Dr. Conrad Murray‘s reckless actions doomed Michael Jackson, says the prosecution, while it was Jackson himself who self-administered the deadly dose of propofol, says the defense.
Michael Jackson’s children will be fatherless because of Dr. Conrad Murray’s reckless actions, said prosecutor David Walgren during closing arguments Thursday of Murray’s involuntary manslaughter trial.
“Conrad Murray caused the death of Michael Jackson (and) Conrad Murray left Prince, Paris and Blanket without a father,” Walgren said, according to ABC.
The prosecution contends that Murray, Jackson’s personal physician, caused the superstar’s death on June 25, 2009 when he administered a fatal dose of the anesthetic propofol. Murray was hired by Jackson to help the singer sleep during his upcoming “This Is It” comeback tour. The doctor was to receive $150,000 a month for 10 months, Walgren said.
“Michael Jackson trusted Conrad Murray. He trusted him with his life,” Walgren said. “He trusted him with his own individual life and the future lives of his children, trusting that Conrad Murray, as he slept, would care for him so that in the morning he would awake to share a meal with his children.”
When things went awry, Murray sought the help of the house staff, who ushered Jackson’s children away from the scene. Paris broke down in tears and Prince “had a shocked look on his face and was crying,” said Walgren as images of the children were projected on a screen in the court room.
“This relationship of trust that is so important between a doctor and a patient was grossly corrupted by the actions of Conrad Murray,” Walgren said. “Conrad Murray marched forward, putting Conrad Murray first, not Michael Jackson first.”
Ed Chernoff, defense attorney for Murray, countered that Jackson caused his own death by administering the deadly propofol to himself.
“They want you to convict Dr. Murray for the actions of Michael Jackson,” said Chernoff, according to the Associated Press.
Jackson’s celebrity is also a factor in the prosecution of Murray, Chernoff said.
“If it was anybody else, would this doctor be here today?” he said.
Murray faces four years in jail and the loss of his medical license. The deliberations by the seven man, five woman panel are set to begin on Friday in Los Angeles.
Photo courtesy of WENN
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