Doctor on phone as Jackson died

Instead of monitoring the pop singer after administering him with sedatives Dr Conrad Murray was calling friends and businesses, say prosecutors

Instead of monitoring the pop singer after administering him with sedatives Dr Conrad Murray was calling friends and businesses, say prosecutors

Dr Conrad Murray spent around 45 minutes on the phone as Michael Jackson lay dying -- and made a call to his girlfriend, prosecutors said yesterday.

The doctor was speaking to cocktail waitress Sade Anding when he first noticed something was wrong with Michael.

Trial of the century: (clockwise from left) Dr Conrad Murray wipes a tear
during the defence opening arguments in his involuntary manslaughter
trial in the Michael Jackson case.


Supporters hold signs outside Los Angeles Superior Court demanding justice


Jackson's father Joe arrives at court to hear opening statements in the
case. pics/afp

He claims to have given a 25 mg dose of the anaesthetic propofol to the singer on June 25, 2009, the Los Angeles court heard. It was among several substances Murray gave Jackson, to help him go to sleep.

But after administering the dose he made five calls -- to friends and businesses -- as the drugs took deadly effect, the involuntary manslaughter trial was told.

A log of calls and e-mails revealed Murray even messaged insurers, insisting the 50-year-old star's health was fine.

His first call after dosing Michael with propofol at his home was at 11.07am, to someone called Stacey Ruggles, jurors heard. Then at 11.13 am he made a 32-minute call to his Las Vegas business.

At 11.26 am, on another phone, he was in contact with friend Bridgette Morgan. There was a call to Robert Russell at 11.49 am. Then came a dramatic conversation at 11.51 am with Sade, who Murray had met in Houston.

Prince Michael to testify
Michael Jackson's eldest son, Prince Michael who was an eyewitness to the death of his father, is believed to be reluctant to testify but has indicated that he is willing to do what needs to be done to get justice for his father.

Five minutes into that call he is said to have found his boss dead. Deputy District Attorney David Walgren told the jury, "This 11.51 am phone call is likely the time Conrad Murray first noticed Michael Jackson's lifeless body.
It won't reveal to you the time of Michael Jackson's death but it may reveal to you when Conrad Murray first noticed he had died." The court heard that Murray then called Jackson's personal assistant, Michael Amir Williams. He left a message, saying, "Call me right away, please call me right away, thank you."

Murray told Alvarez to call an ambulance but Michael was already dead when they arrived.

Murray also allegedly failed to tell paramedics and hospital doctors that he had administered propofol.

Murray allegedly told cops he had been watching his boss but went to the bathroom and was then "stunned" to find him not breathing. He had also told paramedics he had only "been down a minute".

Walgren said, "The medical experts will tell you that is abandonment. This was an extreme violation of the standard care and gross negligence. Conrad Murray was not working in the best interests of Michael Jackson.

He was working for 150,000 dollars a month."