Thursday, 13 October 2011
Michael Jackson case - Day 12
By LAURA CAROE
Published: Today
DR CONRAD Murray's legal team are expected to begin their case today on why their client did NOT kill King of Pop Michael Jackson. The medic is accused of the manslaughter of Jacko after he died from an apparent overdose of powerful sedative propofol.
Today the prosecution is expected to conclude their proportion of the case with anesthesiology professor and researcher Dr Steven Shafer.
But then defence lawyers will be able to call several witnesses and are relying on another anesthesiologist, Dr Paul White, to try to counter the prosecution experts.
He was seen in the court yesterday talking with Dr Murray's lawyers as evidence was heard.
Wednesday saw the doctor accused of "gross negligence" after he deviated from standard practices in his care for the singer.
Dr Elon Steinberg, a leading cardiologist, said he found it "strange" that Conrad Murray called Jacko's assistant instead of the emergency services when he found the star had collapsed.
Murray – who is accused of killing the King of Pop with an overdose of powerful sedative propofol – deviated six times from standard practices of care, each one amounting to gross negligence, according to Dr Steinberg.
The doctor said Murray lacked basic equipment including a pulse oximeter and a heart monitor, which would be needed in case of an emergency and when using such a powerful drug.
He then told the jury Murray should have administered an antidote to propofol, called 911 and started bagging Jacko instead of giving him chest compressions as his heart was still beating.
The doctor – who told the court he had never heard of anyone using propofol for sleep – criticised the physican for not taking any notes which meant he was unable to tell paramedics when or what he had administered to his 50-year-old patient.
The doctor told the jury he had never heard of anyone using Propofol for sleep.
Dr Steinberg said that Murray's breeches in care "directly contributed to the untimely death of Jackson".
He said even if Jacko did take the fatal dose behind Murray's back, Murray would still be at fault as it "was similar to leaving a baby on a countertop".
And in a stunning turn of events, Murray's lawyer announced in court today that he is abandoning his primary defence – that Jacko accidentally killed himself by drinking propofol.
Michael Flanagan told the court that an independent study by the defence showed taking the drug orally would not produce fatal results.
However, Murray's lawyers are still contending the singer gave himself both the sedative and lorazepam in fatal amounts, but not orally.
Video: Murray "grossly negligent"
CARDIOLOGIST gives evidence on day 11 of trial of Jacko's former doctorVideo im Bericht The trial is now into its third week.
Murray told on Tuesday of the moment in hospital Jacko's kids were told he was dead - and how they sobbed that they didn't want to be orphans.
Paris, Prince and Blanket begged medical staff to let them see their dad minutes after efforts to resuscitate the King of Pop had failed.
They then held a vigil by his body.
The Los Angeles Superior Court jury was yesterday shown a shocking new photo of Jacko's lifeless naked body, taken during an autopsy.
He was seen lying with his eyes closed and his arms outstretched by his side — and appeared to have wads of cotton wool on his lower arms.
Physician Murray, 58, does not deny administering the hospital anaesthetic to help Jackson sleep.
His defence claim Jacko killed himself by taking more of the drug, along with another sedative lorazepam, after Murray - who is charged with involuntary manslaughter - had left the room.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3870804/Michael-Jackson-case-Day-12.html (Archiv-Version vom 14.10.2011)