someone placed a boom box on a ledge and played a string of Jackson hits until a policeman moved the group on.
Read more: http://www.myfoxla.com/dpp/jackson_dr_trial/case_file/conrad-murray-guilty-verdict-crowds-20111107#ixzz1d4ZHHJXL
Los Angeles - Michael Jackson's sister says she's overjoyed that a jury convicted the pop star's doctor of involuntary manslaughter.
La Toya Jackson spoke to an Associated Press reporter on the way out of the courtroom. She says: "Michael was looking over us."
Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, says she was confident this would be the outcome of the trial.
Members of the family wept quietly after the guilty verdict was read. Dr. Conrad Murray was handcuffed and taken into custody.
Katherin Jackson told FOX 11 News "justice was served" as she left the court.
Jermaine Jackson echoed that sentiment and told FOX 11's Bob Decastro the family was "happy" with the outcome.
Read more: http://www.myfoxla.com/dpp/jackson_dr_trial/jackson_family_says/jackson-family-overjoyed-at-guilty-verdict-20111107#ixzz1d4YCqtjh
Conrad Murray Found Guilty in Death of Michael Jackson
Murray ordered held without bail until sentencing.
Updated: Monday, 07 Nov 2011, 7:42 PM EST
Posted by:
myFOXla.com Web Staff
Los Angeles - Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's personal physician, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter today for the pop superstar's June 25, 2009, death from an overdose of the powerful anesthetic propofol.
Murray, who faces up to four years in prison, remained stone-faced as the verdict was announced, showing no visible reaction. He was taken into custody at the conclusion of the hearing, and he will remain jailed until his sentencing on Nov. 29.
The seven-man, five-women jury deliberated for about eight and a half hours before reaching a verdict. When the verdict was announced, some cries of "yes" could be heard from the courtroom audience.
Jackson's parent's, Katherine and Joe, were among those in the audience, along with his brother Jermaine and sister LaToya.
"We are gratified the jury saw the overwhelming evidence in this case ... that Dr. Murray is guilty of involuntary manslaughter," District Attorney Steve Cooley said.
He later added, "Finally, we want to extend our personal sympathies to the Jackson family, especially to (Jackson's children) Prince, Paris and Blanket."
Defense attorneys had no immediate comment after the verdict.
Deputy District Attorney David Walgren, the lead prosecutor on the case, also extended sympathies to the Jackson family, noting that they lost "not a pop icon, but a son and a brother."
The jury heard from 49 witnesses -- 33 for the prosecution and 16 for the defense -- during the trial, in which testimony began Sept. 27 and ended Tuesday. Jurors heard nearly a full day of closing arguments Thursday from attorneys from both sides and deliberated for a full day Friday.
In his closing argument, Walgren told the panel that the evidence "is abundantly clear that Conrad Murray acted with criminal negligence, that Conrad Murray caused the death of Michael Jackson, that Conrad Murray left Prince, Paris and Blanket without a father," Walgren said, referring to the singer's three children. "They do not have a father because of the actions of Conrad Murray."
Prosecutors said Murray gave the singer an intravenous fatal dose of propofol on June 25, 2009, then "abandoned" his patient by talking on the phone and looking at emails instead of monitoring him.
The 58-year-old cardiologist demonstrated "consciousness of guilt" by failing to tell paramedics and emergency room doctors that he had given the singer propofol and only told police about the drug two days later because he thought investigators had already found the medication at the singer's home, Walgren said.
Murray told police he only left Jackson's side for about two minutes to use the bathroom after giving the singer a 25-milligram dose of propofol that was slowly infused over three to five minutes beginning at about 10:40 a.m., in the bedroom of Jackson's rented home, where he was staying while rehearsing for a series of 50 concerts in London dubbed "This Is It."
Murray's lead attorney, Edward Chernoff, argued that the most reasonable explanation for Jackson's death was that the singer self-administered the fatal dose of propofol. He added that the evidence supported Murray's statement to police that he gave Jackson a 25-milligram dose of propofol.
"What they're really asking you to do is convict Dr. Murray for the actions of Michael Jackson," Chernoff told jurors in his closing argument.
He acknowledged that Murray may not have done everything right on the day the 50-year-old Jackson died but reminded jurors that the trial had not been a medical board hearing or about a civil lawsuit but rather about a man's liberty.
"If you're going to hold Dr. Murray responsible, don't do it because it's Michael Jackson," he said. "I hope you do the right thing and find Dr. Murray not guilty."
Chernoff argued in court today that Murray should be allowed to remain free on bail pending his sentencing hearing, saying he was not a flight risk and had "family obligations that he has to take care of."
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor said, however, that Murray was convicted of a crime "where the end result was the death of a human being." He said Murray's "reckless conduct in this case" proved that he was a risk to public safety.
Outside the courthouse, Michael Jackson fans cheered when the guilty verdict was announced. Several people waved signs that said "guilty," "Justice for Michael Jackson" and "4 years is not enough for a life." Others held up copies of Jackson's albums.
After court was adjourned, members of the Jackson family hugged prosecutors. In the courtroom hallway, Jermaine Jackson hugged some fans amid cheering.
Today, October, 12th 2009, Michael's new song "This is it" has been released. I love it BUT Sony is lying to us. Michael wanted to leave them in 2002, after what they did to his album "Invincible" in 2001. $ony can't release "real" new songs so they release old songs but does not tell us the truth. Michael did not record this song some weeks before his death. I needed to make this video to remind us what Michael thought about them... It's even more important today...
Here is Michael's speech in 2002, it's really really interesting, he says all we've got to know about $ony...
Rest in Peace dear Michael, we will always be by your side, even if you're not there physically...
WE LOVE YOU MORE!!!!
The doctor who declared Michael Jackson's death a homicide claims it's extremely unlikely the singer killed himself with a deadly dose of Propofol -- insisting Dr. Conrad Murray is more likely to blame.
Dr. Christopher Rogers just testified -- Murray's description of the final moments leading up to Michael's cardiac arrest just doesn't add up.
Murray claims he left for two minutes to go to the bathroom -- and when he returned, Michael wasn't breathing. The defense will argue MJ self-administered a deadly dose of Propofol in that time.
But Rogers insists ... Murray's scenario is nearly impossible -- because in that two minute window, MJ would have had to wake up (under the influence of several powerful sedatives) and skillfully administer the deadly dose ... which would then have had to travel to his brain, causing him to stop breathing.
What's more likely, according to Rogers -- Murray administered several doses of Propofol in the hours leading to Michael's death without properly measuring them out ... resulting in an overdose.
UPDATE-------------------------
4:05 PM: Rogers seemed to soften his initial position during cross-examination -- claiming it's unlikely MJ injected himself with a deadly dose of Propofol ... but it's still possible.
Smokey Robinson says he doesn't want his sympathy for Dr. Murray to be misinterpreted as support -- telling TMZ he does "feel sorry" for the guy ... but still believes Murray is 100% GUILTY.
Earlier this week, Smokey told Access Hollywood ... "I actually feel sorry in a way for the doctor ... he was just under the influence of being so happy to be around Michael Jackson."
Now, Smokey says he does not want anyone to be confused about his stance on the manslaughter case -- telling TMZ, "Let me be clear, I believe Dr. Murray is responsible for Michael Jackson's death through his absolute negligence.”
Smokey adds, "I knew Michael Jackson since he was 10 years old and loved him like a little brother. His untimely death was one of the most tragic events in my life."
Dr. Conrad Murray's lawyer announced in court this AM that Murray is abandoning the argument that Michael Jackson accidentally killed himself by orally self-administering Propofol.
Michael Flanagan said in court today that an independent study by the defense showed swallowing Propofol would not produce fatal results.
Associated Press initially reported that Murray's lawyers were dropping the claim that MJ self-administered the fatal dose, but that is not accurate.
Lead lawyer, Ed Chernoff, said in opening statements that they would show MJ self-administered the drug. Chernoff can still argue that MJ injected the fatal dose after awakening and becoming frustrated.
Dr. Nadar Kamangar -- a pulmonary and critical care doctor who specializes in sleep medicine -- had some harsh words for Dr. Conrad Murray ... calling his use of Propofol "inconceivable," "unethical," and "disturbing."
Kamangar -- who is an adviser for the CA Medical Board -- said he found "multiple extreme deviations" in Murray's standard of care as it relates to insomnia.
* Dr. Kamangar told the court insomnia is a common problem in the ICU ... he said he uses Propofol on a daily basis.
* Kamangar said Propofol should be used with extreme caution because it can be unpredictable, especially when used with other sedatives.
* He said Murray's treatment of Michael Jackson amounted to "gross negligence."
* According to Kamangar , Murray should have never given MJ any sedatives because he was dehydrated ... which means his blood pressure was already low.
* He also said Murray's failure to call 911 was an "unconscionable deviation of care" adding, Murray wasted critical time calling MJ's assistant instead of calling 911.
* Kamangar told the court Murray broke one of the first rules of medicine -- putting your patient first -- when he witheld information from ER docs.
* He also said Murray behaved unethically when he chose to ignore "clear signs" of MJ's drug addiction.
Prosecutors just showed an image of Michael Jackson's dead, naked body sprawled on a gurney -- taken hours after the singer died.
The date on the tiles beside his body appears to read August 25th, 2009 -- but MJ's autopsy doctor Christopher Rogers claims the date is wrong ... it should read June 25th.
The big debate following Tuesday's testimony focused on the prosecution's decision to display a photo of a deceased and nearly naked Michael Jackson during testimony from the medical examiner who performed his autopsy. We hear some people were brought to tears by the image, including one Michael Jackson fan who was seated in the gallery and had to leave the room.
But difficult as it might have been for many to view, HLN correspondent and In Session anchor Ryan Smith says the controversial decision to show the picture may have been made to get the jury to "connect with the victim."
Powerful testimony today from cardiologist Dr. Alon Steinberg who said that leaving a sedated patient alone is like leaving a baby on a kitchen countertop: it's possible it will turn out OK, but nobody should ever do it.
Dr. Steinberg says that in his review of Dr. Conrad Murray’s treatment of Michael Jackson for the California Medical Board he found six ways in which Dr. Murray "extremely deviated" from the standard of care.
1. The use of propofol for treating insomnia. The drug is used for short diagnostic procedures only.
2. Administering propofol in Jackson’s home. The drug can only be administered in a hospital setting with the proper equipment, staffing and physical observation of the patient.
3. Failing to plan for an emergency. Doctors must always plan for the worst, especially when administering dangerous drugs to their patients.
4. Not following appropriate protocol when Jackson went into respiratory arrest. Dr. Steinberg says the first thing Dr. Murray should have done was call 911 and the chest compressions he performed were counterproductive, because Jackson’s heart was beating.
5. Failing to summon emergency help when necessary. There was a significant delay in calling 911 and instead of calling for emergency help, Dr. Murray called Jackson’s assistant.
6. Failing to maintain proper medical records. There were no records of Jackson’s vitals or medications that had been administered. Therefore, at the emergency room Dr. Murray didn’t have the necessary information to help the physicians.
Complete courtroom coverage of the Conrad Murray trial airs live on HLN from gavel to gavel. It’s also on In Session on truTV from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET every weekday.
Dr. Conrad Murray's team is dropping its claim that Michael Jackson orally self-administered the lethal dose of propofol.
It's the argument they laid out in opening statements and had been working to build since the first witness took the stand.
But Dr. Murray's lawyers just told the court they will instead focus on a theory that Jackson used a syringe to inject the sedative through a catheter which was running into his left leg. Attorneys and experts have both said at various points throughout the trial that oral ingestion of propofol would deliver only minimal sedative effects, certainly not enough to prove fatal.
So already a major day in court, between this significant strategy switch and cardiologist Dr. Alon Steinberg rattling off six ways Dr. Murray deviated from the standard of care in his treatment of Jackson.
What do you think of this new defense claim? Will it help them prove their point? Or will jurors see it as a sign of desperation in their defense of Dr. Murray?
Prosecution expert Dr. Alon Steinberg reviewed Dr. Conrad Murray’s treatment of Michael Jackson for the California Medical Board and found six ways Jackson's personal doctor was grossly negligent.
Prosecutor David Walgren walked Dr. Steinberg through his findings, building up a case for the State that Dr. Murray made several errors in judgement.
Dr. Steinberg also testified that his findings would not change even if Jackson had self-administered propofol, as the defense claims, without the knowledge of Dr. Murray.
As the Conrad Murray trial continues, I’m constantly being reminded at just how complicated Michael Jackson's existence was.
On the one hand, he was center stage for most of his life. But despite all his professional triumphs, and regardless of all of the love and adoration he received from his loyal fans, something still must have been missing that made him turn to drugs.
When Harry Belafonte was here on Monday, we talked about the Michael Jackson that he knew. The two famously collaborated on “We Are the World,” and Belafonte remembers Jackson as a “sweet kid.” But it is telling indeed that in the same breath, Belafonte recalled that Michael “had a bad time growing up.” We can all speculate on what that missing component was for Michael, but one thing remains certain - it's not going to change how his public will remember him.
Pulmonary and sleep expert Dr. Nader Kamangar testified that Dr. Conrad Murray’s decision not to call 911 when he noticed Michael Jackson wasn’t breathing was “an extreme and unconscionable deviation of the standard of care.”
Dr. Kamangar also said “The first rule of thumb in basic life support is to call for help. If you have someone present, next to you, you call them to call for help. But if you have nobody, the most important thing is to call for help.”
Sounds basic enough, but several prosecution witnesses have testified that Dr. Murray failure to promptly call for help might have been the difference between life and death for the King of Pop.
Dr. Kamangar investigated Dr. Murray's care of Jackson for the California Medical Board and reports he found “extreme deviations” from the standard of care. The deviations Dr. Kamangar discovered mirror the findings of cardiologist Dr. Alon Steinberg who testified earlier in the day.
Expert witness Dr. Alon Steinberg testified Michael Jackson would still be alive if Dr. Conrad Murray had just called 911 right away when he noticed Jackson wasn’t breathing. Phone records indicate Dr. Murray called Jackson’s assistant for help instead.
At times, defense attorney Michael Flanagan’s questioning of Dr. Steinberg bordered on contentious. Flanagan tried repeatedly to find flaws in the doctor’s conclusions, but the cardiologist defended himself well enough that our Ryan Smith labeled him the State's star witness.
Los Angeles - A Los Angeles County coroner's investigator testified today that she retrieved 12 vials of the anesthetic propofol, along with a variety of prescription drugs, lotions and medical supplies, from Michael Jackson's rented Holmby Hills estate after the singer died.
Jackson died June 25, 2009,
from an overdose of the powerful sedative at age 50.
Testifying in the involuntary-manslaughter trial of Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, Los Angeles County coroner's investigator Elissa Fleak said she went to Jackson's home the night he died, and found various medications on a nightstand and glass table next to the singer's bed. She said she also found a largely empty 20-milliliter bottle of propofol on the floor under the nightstand.
Fleak testified that she also discovered prescription bottles of drugs including diazepam, Flomax and Lorazepam, several types of lotions and creams, oxygen tanks, latex gloves, alcohol swabs, an IV stand, catheters and a jug of urine, along with a syringe with the needle missing.
Fleak told the seven-man, five-woman jury that she went back to the home on June 29, 2009, after Murray had been interviewed by police, and found three bags on the top shelf of a cabinet in the bedroom closet.
The coroner's investigator testified that she found a largely empty 100-milliliter bottle of propofol that was inside a saline bag when she opened one of the bags -- a blue Costco bag -- along with a 20-milliliter bottle of propofol that was essentially empty.
In a light blue and brown Baby Essentials diaper bag, she found two 100-milliliter vials of propofol that appeared to be full and seven smaller 20-milliliter vials -- three of which were opened, Fleak testified.
Under questioning by Deputy District Attorney David Walgren, the coroner's investigator agreed that one of the open vials was about 20 percent full, another was a little less than half full and a third was 15 to 20 percent full.
She told jurors that she also found numerous other medical supplies inside the bags, including five of Murray's business cards from his Houston clinic, a pulse oximeter, a plastic bag containing empty medical packages, three bottles of Lidocaine and two more bottles of Lorazepam. Thirty-six tubes of prescription lotion were also found in the cabinet, she said.
Fleak -- who is due back on the stand Thursday for more questioning -- said she also collected a saline bag and IV tubing from an IV stand in Jackson's bedroom on June 29, 2009, that she had seen four days earlier.
One of Jackson's employees, Alberto Alvarez, testified last week that Murray grabbed vials from a nightstand and directed him to put them in a bag and then put that bag inside another bag. He also testified that Murray directed him to retrieve an IV bag from the IV stand and to put it into a blue bag, noting when he was shown a bottle of propofol in court that he believed it was the one he had seen inside the IV bag.
Paramedic Richard Senneff, who treated Jackson after 911 was called, testified that he saw Murray with a bag in his hand, picking up items from the bedroom floor near a nightstand as paramedics were preparing to take Jackson to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where the singer was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m.
Another paramedic, Martin Blount, told jurors he saw Murray scoop up three bottles of Lidocaine from the bedroom floor and put them in a black bag.
When Jackson died at age 50, the cardiologist was working for him at the rented mansion in Holmby Hills, where the pop star was staying while rehearsing for his 50 sold-out concerts in London dubbed "This Is It." Prosecutors contend Murray gave Jackson propofol and then failed to monitor him, leaving his bedroom for at least 45 minutes to make phone calls and send emails.
Defense attorneys maintain that Murray was weaning Jackson off the medication and that he gave him only a small amount of propofol, but Jackson "self-administered" a larger dose, killing himself instantly after the doctor left the room.
Jurors in the involuntary-manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's personal physician began listening today to an audiotape of the doctor being interviewed by police two days after the singer died from an overdose of the powerful anesthetic…
Watch live streaming video of the trial of Michael Jackson's physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, from your desktop or on your smart phone using the "Michael Jackson Doctor Trial" app.
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The app -- launched by FOX Television stations and also includes breaking news, video highlights, court documents and exclusive expert analysis -- is available in Apple stores and the Android markets, and has zoomed to the top spot for paid apps (it's $0.99).
Get the Michael Jackson Doctor Trial app for any iOS or Android device for just $0.99, and you can watch the Conrad Murray trial from just about anywhere!
The Michael Jackson Doctor Trial. Now you can take the trial of Conrad Murray with you anywhere, anytime. Live streaming from the courtroom, breaking news, video highlights, court documents, exclusive expert analysis . Everything on the trial.
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Prosecutors in the involuntary manslaughter trial against Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, brought a computer forensic analyst to the stand to describe what emails and recordings he found on Murray's cell phone.
The most damaging evidence against Murray was a recording of a conversation on May 10, 2009 between Jackson and Murray that was extracted from the physician's iPhone. The call, which was played in the courtroom, occurred during the time the pop star was preparing for a high-stakes concert series in London.
Listen to the recording here, courtesy of Fox News.
The King of Pop is heard discussing his plans to build a hospital for children in a rambling, slurring conversation. At one point, Jackson mumbled to his doctor, "I hurt, you know, I hurt," after talking about having no childhood and how he feels for those kids who have no parents.
The recording ends with the singer saying, "I am asleep" after the doctor asks him if he is okay.
Jackson died of a propofol overdose on June 25, 2009. The defense claims Murray had given Jackson only a small amount of the drug and that the singer injected himself with the lethal dose when Murray wasn't looking.
Read more: http://extratv.warnerbros.com/2011/10/michael_jackson_trial_update_murrays_cell_phone_examined.php#ixzz1a8DFdAOV
The prosecution in the involuntary manslaughter trial against Michael Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray will present one of their final pieces of evidence Friday, playing a taped police interview with Murray.
Getty Images
Scott Smith, one of the L.A. detectives who conducted the interview two days after Jackson's death, takes the stand to introduce the evidence to the jurors. The two-hour interview has never been played in public before, nor has a transcript of its contents been released.
In it, the Houston-based cardiologist, who was accompanied by an attorney, detailed his treatment of Jackson in the hours before the superstar's death.
Murray told detectives that he had been trying to wean Jackson off the powerful anesthetic propofol, because he was afraid he was addicted and had given the King of Pop other sedatives, including lorazepam and midazolam, to try helping Jackson to sleep. Murray claimed other doctors had also given Jackson propofol, which the "Thriller" singer called his "milk."
The doctor also told police that he had only left Jackson alone for a couple minutes when he returned around 11:00 AM on June 25, 2009 to find the singer had stopped breathing.
Murray's attorneys have disputed this portion of the timeline and say the doctor returned to find Jackson unresponsive around noon. Defense attorneys contend Jackson gave himself the lethal dose after Murray left the room.
Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and faces up to four years behind bars and the loss of his medical license if convicted.
Read more: http://extratv.warnerbros.com/2011/10/michael_jackson_death_trial_day_9_the_doctor_speaks.php#ixzz1a8C1NxLm
Music video by Michael Jackson performing The Behind The Mask Project. (C) 2011 Optimum Productions A few months ago Sony Music and the Michael Jackson Estate requested that fans from all over the world submit their best homemade video performing the MICHAEL album cut “Behind The Mask”. The collaborative collage visual is finally done and here it is. No other artist had the global impact, and fan base that MJ has. Watch the international celebration of his legacy now
This was a clip used in the opening statements of the trial for Conray Murray in the death of Michael Jackson. It was the recorded voice of Michael Jackson from May 2009 that, according to prosecution, says Murphy knew the effect of propofol had on Jackson but he still continued to use it.
On Friday night, Dr. Drew talked about one aspect that very well could influence the verdict in the Conrad Murray trial ... the psychological aspect.
Day after day, Conrad Murray sits in that courtroom facing the jurors ... and those jurors are not only watching him, but they are watching Michael Jackson's famous family members as well. That could affect their decision as to whether Murray is guilty or not.
In this video clip, Body language expert Mark Edgar Stephens talks to Dr. Drew to dissect Conrad Murray’s moves in court.
I’m deep in the thick of the Michael Jackson death trial, tracking a case that can verge from gut wrenching/emotional to highly technical/medical in a flash.
Every day before court starts, you can find me doing a live hit at 8 am Pacific from outside the L.A. Criminal Courts building. From there I can take the pulse of the Jackson fans packed behind the yellow police tape near the curb. They come from far away places such as Germany, Spain, Denmark and Russia, as well as some from right down the street. One thing they all share is a seemingly bottomless passion for their deceased idol and a fiery determination to see Dr. Conrad Murray pay for Jackson’s death.
Everything about this case is fascinating: the conspiracy theories fans insist on relaying to me every time I pause for a breath outside court, the swagger of the attorneys as they stride into court, the humorous observations of fellow journalists, the handful of Conrad Murray supporters who insist he’s just a fall guy.
There’s also the lighter side: Janet and La Toya Jackson entering court in super glam mode with sunglasses, incredibly high heels and a somber look that leaves no hint they are noticing the commotion around them.
As soon as testimony begins I race a short distance to HLN trial headquarters where I watch the testimony on a monitor. I furiously scribble notes while simultaneously trying to get a grasp on the big picture: who’s winning, any bombshells, inconsistencies that arise between witnesses, big developments outside court, etc.
But, the most interesting aspect is Michael Jackson himself. Even in death the spotlight ends up on him.
We are learning a lot about Jackson: what his private chef prepared for lunch, how he remembered every note of every song, the intense affection his three kids had for him. We're learning sadder secrets too, such as the audio tape of him slurring his words.
He remains a mystery, a genius at creating music and drama. And we remain his audience.
Complete coverage of the Conrad Murray trial live on HLN from gavel to gavel and on In Session from 9a to 3p ET every week day.
There are some glaring differences between the Conrad Murray case and the Casey Anthony trial. These are two very different situations, on many levels: Manslaughter versus murder. Celebrity versus civilian. L.A. versus Orlando. But there is a significant similarity: Both defendants appear to have a difficult time telling the truth. They lie!
I do not have enough space here to track Casey Anthony's lies, so let's focus on Dr. Propofol. Here are what I see so far as the Big Five Lies:
1. Dr. Murray said he needed a CPR machine because Michael Jackson was 50 years old and engaging in a very strenuous performance schedule. The truth? He knew he needed it because he was using propofol in a dangerous setting.
2. Dr. Murray tells an arriving paramedic that "it just happened" when describing Michael Jackson's condition. The truth? Jackson was cold to the touch and Dr. Murray had discovered Jackson more than a half hour before paramedics arrived.
3. Dr. Murray tells a paramedic that he was treating Jackson for exhaustion and dehydration. The truth? He was knocking him out at night with propofol. 4. Murray tells the paramedic he gave Jackson just a little lorazepam. The truth? He gave him propofol.
5. After Jackson is brought to the hospital DOA, Murray says he wants to return to Jackson's house to get some cream Jackson would not want the world to know about. The truth? He wanted to return to the scene to clean up some potential evidence.
The jury from Orlando is on the record as saying that they did not consider Casey's lies as evidence of anything–a big reason for the big “not guilty” verdict. I hope this jury has a different take and does consider the lies when trying to figure out what happened.
People lie for different reasons and one of those reasons is to cover up criminal conduct. That is something every jury should at least consider when coming to a verdict. There should be no benefit derived to any defendant as a result of his or her own lies. That's what happened in Orlando...we'll see what happens in L.A.
Michael Jackson was described as being "non-breathing, non-moving" when paramedics arrived at his home, according to testimony Friday from emergency responder Martin Blount.
He also told the court that Dr. Conrad Murray told paramedics that Jackson was not taking any medications.
We are in day four of the Dr. Conrad Murray involuntary manslaughter trial and the testimony just keeps getting more explosive.
Did you hear Jackson's security guard testify that Dr. Murray asked him to help dispose of vials and a saline bag before paramedics arrived? Then the paramedic who testified he saw Dr. Murray place some items into a plastic bag? It does make you wonder if Dr. Murray tried to cover-up his alleged involvement in Michael's death!
Many people are also wondering if Conrad Murray will take the stand. I think we would all like to see that happen. While I don’t know if this is good idea from a strategic standpoint, it would be fascinating to hear his account of working for Michael Jackson and exactly what was going on in his mind throughout the day that Michael died.
It is also remarkable to see the often-divided Jackson family together, in full force at the trial. Not only has the family shown up to sit in the courtroom day after day, they are also tweeting in real time from their seats.
LaToya regularly updates her Twitter page and explains just how hard it has been hearing some of the testimony. She writes, “On our lunch break! It's so hard 4 me 2 breath N court from holding back the tears. I don't know how my mother stays so strong.”
Jermaine used his Twitter page to address the audio played in court of Michael slurring his words. “The voice recording of Michael does not show/prove he was an addict - and this leap to agree with the defense is unfair and inaccurate.”
With all of the tweeting that's going on, one wonders if it's simply the ‘tweeters’ expressing their feelings or perhaps an intentional, crafted effort to help shape public opinion. The Jacksons are show people and do like to control the message.
I'll be right there at the courthouse in L.A. starting Monday. Keep tuning into "Showbiz Tonight" for my on-the-scene reports.
The paramedic who rushed to assist Michael Jackson testified Friday that the pop star had flatlined by the time emergency help arrived. Firefighter paramedic Richard Senneff said he also saw Dr. Conrad Murray stashing several items into a plastic bag.
Senneff responded to Jackson's residence after receiving a call of "patient not breathing."
Senneff said that as he sized up the scene, he saw what he believed to be an underweight man hooked up to an IV. When he learned there was a doctor in the room, he asked whether there were Do Not Resuscitate orders in place.
In other words, his initial impression was that this was a sick man. But he says he had to ask Murray three times what the patient's underlying condition was before Murray responded, "Nothing."
Senneff's take of the situation? "It didn't add up."
He testified that Dr. Murray told him that the only drug he had administered to Jackson was lorazepam to help him sleep and there was no mention of propofol.
Jackson did not respond to any resuscitative efforts. The paramedics were ready to stop resuscitation because they believed he was dead, but Murray insisted he felt a right femoral pulse. Senneff says he checked again and still found no pulse.
As paramedics were taking Jackson out the bedroom on a gurney, Senneff says he saw Dr. Murray picking up items in the bedroom and putting them in a bag.
Senneff said Dr. Murray rode with him in the ambulance on the way to hospital and that Jackson showed no signs of heart activity during the transport to the UCLA Medical Center.
In fact, Senneff testified he did not see any signs of life from Jackson during the entire 42 minutes he was assisting Jackson.
Complete coverage of the Conrad Murray trial live on HLN from gavel to gavel and on In Session from 9a to 3p ET every week day.
On the witness stand this morning, a former patient of Dr. Conrad Murray said that he felt like he was getting the best care in the world. But Robert Russell says that changed in June of 2009.
Dr. Murray, a cardiologist, performed two procedures on Russell’s heart, including a stent operation. After those procedures, Russell said he undertook an intense course of rehab and therapy.
During a follow-up visit, Russell testified that Dr. Murray told him he was planning to leave his practice in Las Vegas to be Michael Jackson’s personal doctor. He scheduled an appointment with Russell to discuss his therapy and a referral to a new doctor on June 15, 2009. Russell said that appointment was canceled and rescheduled for June 22. But that meeting was also canceled.
At that point, Russell said he felt frustrated, as if he were playing second fiddle.
Russell said he called Dr. Murray’s office looking for answers on June 25, the day Jackson died.
Prosecutor Debra Brazil played a voice message from Dr. Murray that had been left on Russell’s phone that morning. Dr. Murray said he was sorry for the cancellations and that he was going on sabbatical.
Russell testified that he thought the message was weird, because Dr. Murray said he was happy his heart was repaired. Russell was under the impression his heart was still a long way from fixed.
On cross-examination, Russell agreed with defense attorney Ed Chernoff that Dr. Murray was a caring doctor.
He testified it was "fabulous" that Dr. Murray would take the time to call him at home to discuss his treatment.
Chernoff asked Russell about his current health status, and Russell said his current cardiologist believes he is in good shape.
Complete coverage of the Conrad Murray trial live on HLN from gavel to gavel and on In Session from 9a to 3p ET every week day.
"Should Michael Jackson be blamed for his death?" Many people are asking that question as Dr. Conrad Murray stands trial in Los Angeles.
But an equally important question is: Does the public understand what this case is all about? Dr. Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter, which carries a maximum sentence of just four years.
Keep in mind, the jails and prisons are so overcrowded, that, even if Murray were convicted, he’s not likely to serve much time.
Perhaps the prosecution should have shot for second-degree murder. I think they were gun-shy after the Casey Anthony fiasco.
What we should also focus on is prescription drug abuse and all of the doctors who prescribe drugs like candy. Why is it even remotely okay to have a doctor on personal salary for $150,000 a month?
A cardiologist with money problems. Good choice, Mr. Jackson.
Yes, Dr. Murray should be convicted. He was prescribing and dispensing medicine to Mr. Jackson at shocking levels, and as several anesthesiologists have noted on In Session and HLN, neglecting standard medical protocol as well.
We should put all of the doctors who are prescribing such hideous levels of medicine on trial. Please put them in prison.
It has been written that Dr. Arnold Klein, Michael Jackson's dermatologist, gave him Demerol repeatedly during the last three months of his life.
I delivered a baby on Demerol. There is no worse pain. I only needed one dose.
Please put the enablers on trial. Who wrote all of those prescriptions to get Michael Jackson to that level of addiction?
I am not being a "clever defense attorney" trying to defend Dr. Conrad Murray. There is no defense. As a doctor friend of mine said, "Simply put, Murray was giving him benzodaizepines and sedative-hypnotics that any M.D. in his right mind would not have given, especially IV. A good M.D. would have had the singer evaluated for sleep problems, poly-substance abuse, and, if the singer refused, would have resigned from the case."
But Dr. Murray only began his employment with Michael Jackson two months before this death. Where was everyone else?
Plenty of testimony about who was where and when, within Michael Jackson's home on June 25, 2009. So here's a floor plan of the house at 100 North Carolwood, which should make it easier to follow along.
This morning, about 34 people entered the daily lottery for 8 courtroom seats open to the public. Here are a few of the people who won the seats and are attending the trial right now.
Robert Pritchard, who says he looks and dresses like Sammy Davis Jr. and is now a repeat winner. Though today he didn't wear his usual eye patch. He says the courtroom experience is nothing like watching it on TV, and appreciates being able to see the reactions of the Jackson family and witnesses who testify.
Paula Robinson, who told us she is a former high school classmate of Tito and Jackie Jackson.
James Mills from San Francisco, who says he has been an MJ fan for years, and "just wanted to be part of this historic event"
There was some disappointment though for a woman from Scotland, who was here hoping to win a seat. She says she has been a fan for years and while in L.A. on vacation, was hoping to make the trial part of her California experience. She did not win a seat.
Complete coverage of the Conrad Murray trial live on HLN from gavel to gavel and on In Session from 9a to 3p ET every week day.
We could be in for some startling, vivid testimony this afternoon, if the pre-trial hearings are any indication.
The paramedics who treated Michael Jackson are now taking the stand. At pre-trial hearings in January, they testified that Jackson looked like a "hospice patient" by the time they arrived at his home.
Paramedic Richard Senneff said the pop star's skin had gone cold, his eyes were dry and his pupils were dilated when they first found him at his California home.
Things could get really interesting when we hear testimony about what Dr. Conrad Murray said and did at this crucial time.
During the hearing, Senneff implied Murray was evasive and misled paramedics about what drugs were currently in Jackson's system. Murray told them Jackson was only suffering from dehydration, although he acknowledged that the star had taken lorazepam, to help him go to sleep. Murray never mentioned propofol.
Jackson had already flatlined while in his bedroom, Senneff said. He testified that Murray's story "didn't add up."
Paramedic Martin Blount is also expected to testify and provide key details into Dr. Conrad Murray's behavior while Jackson was being treated. Blount testified earlier he saw needles and three bottles of the anesthetic lidocaine in the room.
Complete coverage of the Conrad Murray trial live on HLN from gavel to gavel and on In Session from 9a to 3p ET every week day.
Sept 27: Paul Gongaware, Co-CEO of AEG Live and Concerts West, gestures while on the stand for the prosecution in the involuntary manslaughter trial of Conrad Murray at Superior Court in Los Angeles. (AP)
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/09/28/promoter-michael-jackson-seemed-healthy-strong-during-concert-rehearsals/#ixzz1ZOKtRA3a
AP2011
Sept 27: Paul Gongaware, Co-CEO of AEG Live and Concerts West, gestures while on the stand for the prosecution in the involuntary manslaughter trial of Conrad Murray at Superior Court in Los Angeles. (AP)
Two days before he died, Michael Jackson appeared strong during one of the final rehearsals for his highly anticipated comeback concerts, a promoter told jurors Wednesday as the involuntary manslaughter trial of the pop superstar's physician entered its second day.
Paul Gongaware, an executive for AEG Live, said Jackson appeared engaged and energetic during the session.
Prosecutors called Gongaware to show the importance of Jackson's comeback concerts and in an apparent attempt to show that both the singer and his physician were deeply engaged in preparations for the show before Jackson died on June 25, 2009.
Gongaware also testified that he saw Dr. Conrad Murray at one of Jackson's rehearsals after people affiliated with the planned concerts complained that the singer had been missing some of the sessions.
Prosecutors wrapped up their direct questioning of Gongaware before defense attorney Ed Chernoff briefly questioned the executive.
Under the cross-examination, Gongaware acknowledged the concert giant is being sued by Jackson's mother for negligent supervision of defendant Murray when he worked with Jackson.
Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in connection with Jackson's death.
Prosecutors allege Murray caused Jackson's death by providing him with a lethal dose of the anesthetic propofol and other sedatives without the proper lifesaving equipment or skills.
Another AEG employee, attorney Kathy Jorrie, testified about drafting a contract for Murray to work as Jackson's personal physician.
At one point in negotiations, Murray requested his contract be modified to allow him to hire another physician in case he was tired or unavailable while Jackson was performing in London, she testified.
"He wanted to make sure that there was somebody else available to be of assistance," Jarrie said.
Prosecutors also planned to call one of Jackson's bodyguards and his personal assistant, who Murray frantically called after he found the singer unconscious.
In opening statements Tuesday, Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said Murray delayed summoning emergency crews and lied to doctors and medics when he failed to reveal he had been giving Jackson the medications to try to help the entertainer sleep.
Chernoff claimed Jackson gave himself a fatal dose of medication in a desperate attempt to get some sleep.
He said Murray had been trying to wean Jackson off propofol, but the entertainer kept requesting it on the day he died.
"Michael Jackson started begging," Chernoff said. "When Michael Jackson told Dr. Murray, `I have to sleep. They will cancel my performance,' he meant it."
He told jurors that Jackson swallowed enough of the sedative lorazepam to put six people to sleep before ingesting propofol. The combination, which Chernoff called a "perfect storm" of medications, killed Jackson so quickly that he didn't even have chance to close his eyes.
Prosecutors rejected Murray's version and told jurors the Houston-based cardiologist also had a tremendous stake in Jackson appearing in the concerts.
The doctor had initially asked to be paid $5 million a year for working with Jackson, but Gongaware said he immediately rejected the proposal. Instead, Murray accepted an offer to become Jackson's doctor for $150,000 a month -- a sum he was never paid because his contract hadn't been signed before Jackson's death.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/09/28/promoter-michael-jackson-seemed-healthy-strong-during-concert-rehearsals/#ixzz1ZOKNf7Hu
Michael Jackson supporters enter lottery for seats to the Murray trial
9/29/2011
Reno Greenidge
Michael Jackson has billions of fans across the globe, and many of those same devoted individuals have traveled to Los Angeles to show their support.
Fans carried sunflowers, the favorite of Jackson, and various banners sharing their personal messages toward the justice they hoped would be dealt for their idol. For some individuals, just being in the vicinity of the court house was enough, but for others, their presence inside the trial itself to see the events take place with their own eyes would give them the closure they needed.
On day one of the trial, Yumi Ashida and Erin Jacobs from the Jackson fan group entitled "Justice 4 Michael," were interviewed by NBC Los Angeles and shared their experiences of the opening testimony.
Ashida and Jacobs stated that they cringed when the prosecution showed the gruesome image of Jackson on a gurney after he died. Ashida told NBC it was a "privilege," to see the opening statement live in the courtroom, even though she was shocked to see a photo of Jackson after death. Jacobs described Jackson as an "extended family member. This is somebody who's been a part of our lives that we care about. To see it was really hard," she said.
According to CNN, and HLN's in session staff, every morning, the court's public information officer holds a lottery for a few seats that will be available to the public. On Wednesday morning, about 25 people entered the lottery for 6 seats. Of the six winners of the lottery sitting in trial yesterday, an unnamed German Michael Jackson fan, Emily Battin, a Jackson supporter who has won 2 days in a row, Twiggy, who is an avid blogger and conspiracy theorist who believes that Jackson is alive, and Rita Bosico were the names released by HLN in session staff this afternoon.
Fans of Jackson and supporters of Murray will continue to arrive at the courthouse for justice and the verdict that will answer the questions left at the Carolwood Mansion.
A lawyer hired by concert promoter AEG to draw up the contract with Michael Jackson's personal physician testified Wednesday that Dr. Conrad Murray requested a cardiopulmonary resuscitation machine and money to hire a second doctor to help him care for Jackson.
The additional doctor and the CPR equipment were never provided, since the contract was not signed before Jackson died, attorney Kathy Jorrie testified.
Jackson's personal assistant began his testimony after Jorrie's, telling jurors about the chaos inside the pop icon's bedroom in the minutes after Murray realized Jackson had stopped breathing.At the start of court proceedings Wednesday in Murray's involuntary manslaughter trial, Paul Gongaware, an executive with the company promoting Jackson's comeback concerts, was on the stand.Under cross-examination by the defense, Gongaware said he noticed that Jackson had "a little bit of a slower speech pattern, just a slight slur in the speech" after a visit with Dr. Arnold Klein.Murray's lawyer contends that Klein is partly responsible for Jackson's death since he was giving him Demerol shots in the last weeks of his life, without Murray's knowledge.The lawyer who drew up AEG's contract with Murray testified that it was her understanding that Murray did not want the CPR unit or the additional doctor until he arrived in London with Jackson in July 2009 for the "This Is It" concerts.
"I asked Dr Murray, why do we need a CPR machine?" Jorrie testified.
Murray told her he needed it since "given (Jackson's) age and the strenuous performance he would be putting on, that if something went wrong, he would have it," she said.
The second doctor would be necessary because "if (Murray) was tired or unavailable, he wanted to make sure there was someone else to be of assistance" to Jackson.
AEG is being sued by Jackson's mother, based on her contention that the concert promoter hired and controlled Murray when he was caring for her son.
The prosecution contends that part of the negligence that makes Murray criminally liable for Jackson's death is the lack of monitoring and CPR equipment on hand when Jackson died.
The trial began Tuesday with prosecutors playing a stunning audio recording of an apparently drugged Jackson slurring his words weeks before his death and showing jurors a photo of Jackson's corpse on a hospital gurney.Jackson's struggle to sleep between rehearsals for his "This Is It" comeback concerts is central to the prosecution and defense theories of how the entertainer died June 25, 2009.Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney David
Walgren blamed Murray for Jackson's death, saying he abandoned "all principles of medical care" when he used the surgical anesthetic propofol to put Jackson to sleep every night for more than two months.
The coroner ruled that Jackson's death was the result of "acute propofol intoxication" in combination with sedatives.
Murray defense lawyer Ed Chernoff contended that Jackson, desperate for sleep, caused his own death by taking a handful of sedatives and drinking propofol while the doctor was out of the room.Scientific evidence will show that, on the morning Jackson died, he swallowed a sedative without his doctor's knowledge, "enough to put six of you to sleep, and he did this when Dr. Murray was not around," Chernoff said.
Jackson then ingested a dose of propofol on his own, creating "a perfect storm that killed him instantly," Chernoff said.
"When Dr. Murray came into the room and found Michael Jackson, there was no CPR, no paramedic, no machine that was going to revive Michael Jackson," he said.
"He died so rapidly, so instantly that he didn't have time to close his eyes," Chernoff said.
Chernoff told jurors that Murray was trying to wean Jackson off propofol when Jackson died.
Jackson's death was "tragic, but the evidence will not show that Dr. Murray did it," Chernoff told jurors.
Jurors were hearing Wednesday from Michael Emir Williams, who worked as Jackson's personal assistant. He called the day Jackson died "just a horrible, crazy experience" when he testified at Murray's preliminary hearing in January.Williams is expected to again describe loading Jackson's three children into an SUV to follow the ambulance carrying their father to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.He previously described Murray as acting "strange, odd, weird" at the hospital following Jackson's death.The defense is likely to question Williams about trips he took with Jackson to Klein's Beverly Hills clinic in the weeks before his death. Medical records show that Klein gave Jackson numerous shots of Demerol, Chernoff told jurors Tuesday.
Jackson's inability to sleep the morning he died was "one of the insidious effects" of Demerol addiction withdrawal, Chernoff said. Since Murray did not know about the Demerol, he could not understand why Jackson was unable to fall asleep that morning, Chernoff said.
Murray appeared to become emotional at one point as Chernoff presented his opening statement Tuesday morning, dabbing his eyes at times. Mostly, though, the defendant remained stoic through the proceedings.
If convicted of involuntary manslaughter, Murray could spend four years in a California prison and lose his medical license.
Prosecutors played clips from Murray's interview with investigators in which he described giving Jackson a final dose of the propofol after a long, restless night when the singer begged for help sleeping.
"The evidence in this case will show that Michael Jackson trusted his life to the medical skills of Conrad Murray, unequivocally that that misplaced trust had far too high a price to pay," Walgren said. "That misplaced trust in the hands of Conrad Murray cost Michael Jackson his life."
The most dramatic moment Tuesday came when jurors heard a May 10, 2009, recording, captured by Murray's iPhone, of Jackson "highly under the influences of unknown agents," as he talked about his planned comeback concert, according to Walgren.
"We have to be phenomenal," Jackson said in a low voice, his speech slurred. "When people leave this show, when people leave my show, I want them to say, 'I've never seen nothing like this in my life. Go. Go. I've never seen nothing like this. Go. It's amazing. He's the greatest entertainer in the world.' I'm taking that money, a million children, children's hospital, the biggest in the world, Michael Jackson's Children's Hospital."
The tape, prosecutors say, is evidence that Murray knew about Jackson's health problems weeks before his death.
Jurors also saw a video of the superstar rehearsing at the Staples Center in Los Angeles the night before he died. Jackson sang and danced to "Earth Song," the last song he would rehearse on stage.
Prosecutors also presented a photo of Jackson's lifeless body on a hospital gurney, about 12 hours later.
Producer Kenny Ortega, the first prosecution witness, said he was jolted by Jackson's appearance when the latter arrived at a rehearsal, on June 19, less than a week before he died.
"He appeared lost and a little incoherent," Ortega said. "I did not feel he was well." Ortega said he gave the pop singer food and wrapped him in a blanket to ward off chills. Jackson watched the rehearsal and did not participate that day.
Ortega was helping Jackson prepare for the "This Is It" world tour scheduled for London's O2 Arena in autumn 2009.
In an e-mail early June 20, Ortega wrote, in part, to AEG President Randy Phillips, "My concern is, now that we've brought the Doctor in to the fold and have played the tough love, now or never card, is that the Artist may be unable to rise to the occasion due to real emotional stuff."
The producer said Jackson appeared weak and fatigued on June 19.
"He had a terrible case of the chills, was trembling, rambling and obsessing," he wrote. "Everything in me says he should be psychologically evaluated. If we have any chance at all to get him back in the light. It's going to take a strong Therapist to (get) him through this as well as immediate physical nurturing. ... Tonight I was feeding him, wrapping him in blankets to warm his chills, massaging his feet to calm him and calling his doctor."
Jackson also appeared to be scared of losing the comeback tour.
"I believe that he really wants this ... it would shatter him, break his heart if we pulled the plug," Ortega wrote. "He's terribly frightened it's all going to go away. He asked me repeatedly tonight if I was going to leave him. He was practically begging for my confidence. It broke my heart. He was like a lost boy. There still may be a chance he can rise to the occasion if (we) get him the help he needs."
AEG was the concert promoter.
Murray was unhappy that Jackson did not rehearse June 19 and told Ortega not to try to be the singer's physician, Ortega testified, adding that Jackson insisted the next day he was capable of doing the rehearsals. Jackson was a full rehearsal participant in the days before he died, the producer said.
Gongaware, the AEG executive, testified that after the 50 London shows sold out instantly, there were still 250,000 buyers wanting tickets.Gongaware said he negotiated with Murray, at Jackson's request, to work as the singer's personal doctor. Murray initially asked for $5 million a year, explaining that he would have to close four clinics and lay off employees.Gongaware rejected that deal but later offered him $150,000 a month, an amount recommended by Jackson. The physician agreed.Gongaware and Ortega testified that Jackson on many occasions appeared fully engaged and excited about the impending concerts.Jackson's parents, brothers Tito, Jermaine and Randy, and sisters La Toya, Janet and Rebbie filled a row in the courtroom for opening statements and the first witness Tuesday. Jackson's three children are not expected to attend the trial or testify, according to a source close to their grandmother, Katherine Jackson.
The doctor who declared Michael Jackson's death a homicide claims it's extremely unlikely the singer killed himself with a deadly dose of Propofol -- insisting Dr. Conrad Murray is more likely to blame.
