About Michael Jackson's death

MJ's Security Guard: Murray Said Hide The Bottles




Alberto Alvarez, a bodyguard who says he was MJ's Director of Logistics, testified Dr. Conrad Murray instructed him to remove bottles from Michael's bedroom -- along with an IV bag with a milky-white substance, before calling 911.

Alvarez says he walked into MJ's bedroom sometime after 12:17 PM and saw Michael laying motionless. He says Murray told him Michael had "an allergic reaction," then ordered him to collect a bag of bottles and put them in a bag.

And this is big. Alvarez says Murray then "instructed me to remove the IV bag from the IV stand."

For the record, law enforcement believes the milky-white substance in the bag was Propofol.

Alvarez says there was a second IV bag -- which we know contained saline -- and Murray told him to leave it there.

Alvarez says only after the bottles and bag were collected did Murray tell him to call 911.



tmz.com

Bodyguard says Michael Jackson doc concealed vials

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A bodyguard testified Wednesday that he saw a doctor charged in Michael Jackson's death grab a handful of vials and put them in a bag during frantic efforts to revive the King of Pop.

Alberto Alvarez was the first security guard to reach the bedroom where prosecutors say Dr. Conrad Murray administered a fatal dose of the anesthetic propofol to Jackson on June 25, 2009.

A tearful Alvarez, 34, said he was frozen at the sight of Jackson on the bed with his eyes and mouth open. Murray ordered him to place several vials the doctor had scooped up into a brown canvas bag before he was told to call 911, the bodyguard said.

"He just grabbed a handful of bottles, or vials, and he instructed me to put them in a bag," Alvarez said.

The testimony could provide key corroboration to the prosecutors' argument that Murray's actions demonstrated "an extreme deviation from the standard of care" by administering propofol without the proper equipment, and also concealing it and botching efforts to resuscitate the singer.

Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said Tuesday in his opening statement that Murray waited as long as 21 minutes before paramedics were called. Jackson died before help was summoned, the prosecutor said.

At the end of the preliminary hearing, which was expected to go into next week, a judge will rule whether there is enough evidence for Murray to stand trial on an involuntary manslaughter charge in the pop star's death. He could face up to four years in prison if convicted.

The Houston cardiologist has pleaded not guilty, and his attorneys have contended he did not give Jackson anything that should have killed the singer.

On Tuesday, Jackson friend and choreographer Kenny Ortega described how the singer appeared sick during a rehearsal six days before his death and left early. The rehearsals were for a series of planned comeback concerts in London.

Ortega said after that incident, Murray "was upset that I had sent Michael home the night before and didn't allow him to rehearse."

The hearing, attended by international media and fans, provided another glimpse into the private life of Jackson, a one-time superstar who grew reclusive after his acquittal on child molestation charges in 2005.

Murray was providing Jackson propofol roughly six times a week since being hired as the singer's personal physician in May 2009, Walgren said.

Another bodyguard, Faheem Muhammad, testified that he saw Jackson lying on his bed. He described Murray as panicked and said the doctor asked whether anyone knew CPR.

The hearing was expected to include testimony from police, coroner's officials and forensic experts who will describe the mix of sedatives found in Jackson's system.

Preliminary hearings have a lower burden of proof than trials, and defense attorneys rarely present a case. Murray's attorney, Ed Chernoff, did not make an opening statement.


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Today in court:

"Michael Jackson's parents, three sisters, and brother Randy listened from the second row of the Los Angeles County courtroom as Alvarez, apparently near tears, described the scene."

Have been very emotional in the court.

Some statements of Alvarez:

"A tearful Mr Alvarez, 34, said he was frozen at the sight of Jackson on the bed with his eyes and mouth open. Murray ordered him to place several vials the doctor had scooped up into a brown canvas bag before he was told to call an ambulance, the bodyguard said. AA"

"Alberto Alvarez was the first security guard to reach the bedroom where prosecutors say Murray administered a fatal dose of the anesthetic propofol to Jackson on June 25, 2009. The 34-year-old testified Wednesday he was frozen at the sight of Jackson on the bed with his eyes and mouth open. He says Murray ordered him to place several vials the doctor had scooped up into a brown canvas bag. AA"

‎"A bodyguard has testified that he saw a doctor charged over Michael Jackson's death grab a handful of vials and put them in a bag during frantic efforts to revive the King of Pop. Alberto Alvarez was the first security guard to reach the bedroom where prosecutors say Dr Conrad Murray administered a fatal dose of the anaesthetic propofol to Jackson on June 25 2009." -BX

‎"Alvarez says he walked into MJ's bedroom sometime after 12:17 PM and saw Michael laying motionless. He says Murray told him Michael had "an allergic reaction, then ordered him to collect a bag of bottles and put them in a bag."-X1



"According to Alvarez, Murray said it was the first time he had given mouth-to-mouth, but he had to do it because Jackson was his friend."


"Michael Jackson's two oldest children, Prince and Paris, watched from a bedroom doorway as Dr. Conrad Murray tried to revive their father, according to a security guard. AA2"

"There was no pulse monitor on Michael, until right before the paramedics arrived at the scene."

Witness describes Michael Jackson's daughter's anguish

Los Angeles (CNN) -- Michael Jackson's two oldest children, Prince and Paris, watched from a bedroom doorway as Dr. Conrad Murray tried to revive their father, according to a security guard.
"Paris screamed 'Daddy!' and she started crying," Alberto Alvarez testified at a preliminary hearing for Murray, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death in June 2009.
Michael Jackson's parents, three sisters, and brother Randy listened from the second row of the Los Angeles County courtroom as Alvarez, apparently near tears, described the scene.
"Dr. Murray then said 'Get them out, get them out. Don't let them see their father like this,'" Alvarez said. "I turned to the children and I told them 'Don't worry, children, we'll take care of it. Go outside please.'"
The Los Angeles Superior Court preliminary hearing, which began Tuesday, is expected to last two or three weeks, with 20 to 30 witnesses testifying. Judge Michael Pastor will determine whether there is probable cause to send Murray to trial.
Jackson's doctor heads to court Murray faces court hearing Events surrounding Jackson's death
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On Tuesday, Jackson's former security chief testified that Murray seemed not to know how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation as he waited for paramedics to arrive at the singer's house.
Faheem Muhammed said he and Alvarez saw Murray crouched next to Jackson's bed "in a panicked state asking, 'Does anyone know CPR?'"
"I looked at Alberto because we knew Dr. Murray was a heart surgeon, so we were shocked," Muhammed said.
When defense lawyer Ed Chernoff asked if perhaps Murray was only asking for help because he was tired, Muhammed said, "The way that he asked it is as if he didn't know CPR."
Jackson appeared to be dead at that time, with his "eyes open and his mouth open, just laying there," Muhammed said.
Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney David Walgren earlier said that Murray used "ineffectual CPR with one hand while the patient was prone on a soft bed." Using two hands with the patient prone on a hard surface is the proper method, he said.
Muhammed, the third witness on the opening day of the hearing, said he never saw Murray performing CPR on Jackson before paramedics arrived and transported the singer to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
Muhammed's testimony on Tuesday also described Prince and Paris watching from the bedroom door.
"Paris was on the floor on her hands and knees and she was just crying," he said.
The children would learn two hours later, when Murray and Jackson manager Frank Dileo talked to them in a hospital room, that their father had died.
"Frank blurted out and said, 'Your daddy had a heart attack and died,'" Jackson personal assistant Michael Williams testified.
The hearing began Tuesday with a prosecutor saying that Murray waited at least 21 minutes after he found Jackson unresponsive before calling for an ambulance.
"By all accounts, Michael Jackson was dead in the bedroom at 100 North Carolwood prior to the paramedics' arrival," Walgren said.
The coroner concluded Jackson died from "acute propofol intoxication," in combination with "the contributory effects of the benzodiazepines," he said.
Propofol is a powerful anesthetic used to "put people under for surgery," and the benzodiazepines were sedatives Murray later acknowledged giving Jackson in the morning before his death, he said.
"Michael Jackson was preparing for one of the most important tours of his life" in the months before his death, Walgren said.
Murray's defense team has hinted it would argue that Jackson was under pressure from the concert promoter, which led him to demand treatments to help him sleep.
Kenny Ortega, who was directing what would have been Jackson's comeback concerts, was the first of about 30 witnesses to be called by the prosecution.
Ortega described Jackson as "involved, active, participating" at his last rehearsal, which ended just 12 or 14 hours before the singer died.
"He was in a delightful mood and we had an absolutely fantastic day," Ortega testified.
But Ortega described a different, "scary" Michael Jackson at the Staples Center rehearsal on June 19, six nights before his death.
"I just felt that he appeared, you know, really lost," Ortega said. "It was scary. I didn't know what was wrong. I couldn't put my finger on it."
Ortega suggested to Jackson that he cut his rehearsal short and go home to rest.
He was called to a meeting at Jackson's home the next day, where he was "scolded" by Murray for having sent Jackson home the night before, Ortega said.
"Dr. Murray told me that this was not my responsibility and he asked me not to act like a doctor or psychologist," he said.
Ortega said it was an emotional meeting, but he denied yelling at Jackson. "It wasn't yelling," he said. "It was about caring."
"Michael said, 'I know you love me and I know you care about me, but you don't have to worry. I'm fine,'" Ortega said. "It was Michael's voice that calmed me."
Randy Phillips, the CEO of concert promoter AEG Live, and Dileo were at this meeting, along with Murray and Jackson, Ortega said.
A civil lawsuit filed last year by Michael Jackson's mother against AEG Live alleged that Phillips visited Jackson's home on June 18, 2009, to warn "that if Jackson missed any further rehearsals, they were going to 'pull the plug' on the show."
"AEG told Murray that he had to make sure Jackson got to rehearsals," Katherine Jackson's lawsuit charged.
The prosecutor told the judge that medical experts would testify that Murray, hired as Jackson's personal physician while he prepared for his concert tour, took "a number of actions" that "showed an extreme deviation from the standard of care."
In addition to the CPR performed by Murray that the prosecutor described as "ineffectual," this would include administering propofol in a home setting without proper monitoring. No medical equipment that could have monitored Jackson's pulse and breathing were found in the upstairs bedroom, Walgren said.
The 20-minute delay in calling 911 for paramedics was contrary to standard care, he said.
When paramedics arrived, Murray failed to tell them about the propofol or other drugs given to Jackson that morning, Walgren said. That, too, was contrary to standard care, he said. Murray also neglected to tell emergency room doctors who were trying to revive Jackson at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center about the drugs, Walgren said.
Murray remains free on $75,000 bond.

CNN

People vs. Dr. Conrad Murray

EMT: Murray Denied Giving MJ Drugs

Another paramedic testified ... Dr. Conrad Murray denied giving Michael Jackson drugs as the singer lay lifeless in his bedroom.

Martin Blount said when he walked into MJ's room Murray was sweating profusely. Blount says Murray told EMTs he waited only one minute before calling 911.

But another paramedic testified earlier he believed Murray waited between 20 minutes to an hour to call 911.


EMT: Murray Wouldn't Accept That Michael Was Dead


An EMT continued testifying after a recess, stating all of the emergency workers at Michael Jackson's house knew the singer was dead, but Dr. Murray wouldn't "call it."

Richard Senneff testified about facts that TMZ has been reporting for more than a year -- that when paramedics arrived at MJ's house, there was no sign of life and no chance of revival. Nevertheless, Senneff testified Dr. Murray claimed to feel a pulse and, as the senior medical person on scene, refused to pronounce MJ dead.

Murray ordered the EMTs to take MJ to the hospital. Senneff said the ride was "unbelievable ... like the Rose Parade. People running down the street, taking pictures, random cars passing the ambulance. It was insane."

Once at UCLA, Senneff said Murray was "spinning ... moving around, nervous, sweating, multitasking."

On cross examination, Ed Chernoff got Senneff to admit ... Jackson's skeletal, frail frame, along with his black/bluish feet, were signs of a drug addict.


EMT Testifies MJ Already Dead ... Murray Mum on Propofol

An EMT who arrived at Michael Jackson's house 4 minutes after the 911 call says Michael was dead when he arrived, and it looked like he had been dead for a long time before Dr. Conrad Murray called 911.

Richard Senneff testified when he arrived at MJ's house and saw MJ, he looked like a hospice patient -- extremely frail.

Senneff says he believes Murray must have waited at least 20 minutes before calling 911, based on the condition of the body. MJ's EKG was flatlined.

And Senneff said, when he asked Murray if MJ had been taking meds, all Murray volunteered was lorazepam (Ativan). Murray never uttered a peep about Propofol.

Murray told Senneff Jackson had been "dehydrated."

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Medic says doc scooped up vials in Jackson bedroom

LOS ANGELES — A paramedic sent to Michael Jackson's mansion says he saw the doctor charged in the singer's death scoop up three bottles of lidocaine from the floor and place the vials in a bag during efforts to revive the pop star.
Paramedic Martin Blount testified Thursday he was surprised to see the bottles because Dr. Conrad Murray had told paramedics he hadn't given Jackson any drugs.
He says Murray also produced a hypodermic needle at one point and wanted to use it on the singer. Blount says he and fellow paramedics refused.
He described Murray as frantic and sweating profusely.
The medic is the seventh witness called at a multi-day preliminary hearing after which a judge will determine whether there is enough evidence for Murray to stand trial for involuntary manslaughter.
The Houston-based cardiologist has pleaded not guilty.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The career paramedic dashed into Michael Jackson's bedroom, looked around and listened to a doctor's explanation for why the singer was ostensibly lifeless and came to the conclusion that things didn't add up.
Richard Senneff said the gaunt patient, an IV stand and bag next to the bed and the presence of Dr. Conrad Murray pointed more to a hospice patient, not an international pop superstar about to embark a series of London concerts.
Although the doctor said he was treating Jackson for dehydration and exhaustion and he had just passed out, Senneff recalled how the singer's legs were cold and limp, his open eyes dried out, and his hands and feet turning blue. The doctor never mentioned that he had given Jackson propofol, a powerful anesthetic that authorities say killed the musician, Senneff said.
The medic's testimony during the second day of Murray's preliminary hearing was the latest in a series of witnesses to describe Jackson as lifeless by the time help was summoned.
Senneff will return to the stand on Thursday for defense questioning, which so far hasn't elicited any major contradictions in the prosecution's case.
Deputy District Attorney David Walgren described Murray's actions as "an extreme deviation from the standard of care" — ranging from his use of propofol in Jackson's bedroom, not telling medical personnel about it and improperly administering CPR.
Murray, facing four years if convicted of involuntary manslaughter, has pleaded not guilty. His attorneys say the Houston-based cardiologist did not give Jackson anything that "should have" killed him.
Senneff's testimony came after one of Jackson's former bodyguards, Alberto Alvarez, testified that Murray told him to place medicine vials and an IV bag in other bags before calling 911.
The 34-year-old bodyguard was the only other person in the room with Murray while frantic efforts were being made to revive Jackson.
Alvarez said he was "frozen" at the sight of Jackson laying in bed, a urinary catheter attached and his eyes and mouth open.
"I said, 'Dr. Murray, what happened?' And he said, 'He had a reaction. He had a bad reaction,'" Alvarez recalled.
The singer's children, Prince and Paris, walked into the room at one point and the young girl screamed, "'Daddy!" and started to cry, Alvarez recalled. At the doctor's urging, he ushered them out of the room.
In the courtroom audience, Jackson's mother, Katherine, dabbed at her eyes during the most detailed public account yet of events surrounding the death of her son. She came to court with her husband, Joe, and children Randy, Janet and LaToya. They made no eye contact with Murray across the courtroom.
They heard Alvarez testify that he helped Murray bag the medicine and saw an unidentified "white milky substance" in the bottom of an intravenous bag.
"He just grabbed a handful of bottles, or vials, and he instructed me to put them in a bag," Alvarez testified, adding that Murray also told him to place an intravenous bag into another sack.
After collecting everything and bagging it, Alvarez said, Murray told him to call 911.
Four minutes later, Senneff and his crew arrived at Jackson's rented mansion in the Holmby Hills area of Los Angeles.
He said Wednesday that he saw no signs of the propofol or the other sedatives ultimately found in Jackson's body, and Murray made no mention of the anesthetic as paramedics rushed to try to find some way to save the singer.

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People vs. Dr. Conrad Murray

Phone Company -- Murray Called Everyone BUT 911

Two reps from the phone company testified in the hours surrounding the revelation that Michael Jackson was lifeless in bed, Murray was texting and calling lots of people, but never called 911.

The records show Murray was sending and receiving multiple texts. Two particularly interesting ones at 12:03 and 12:04 PM ... the person Murray was texting was in Texas.

It's unclear if the texts had anything to do with the two women in Murray's office who went to a storage facility to retrieve boxes.

Murray also sent data at 12:15 and 12:18 and another text at 12:53.

Murray also called a number of people, including his girlfriend, Nicole Alvarez, but the only record shows 1:08 PM. This is inconsistent with what law enforcement tells TMZ -- that he was on the phone with Alvarez just after 12 noon and when Murray realized MJ was in distress he dropped the phone.



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Jackson dead before paramedics arrived, court told
(AFP) – 34 minutes ago
LOS ANGELES — Michael Jackson was already dead well before paramedics arrived, one responder said Thursday at pre-trial hearings to decide whether his personal doctor should be tried for manslaughter.
The emergency medic, the second to testify, echoed a colleague saying Jackson's physician Conrad Murray scrambled to clear up medical equipment as they arrived, and at first denied he had given drugs to the star.
Murray is accused of involuntary manslaughter over the icon's shock death on June 25, 2009. Prosecutors say he administered an overdose of the powerful sedative propofol to help Jackson sleep, and then tried to cover it up.
Paramedic Martin Blount said that when they arrived at Jackson's rented mansion, the 50-year-old appeared already dead, with cold skin and fixed and dilated eyes.
"It seemed like he'd been down for a little while," he told the Los Angeles Superior Court, which is began an expected two weeks of pre-trial hearings on Tuesday.
His comments backed up testimony by fellow paramedic Richard Senneff, who estimated that Jackson had stopped breathing between 20 minutes and an hour before the emergency medics arrived, four minutes after a 911 call was made.
Blount said Murray initially denied having given Jackson any medications, but said he saw the doctor holding a needle, and three bottles of the anesthetic Lidocaine on the floor.
"He scooped them off the floor and put them into a black bag," Blount said, echoing testimony by Seneff Wednesday that Murray asked him to dispose of an intravenous drip bag, and cleared up other medical equipment himself.
At the start of the hearings, LA deputy district attorney David Walgren said Murray gave Jackson propofol every night for nearly two months to help him sleep, as he prepared for a string of comeback concerts in London.
He listed a string of alleged failings by the doctor on the day Jackson died, including delaying calling 911, not telling paramedics about drugs he had given and not knowing how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Jackson was eventually taken to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 2:26 pm, from acute intoxication with propofol.

Jackson's death at the age of 50 shocked the entertainment world and triggered intense debate over the performer's health in the run-up to the London concerts, known as the "This is It" tour.

Many evidences Murray murdered Michael:

"In the approximately five hours before Murray discovered that his famous patient had stopped breathing, he had 11 phone conversations on two different phones."

"A trio of back-to-back calls lasting 45 minutes led directly to the moment when prosecutors say the physician realized Jackson was in cardiac arrest."

"The two witnesses from the phone companies are Harry Daliwal, AT&T, and Jeff Strohm, Sprint Nextel - as we now know Conrad Murray was using 2 cell phones"

Phone Records, Paramedics, Michael Jackson Aide Paint Unflattering Picture of Dr. Conrad Murray
January 6th, 2011 5:06 PM by Free Britney Tags: Michael Jackson, Dr. Conrad Murray
Dr. Conrad Murray didn't exactly rush to call 911 after he found Michael Jackson lifeless, according to paramedics ... and the doctor's phone records.

Murray may try to argue Michael Jackson killed himself with a lethal dose of Propofol in a brief window during which the doc went to the bathroom.

When he came back, the defense theory goes, Murray called 911 right away. But phone company employees told a different story in court today.




The phone company says that in the hours surrounding the revelation that Michael was lifeless in bed, Murray was texting and calling lots of people.

Not on his list? 911.

Records show Dr. Murray was sending and receiving multiple texts. Two texts were sent by Murray to someone in Texas at 12:03 and 12:04 p.m.

It's unclear if the texts pertained to the women in Murray's office who went to a storage facility to retrieve boxes, but you have to wonder.

The death timeline dispute has permeated for months, with some law enforcement sources believing MJ was injected as early as 10:50 a.m.

Murray also sent data at 12:15, 12:18 and 12:53 p.m. on June 25, 2009, when the King of Pop passed away of acute Propofol intoxication.

The singer's personal physician also called a number of people, including his girlfriend, Nicole Alvarez, but the only record shows 1:08 p.m.

This is inconsistent with earlier claims that he talked with Alvarez around noon and when he realized MJ was in distress, dropped the phone.

Meanwhile, a paramedic testified today that Dr. Conrad Murray denied giving Michael Jackson drugs as the singer lay lifeless in his bedroom.

Martin Blount said when he walked into MJ's room Murray was sweating profusely. Murray told EMTs he waited only one minute to call 911.

Another paramedic testified that he believed Murray waited between 20 minutes to an hour to call 911. The call was placed at 12:21 p.m.

Then there's this.

Alberto Alvarez (no relation to Nicole), a bodyguard who says he was MJ's Director of Logistics, said Murray removed bottles from MJ's room.

Along with an IV bag with a milky-white substance, believed to be Propofol, Murray told Alvarez to remove certain bottles before calling 911.

Alvarez says he walked into MJ's bedroom at 12:17 p.m. he saw Michael laying motionless. Murray told him Michael had "an allergic reaction."

He ordered him to collect a bag of bottles and put them in a bag. Alvarez says Murray "instructed me to remove the IV bag from the IV stand."

Alvarez says there was a second IV bag - which contained saline. Murray told him to leave it. He also said that Michael's kids watched him die.

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Interesting quotes:

"The phone company says that in the hours surrounding the revelation that Michael was lifeless in bed, Murray was texting and calling lots of people."Not on his list? 911."


"Records show Dr. Murray was sending and receiving multiple texts. Two texts were sent by Murray to someone in Texas at 12:03 and 12:04 p.m.

It's unclear if the texts pertained to the women in Murray's office who went to a storage facility to retrieve boxes, but you have to wonder."

"Murray also sent data at 12:15, 12:18 and 12:53 p.m. on June 25, 2009, when the King of Pop passed away of acute Propofol intoxication."

Some interesting quotes:

‎"Dr. Richelle Cooper testified when Jackson arrived at UCLA there was "no signs of life."

Dr. Cooper added Murray was not forthcoming about the drugs administered to MJ. Cooper says Murray copped to giving Michael lorezapam, but made no mention of Propofol.

And this was interesting. Cooper says MJ weighed 136 lbs.

Dr. Thao Nguyen testified Dr. Murray denied giving Michael any sedatives or narcotcs."


The phone company says that in the hours surrounding the revelation that Michael was lifeless in bed, Murray was texting and calling lots of people.

Not on his list? 911.

Records show Dr. Murray was sending and receiving multiple texts. Two texts were sent by Murray to someone in Texas at 12:03 and 12:04 p.m.

It's unclear if the texts pertained to the women in Murray's office who went to a storage facility to retrieve boxes, but you have to wonder.

The death timeline dispute has permeated for months, with some law enforcement sources believing MJ was injected as early as 10:50 a.m.

Murray also sent data at 12:15, 12:18 and 12:53 p.m. on June 25, 2009, when the King of Pop passed away of acute Propofol intoxication.

The singer's personal physician also called a number of people, including his girlfriend, Nicole Alvarez, but the only record shows 1:08 p.m.

This is inconsistent with earlier claims that he talked with Alvarez around noon and when he realized MJ was in distress, dropped the phone.

The phone company says that in the hours surrounding the revelation that Michael was lifeless in bed, Murray was texting and calling lots of people. Not on his list? 911.

Murray also sent data at 12:15, 12:18 and 12:53 p.m. on June 25, 2009, when the King of Pop passed away of acute Propofol intoxication.

It is incredible:

Dr. Conrad Murray -- I 'Love' MJ's Mom
1/6/2011 7:55 AM PST by TMZ Staff

Doctor Conrad Murray claims it's been hard for him to watch Michael Jackson's mother Katherine grieve over the death of her son ... because he "loves" her like his own mother.



Murray was out shopping at Nordstrom in Santa Monica yesterday -- hopefully looking to replace the awful paisley tie he wore on the first day of his manslaughter prelim -- when he told photogs, "It's hard to see [Katherine] grieving ... I care about her as much as I care about my own mother."

Murray added, "I love her very much."

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ER doc: Jackson dead long before hospital arrival
(AP) – 6 hours ago

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Before paramedics wheeled Michael Jackson into the emergency room, Dr. Richelle Cooper was sure he was dead.
More than an hour of resuscitation efforts at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center didn't change her opinion — the King of Pop had died in the bedroom of his rented mansion.
Based on what Jackson's personal physician told her, though, she didn't quite know why.
Murray told her he had seen Jackson stop breathing and immediately started CPR, but prosecutors say that's not what happened. Instead, over three days and a dozen witnesses at a preliminary hearing, they have put forth a timeline in which Jackson died in the bedroom of his rented mansion and Murray delayed calling 911 to conceal his actions.
Cooper testified she authorized paramedics to pronounce Jackson dead at 12:57 p.m., but they declined at Murray's request and because of the singer's celebrity. After an ambulance ride trailed by paparazzi and more than an hour of efforts in the ER, Cooper officially pronounced Jackson dead at 2:26 p.m. on June 25, 2009.
She said that Murray never told her he had given Jackson the anesthetic propofol, which Cooper said she typically uses in the ER for patients with head trauma or serious injuries.
The Houston-based cardiologist charged in Jackson's death also didn't mention several other sedatives he administered, which Cooper said could have amplified the propofol's effects and caused Jackson to stop breathing before his heart stopped beating.
The testimony came during a multi-day preliminary hearing in which a judge will decide whether there is enough evidence for Murray to stand trial on an involuntary manslaughter charge. Murray, who has pleaded not guilty, faces up to four years in prison if convicted.
With Cooper and another UCLA doctor, prosecutors have elicited testimony from five witnesses who said Murray either never mentioned the all the drugs he had given Jackson, or tried to conceal them.
Paramedic Martin Blount, who also testified Thursday, said he saw Murray scoop up three vials of the painkiller lidocaine from the floor of Jackson's bedroom during resuscitation efforts. Blount said he was surprised to see the medications because Murray had told him that he hadn't given the singer any drugs.
Murray's attorney, Joseph Low IV, did not even question Blount's description of the lidocaine, although another defense attorney pointedly questioned the UCLA doctors about whether candid disclosures from the doctor would have saved Jackson.
Cooper said while it wouldn't have changed her efforts to revive Jackson, knowing that Murray had given the singer several sedatives and propofol would have added to her understanding of why the singer had died.
"I would be concerned particularly if there were other medications given, that it would lead to a respiratory arrest, which would lead to a cardiac arrest," Cooper said.
Nicole Alvarez, a girlfriend Murray called while riding in the ambulance to UCLA, has been ordered to appear in court on Friday. The hearing will also feature detectives, coroner's officials and experts on propofol's effects in the coming days.
Before the hearing is over, a judge may hear Murray's version of events as well, as he relayed them to police detectives three days after Jackson's death.
Deputy District Attorney David Walgren has said he will use Murray's statements and testimony to show that the 57-year-old's actions represented "an extreme deviation from the standard of care."

Michael Jackson hearing: Doctor's private life in the spotlight

Prosecutors put a spotlight on Dr. Conrad Murray’s complicated personal life Friday, summoning to the witness stand three mistresses –- two former and one current -- as they continued laying out evidence against the doctor in Michael Jackson’s death.

Only one of the women, the doctor’s current girlfriend, testified at length about him. But their testimony suggested that prosecutors may try link the financial costs of Murray’s romantic life with his desire to keep the $150,000-a-month job with the singer.

“When you began an intimate relationship with Dr Murray … were you aware he had six other children?” Deputy Dist. Atty. Deborah Brazil asked Nicole Alvarez, the mother of his toddler son.

Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor, who will determine whether there is enough evidence to try Murray for involuntary manslaughter, said the question was irrelevant and ordered Alvarez not to answer.

Murray, 57, is married to a medical-school classmate but has fathered children with several other women, including Alvarez, the mother of his 20-month-old son.

Murray was simultaneously dating another woman, Houston cocktail waitress Sade Anding, and it was her testimony that bore most directly on Jackson’s death. She was on the phone with Murray around the time the doctor found the singer stricken in bed. She said he abruptly stopped responding to her comments.

“I just remember saying, ‘Hello, hello, hello! Are you there? Are you there,’” Anding recalled. She said she heard “a commotion, as if the phone was in a pocket or something,” followed by coughing and a “mumbling of voices” that she did not recognize.

She said she called Murray back and also texted him, but was unable to reach him.
Jackson died June 25, 2009 after going into cardiac arrest in a bedroom of his rented Holmby Hills home. The coroner determined that he died from a combination of the surgical anesthetic propofol and several sedatives.

Phone records indicate that Murray made 11 calls during the time that authorities say he should have been closely monitoring Jackson.

Bridgette Morgan, another former girlfriend, testified briefly that she had phoned Murray about a half-hour before Jackson stopped breathing, but did not reach him.

The most extensive testimony came from Alvarez, a 29-year-old actress who met Murray in 2005 when he was a customer at a Las Vegas “gentlemen’s club” where she worked.

Asked by Brazil asked if she knew the doctor, who lived in Las Vegas with his wife and children, was married when they met, she said she couldn’t remember. Later in her testimony, however, she said that Murray’s permanent residence was “in Las Vegas with his wife.”

She gave birth to their son in March 2009 and said she was planning to take the baby to London with Murray for Jackson’s planned concert stand at the O2 Arena.

Brazil produced packing slips showing six deliveries from a Las Vegas pharmacy -– the pharmacy from which Murray ordered propofol -- to the apartment where she lived and Murray paid the rent. She said Murray told her he was having packages shipped to the apartment, but she never opened the boxes or looked closely at the return address.

Alvarez said that she knew Murray left her apartment each night to treat Jackson, but that the physician told her “absolutely nothing” about those treatments.

“Dr. Murray and I were on a need-to-know basis. He’s a professional man and I know my position and my place in his life and it is not my duty to know” the details of his medical practice, she said.

Alvarez was a prickly and at times hostile witness for the prosecution, asking Brazil to repeat questions so often that the judge admonished her to pay better attention.

When the prosecutor asked about her expectations of Murray’s schedule while he was treating Jackson, she replied testily, “To begin with, I don’t have expectations of Dr. Murray, so I wouldn’t expect anything … that’s just a rule I live by.”

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UCLA Docs -- Michael Was DOA
Updated 1/06/11 at 2:45pm

Two doctors from the UCLA Medical Center testified ... Michael Jackson was dead on arrival, yet Dr. Murray told them "not to give up easily and try to save the patient."

Dr. Richelle Cooper testified when Jackson arrived at UCLA there was "no signs of life."

Dr. Cooper added Murray was not forthcoming about the drugs administered to MJ. Cooper says Murray copped to giving Michael lorazepam, but made no mention of Propofol.

And this was interesting. Cooper says MJ weighed 136 lbs.

Dr. Thao Nguyen testified Dr. Murray denied giving Michael any sedatives or narcotics, other than the lorazepam.
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SMOKING GUN IN MICHAEL JACKSON'S DEATH
Updated 1/07/11 at 10:35am

A girlfriend of Dr. Conrad Murray's at the time of Michael Jackson's death just established for prosecutors Murray waited around 25 minutes after noticing MJ was lifeless before calling 911.

Sade Anding -- who was in Houston the day MJ died -- testified she received a call from Murray at around 12:30 PM. It's unclear if she was referring to Pacific or Central time.

But there is only one call in the phone records from Murray to Sade, and that's at 11:51 AM PT.

Sade says Murray was asking her how she was doing and she started talking about her day. She spoke for a few minutes and realized Murray wasn't on the phone anymore.

Sade then said she heard commotion, as if the phone was in his pocket, and heard "coughing and voices."

Sade estimates the entire call lasted 5 minutes.

The 911 call wasn't made until 12:21 PM PT, which means -- if Murray did indeed first realize MJ was in distress at around 11:55 AM PT -- there was a long delay in sounding the alarm.
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Murray's Other GF Describes Deliveries, No Mention of Propofol
Updated 1/07/11 at 12:15pm

Dr. Conrad Murray's baby mama, Nicole Alvarez, testified today about multiple mystery packages Murray had sent to her Los Angeles apartment between April and June 2009.

Although the contents of the packages were not mentioned in court, TMZ first reported back in October 2009 ... those packages were shipped from Murray's pharmacy in Las Vegas and contained Propofol.

Alvarez was also one of the people that received a phone call from Dr. Murray on the day Jackson died -- but the prosecution did not question her about the call. Murray's team declined to cross-examine.

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People vs. Dr. Conrad Murray
14 minutes ago by TMZ Staff

Coroner Found A Dozen Bottles of Propofol

An investigator for the L.A. County Coroner's Office testified her office found 12 bottles of Propofol in Michael Jackson's home.

Elissa Fleak says two bottles were in the bedroom where MJ died, and the other 10 were in a nearby closet.

One of the Propofol bottles found in the room by the nightstand was empty.

In addition to the Propofol, investigators found a pharmacy full of drugs, including lorazepam, diazepam, temazepam, trazodone, flomax, clonazepam, tizanidine, hydrocodone, lidocaine and benoquin.

Also found ... used syringes and needles, as well as a box of unopened hypodermic needles, IV catheters and vials.


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People vs. Dr. Conrad Murray
1/7/2011 3:10 PM PST by TMZ Staff

Murray Lawyer Paints Picture -- Michael Killed Himself

Dr. Conrad Murray's lawyers laid the groundwork for their defense -- Michael Jackson delivered the fatal shot of Propofol to himself.

Murray's lawyer, J. Michael Flanagan, asked Coroner investigator Elissa Fleak two questions 1) Was the IV bag fingerprinted? and 2) Was it possible for Jackson to reach the syringes from the bed?

As TMZ first reported, the defense will argue that Jackson became frustrated when he couldn't sleep that day and gave himself the fatal shot of Propofol when Murray was out of the room.

'This Is It' Producer: I Didn't Cause Michael's Death
14 minutes ago by TMZ Staff

The producer/director of Michael Jackson's "This Is It" tour is scoffing at Katherine Jackson's wrongful death suit in which he's named as a defendant, because he had nothing to do with the drugs or treatment that caused the singer's death.

Kenny Ortega just filed legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- asking the court to remove him as a defendant in Katherine's suit, claiming, "Kenneth Ortega is not alleged to be involved in the medical treatment or administration of drugs that allegedly caused Michael Jackson's death."

Ortega's lawyer adds ... Kenny never had a contract with Dr. Conrad Murray or with Michael Jackson, nor has he had any official affiliation with AEG.

Ortega's lawyer says, "The naming of Kenneth Ortega as a defendant in this action, without any basis, without any substantive charging allegations against him, is a gross error."

Tell-All Book At the Root Of Jackson Family War
1/7/2011 7:15 AM PST by TMZ Staff

Katherine Jackson's war with Jermaine/Randy's baby mama Alejandra Jackson is all about a tell-all Alejandra is working on ... sources directly connected with the family and the dispute tell TMZ.




We broke the story ... the Michael Jackson Estate has filed legal papers trying to evict Alejandra and her kids, Jaafar, Jermajesty, Donte, Randy Jr. and Genevieve from the family home in Encino, which was owned by MJ and now the Estate.

Now TMZ knows what has lead to this legal showdown.

Katherine and her lawyers asked Alejandra and her kids to leave months ago, following the stun gun incident with Jaafar. Alejandra lawyered up, and the Estate put an offer on the table -- the Estate would give her a condo, but in return she'd have to sign a confidentiality agreement and promise, among other things, not to write a tell-all book.

We've learned Alejandra refused to sign a confidentiality agreement and is in "active negotiations" for a tell-all.

And there's more. We're told Alejandra was demanding money from the MJ Estate.

When Alejandra was in Japan last month with her kids, everyone assumed she was going away for good and Katherine temporarily moved out to remodel the house.

But Alejandra came back, moved back in, and refused to leave, stalling the remodel.

Sources say Katherine's lawyers called the cops last week to forcibly evict Alejandra, but the police said they couldn't do anything without an eviction order ... which is why the Estate is going to court.

Judge: Murray's iPhone Admissible as Evidence

Judge Michael Pastor ruled this morning that recently obtained data from Dr. Conrad Murray's iPhone can admitted as evidence.

According to Murray's attorney, Ed Chernoff, the phone contains a few short voicemails and 12 screenshots that may be used as evidence during the hearing.

The prosecution has used phone records to create a timeline of what Murray did on the day Michael Jackson died.

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Dr. Murray Ordered a Boatload of Propofol for MJ
Updated 1/10/11 at 12:05pm

A pharmacist Dr. Murray used to order Propofol just testified the doctor ordered box after box of the drug in the two months before Michael Jackson's death.

Tim Lopez, a pharmacist at Applied Pharmacy Services in Las Vegas, said beginning on April 6, 2009, Dr. Murray began ordering large quantities of Propofol. On that date, he ordered 10 single dose vials.

Murray, who had the drugs sent to his girlfriend's Santa Monica home where he was living, also ordered boxes of the drug on April 28 -- 4 boxes and each of the boxes had 10 100ml vials.

Later that month, Murray ordered 20 vials of midazolam and 20 vials of lorazepam.

On May 12, Murray ordered 4 boxes of Propofol, along with 2 trays of midazolam.

On June 10, Murray ordered 4 boxes of Propofol, and 2 20ml Propofol.

In all, Murray ordered 255 vials of Propofol in the two months -- including 130 vials of Propofol in 100ml doses and another 125 vials of Propofol in 20ml vials.


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Defense: Michael Jackson Drank Propofol
Updated 1/10/11 at 2:53pm

Michael Jackson may have drank himself to death by consuming a juice box laced with Propofol -- at least that's what Conrad Murray's defense team suggested in court today.

Murray's attorney, J. Michael Flanagan, was questioning a Senior Criminalist from the L.A. County Coroner's Office about the 70 grams of fluid found in MJ's stomach at the time of the autopsy ... fluid that tested positive for traces of Propofol.

Flanagan noted the presence of a juice box on MJ's nightstand ... and asked if it had been tested for Propofol ... raising the possibility that MJ was sippin' on the anesthetic shortly before he died.

The criminalist testified he had not tested the juice box.

So what's Flanagan's point? He might be suggesting that MJ was secretly self-administering his Propofol ... which would support Murray's defense theory that MJ accidentally caused his own overdose.


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Murray to Cops: Michael Begged Me For Propofol

In some of the most dramatic testimony to date, an LAPD detective testified Dr. Conrad Murray told him Michael Jackson "begged" him for Propofol shortly before he died.

LAPD Robbery Homicide Detective Orlando Martinez testified about an interview he conducted with Dr. Murray two days after MJ died. Martinez said Murray told him the night before Jackson died he was having trouble sleeping. Murray said he was trying to ween Jackson off of Propofol -- a drug he was giving MJ almost every night for two months.

Murray told Martinez he was giving Jackson a variety of other drugs, beginning sometime after 1AM, to no avail. Jackson then said if he didn't get to sleep he would cancel rehearsal.

Murray said he was feeling "pressure" from MJ to give him something to help him sleep, and Jackson was begging for Propofol. Murray claims he gave him a reduced dose, with Michael's help. As TMZ has reported many times before, Murray said MJ liked to "push in the Propofol himself and that other doctors let him do it."

Murray went to the bathroom for 2 minutes, came back and claims he saw MJ wasn't breathing.

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Coroner's Official Says Poor Medical Care Killed Michael Jackson
(CNS) Posted Tuesday January 11, 2011 – 11:37am
Michael Jackson was generally in good health when he died from an overdose of a powerful anesthetic, a coroner's official testified today, adding that the pop superstar's death could be attributed to substandard medical care.

Dr. Christopher Rogers, chief of forensic medicine for the Los Angeles County coroner's office, said he concluded that Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, at age 50 was a homicide. He testified that he reached the conclusion based primarily on the medical care the singer had received.

Rogers testified in a hearing to determine if Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, 57, should stand trial on an involuntary manslaughter charge.

Rogers said Jackson's health was generally good, noting the singer was 5-foot-9 and had a normal weight of 136. He said the singer died of acute propofol intoxication -- an overdose of a powerful anesthetic.

Asked by one of Murray's attorneys if he would still rule the singer's death a homicide if Jackson had administered the propofol himself, Rogers said, "Based on the quality of the medical care, I would still call this a homicide, even if the doctor did not provide the propofol to Mr. Jackson."

Rogers testified that propofol should not be used to treat insomnia. He also said a patient who is given such a powerful anesthetic should not be left unattended.

He testified that he was told "that the doctor left Mr. Jackson while he was anesthetized, and this is something you would not do."

Rogers added that "bad things can happen very quickly" when a patient is under anesthesia.

On the stand Monday, a Los Angeles police detective testified that Murray told him he was trying to wean Jackson off of propofol, but he administered the drug anyway after the singer complained he would have to cancel rehearsals and shows if he couldn't sleep.

Murray told investigators two days after Jackson's death that he administered a 25-milligram dose of propofol between 10:40 and 10:45 a.m. June 25, 2009, after Jackson asked for the sedative he called "milk," according to Los Angeles police Robbery/Homicide Detective Orlando Martinez.

During the June 27, 2009, interview at a Marina del Rey hotel, Murray told investigators he initially gave Valium and two other medications to Jackson, starting at about 2 a.m. that day, because he was trying to wean him off the nightly 50-milligram dose of propofol he had been getting from Murray for two months, the detective testified.

"He felt that Mr. Jackson had developed a dependency upon the propofol," Martinez said of the interview with Murray, who was accompanied by two attorneys to the interview.

Murray told police he had lowered the dose of propofol he gave to Jackson two nights earlier and used other medications, then had not used any propofol on June 24, 2009, according to the detective.

But the doctor told investigators that on the day Jackson died, the singer had slept for just 10 to 12 minutes after receiving the drug midazolam and the singer complained he would have to cancel his shows, Martinez testified.

The detective said Murray told investigators he gave Jackson the 25-milligram propofol dose to put him to sleep and then a slow drip to keep him sleepy, and that he monitored the singer for a while after Jackson fell asleep at about 11 a.m.

The doctor told detectives he felt comfortable leaving Jackson and went to the bathroom for about two minutes, then found the singer not breathing when he returned, according to Martinez.

"He said that he was stunned to see that he was not breathing," the police detective said.

"I remember Dr. Murray saying he believed it had just happened because he was only gone for a few minutes," the detective testified.

During the preliminary hearing that began last Tuesday, prosecutors have presented witnesses who testified that Murray and security personnel collected drug vials at his behest at Jackson's rented Holmby Hills estate before calling 911.

Paramedics who eventually responded to the home and doctors at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center -- where the singer was pronounced dead -- testified that Murray never told them he gave Jackson propofol, which doctors said is normally used only in a hospital setting.

Other witnesses said Murray made or received a series of telephone calls the day Jackson died, including several after he administered the propofol.

Jackson was in Los Angeles rehearsing for a series of concerts in London.


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Michael Jackson hearing: Coroner says drug dose amounted to 'homicide'
January 11, 2011 | 11:16 am
The medical examiner who ruled Michael Jackson’s death a homicide testified Tuesday he would stand by the classification even if it turned out the pop star gave himself the fatal dose of anesthetic.

Dr. Christopher Rogers made the statement as a lawyer for Jackson’s personal physician questioned him about the possibility the singer administered the anesthetic propofol when Dr. Conrad Murray wasn’t looking.

“Based on the quality of the medical care, I would still call this a homicide even if the doctor did not administer the propofol to Mr. Jackson,” said Rogers, chief of forensic medication at the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office.

He said Murray had endangered Jackson by using the drug in a home setting without proper monitoring, regardless of who gave the final dose. The testimony was a blow to the defense.

Over the course of the six-day hearing to determine whether there is enough evidence to try Murray for involuntary manslaughter, his lawyers have hinted they may argue for acquittal at trial by blaming Jackson for the fatal dose.

Rogers testified the pop star was in “excellent” health for a middle-aged man and died because of “substandard” medical care. The pathologist said Murray violated treatment norms with his use of propofol.
The drug, he said, is not indicated for insomnia and requires constant patient monitoring, which Murray did not provide.

“The information we received indicates that the doctor left Mr. Jackson while he was anesthetized and this is something you would not do,” Roger said.

Despite testimony from a paramedic that the singer was so underweight as to resemble a hospice patient, Rogers said Jackson was “normal weight” at 5 feet 9 and 136 pounds.

RELATED:

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Quotes:

"A coroner's official says Michael Jackson was mostly healthy, but the doctor charged in his death provided substandard care. Rogers says Murray was improperly using the powerful anesthetic propofol to treat the musician for insomnia. He also says Murray was wrong to leave Jackson's side while he was under anesthesia."

"A doctor for the L.A. County Coroner's Office just testified ... even if Michael Jackson injected himself with the fatal dose of Propofol, Dr. Murray is still guilty of homicide."

"The care was substandard," Rogers said. "There were several actions that should have been taken, but we don't have any (indication) they were taken in this case."Rogers also said he did not believe the singer injected himself with propofol, which Murray's defense attorneys have suggested could have occurred."

"The coroner who performed the autopsy on Michael Jackson has testified that the pop star's death would have been classified a homicide even if the singer gave himself the final dose of the anesthetic propofol."


"Based on the quality of the medical care, I would still call this a homicide even if the doctor did not administer the propofol to Mr. Jackson,” said Rogers, chief of forensic medication at the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office."

‎"Manner of death? Homicide. Homicide based on what? It was based primarly based on the info we [coroner, BX] had on the medical care Michael Jackson received. The care was substandard. And there were several actions that should have been taken and we don’t have any evidence that they were taken."

"Dr. Christopher Rogers, chief of forensic medicine for the Los Angeles County coroner's office, said he concluded that Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, at age 50 was a homicide. He testified that he reached the conclusion based primarily on the medical care the singer had received."

‎"She (an anesthesiologist) concluded that the propofol could not have been self-administered, given the configuration of the IV setup," he (Dr. Rogers) said.
He said she also noted that Jackson's IV tube was connected to his left leg below the knee and it would have been "extremely awkward" for the singer to reach it, especially if he had been sedated."