One Answer Emerged From Michael Jackson Death Hearing Many Questions
Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, sailed with flying colors through his week-long preliminary hearing which ended with a favorable decision from the judge to try the singer's personal physician for involuntary manslaughter. This decision favors Dr Murray because not to charge him at all would make him susceptible to future more serious criminal charges regarding Jackson's death.
When Murray was first indicted with the accidental death charge, Jacksons' friends, fans and family cried foul play and called for indictments for First Degree Murder and Conspiracy to Commit Murder charges; with his fans petitioning for broader investigation into Jackson's death. The consensus was Murray should not have been charged without a thorough investigation since Jackson had foretold his own death saying, in essence, that the Beatle Catalog was too valuable, everybody wanted it, that he was being pressured to sell, but would never sell the catalog and he knew he'd probably be killed for it.
Dr Murray was brought in by AEG to be Jackson's personal physician in the lead-up to what was to be the singer's farewell world tour, 'This Is It,' with concerts soon to kick off in London. The preliminary hearing was for Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor to answer the legal question whether there was enough evidence for Murray to stand trial on the involuntary manslaughter charge.
Dr Murray, 57, a cardiologist had pleaded not guilty, and his attorneys maintained that he did not give Jackson anything that should have killed him. Murray also stated that Jackson injected himself and is responsible for his own death. Murray could face up to four years in prison if convicted. But because of his "clean" record, may not serve a day.
Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said in his opening statement that Dr Murray was using the surgical anesthetic, propofol, to cure Jackson of insomnia. He had given Jackson a dose of the powerful drug, typically administered in clinical settings, after giving him various sedatives during the previous night. He also said Jackson was already dead when Murray summoned help and tried to conceal his administering of propofol to the pop star.
"The court will learn that in the opinion of these medical experts, there were a number of actions displayed by Dr Murray that showed an extreme deviation from standard medical care," Mr Walgren said.
Murray had been giving Jackson propofol, six nights a week for roughly two months before his death, the prosecutor said.
Murray's attorney declined to give an opening statement.
Paramedic Richard Senneff, who responded to Jackson's home, gave testimony that he arrived and found Jackson motionless. He said that Murray never told him the singer had taken propofol, despite being asked if Jackson was on any medication. (Propofol is immediately absolved by the body's tissues and within minutes no traces of it can be detected.)
The paramedic said other things Murray told him did not seem to add up: that Jackson had no underlying condition and was just being treated for dehydration, and that the only medication he had been given was the sedative lorazepam. Senneff also said his crew detected no pulse, and that based on Jackson's dilated pupils and cold limbs, it appeared his heart had stopped more than 20 minutes before.
Senneff said even when pressed repeatedly about what medication Jackson had been given, Murray never mentioned the powerful anesthetic that was eventually determined to have caused the singer