The People Vs. Dr. Conrad Murray Day 1. Opening Statements
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
, Posted by KizzDaLipz at 4:10 PM
Today marked the beginning of the Trial of Dr. Conrad Murray: here's a brief recap of the days events:
The Attorneys
Deputy District Attorney Defense Attorney
David Walgren Edward Chernoff
-Jackson's personal physician Dr Conrad Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter
-Prosecutor shows jury photo of singer on gurney after his death and plays disturbing audio of him slurring a month before death .
-Michael Jackson’s death was a homicide,' Los Angeles deputy district attorney David Walgren told the jury in opening statements.
-Accuses Dr Murray of delaying call to 911 as he tries to revive Jackson
-Defense claims that Jackson killed himself by swallowing perfect storm of drugs because of pressure of comeback'
-First witness, choreographer Kenny Ortega, says Jackson 'wasn't right' during rehearsals
-Tour manager Paul Gongaware says Dr Murray initially demanded $5 million a year to care for performer
-Jackson's parents and siblings Janet, Latoya, Tito, Randy and Jermaine in court
-Woman stopped as she rushes towards Dr Murray in courthouse corridor
Opening Statements
The highly anticipated trial into the death of Michael Jackson opened with an extraordinary moment today as the prosecutor started his opening remarks by displaying a photo of the singer's lifeless body.
Jackson's parents Joseph and Katherine, his siblings Janet, La Toya, Tito, Randy and Jermaine were all at the courthouse in LA for the opening statements in the trial of the singer's personal physician, who was the last person to see him alive.
In the prosecution's opening statements, Mr Walgren insisted that the evidence will show that the 'acts and omissions of Michael Jackson's personal doctor Conrad Murray directly led to his premature death at the age of 50'.
"Murray 'repeatedly acted with gross negilience, repeatedly denied appropriate care to his patient Michael Jackson and that is was Dr Murray's repeated incompetent and unskilled acts that led to Michael Jackson's death on June 25, 2009," Mr Walgren said.
As Dr Conrad Murray appeared before the jury charged with involuntary manslaughter over Jackson’s death more than two years ago, deputy district attorney David Walgren displayed the picture that appeared to show tape or tubing over Jackson's face.
Prosecuting attorney David Walgren argued that Murray gave Jackson propofol, a surgical anesthetic, every day for two months to help him sleep, ultimately leading to Jackson’s death.
"Michael Jackson’s death was a homicide," Los Angeles deputy district attorney David Walgren told the jury in opening statements.
"The evidence will show that Michael Jackson literally put his life in the hands of Conrad Murray... Michael Jackson trusted his life to the medical skills of Conrad Murray.
"The evidence will show that misplaced trust had far too high a price to pay... it cost Michael Jackson his life."
But the doctor's attorney Ed Chernoff told the jury that Jackson administered the lethal dosage himself and that Murray was trying to help the singer's withdrawal of propofol prior to the time of his death.
It was the singer who caused his own death by swallowing a "perfect storm" of drugs the defense argued. Dr Murray wiped tears from his eyes as Mr Chernoff stated that the singer swallowed eight, 2mg pills of Lorazepam and injected himself with a dose of propofol, this 'created a perfect storm in his body that killed him instantly.
Mr Chernoff said that Jackson, who was frustrated because he could not sleep and frustrated because his doctor refused to give him a drug that he wanted,administered the lethal dosage himself. Murray was trying to help the singer's withdrawal of propofol prior to the time of his death.
"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 died so fast he did not even have time to close his eyes."Chernoff said.
Outside the Los Angeles courthouse, fans of the King of Pop faced supporters of Dr Murray waving placards and banners at each other and passers-by. Inside, the whole Jackson family made their way into court for what has been billed as the trial of the century.
Later, the prosecution played a tape of a healthy-looking Jackson giving his last ever performance - a rehearsal of his hit Earth Song - recorded a day before he died.
The lights in the courtroom were turned off and the singer was shown on a screen performing the track at rehearsals at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, just hours before he passed away.
Jackson's mother, Katherine appeared to be in tears watching the clip.
Prosecutors showed comparison pictures of the singer before and after his death on June 25 2009
and played a disturbing audio recording taken from Dr Murray's iPhone of the late singer's slurred words made weeks before his death. Deputy Dist. Atty. David Walgren told jurors that the audio file showed the physician had taped his patient "highly under the influence of unknown agents" and was evidence that Dr Murray knew what was happening to Jackson and should have discontinued ordering propofol."
He called the clip "a taste" of the full recording jurors are to hear later.
Mr Walgren attempted to paint a picture of the days leading up to the singer's death.
On June 19 'Michael showed up for his rehearsal and he was not in good shape, he was not in good shape at all,' Mr Walgren said.
'He had chills, he was trembling... he was rambling.'
Kenny Ortega, the choreographer of Jackson's proposed This Is It tour, expressed concerns about Jackson, but Dr Murray allegedly told him and others that Jackson was 'physically and emotionally fine'.
'Don't let it be your concern, I am the doctor,' Dr Murray allegedly said.
The prosecutor also laid out the order of events from inside Jackson's house on the night that he died.
Mr Walgren accused Dr Murray of failing to call 911 as soon as he realised that there was something wrong with Jackson.
He said that an emergency call was not made until 12:20pm, at least 24 minutes after Dr Murray is believed to have discovered Jackson unconscious.
The prosecutors claimed that phone records showed that Jackson was left unattended for too long.
'It will be clear that Conrad Murray abandoned Michael when he needed help,' Mr Walgren said.
'It was Conrad Murray's gross negligence, it was Conrad Murray's unskilled hands and his desire to obtain this lucrative contract of $150,000 a month that led Dr Murray to not only abandon his patient, but to abandon all principles of medical care.'
Medical monitoring devices typically used when someone is under anesthesia were not there or appeared unused.
A blood pressure cuff was still in a box and an oxygen tank had no oxygen, Mr Walgren said.
But as the defence made their opening statements, Murray wiped away tears as Mr Chernoff described the doctor and Jackson as 'friends first'.
'Dr Murray is no celebrity doctor. He is a cardiologist. He literally saves lives. That's who he is,' Mr Chernoff said.
He said that on the day he died, Jackson had told Murray that he not slept for 10 hours and that if he did not sleep he would not be able to rehearse and would disappoint his fans.
Dr Murray agreed to give him a 25 mg injection of propofol mixed with lidocaine.
Mr Chernoff said that such a small dose would 'dissipate in ten minutes'.
He said that the amount found in Jackson's body, more than 100 mgs, was consistent with major invasive surgery and was administered by Jackson himself.
Jackson 'self-administered an additional dose of propofol and it killed him like that, there was no way to save him,' said Mr Chernoff.
His death was a tragedy, he added, but Murray is not responsible. Murray is 'not perfect... but in this criminal court, we believe he is not guilty,' he added.
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