JURORS in the trial of Michael Jackson's personal doctor have been shown an image of the performer's body and heard a harrowing recording of him slurring his words and struggling to speak.
Prosecutors claim Dr Conrad Murray, who is charged with the involuntary manslaughter of the singer, acted with “gross negligence” and gave him an overdose of the sedative propofol.
They said yesterday, as the trial began, the star’s “misplaced trust” in the 58-year-old physician cost him his life on June 25, 2009.
However, the defence claims Jackson, 50, gave himself too much of the sleeping aid.
Dr Murray, who has pled not guilty, faces up to four years in jail and the loss of his medical licence if he is convicted.
In opening speeches at the Los Angeles court house, lead prosecutor David Walgren told jurors a recording in May 2009 showed Dr Murray should not have prescribed any more propofol.
In the recording, taken from Dr Murray’s mobile phone, Jackson can be heard struggling to speak about his planned 50-date comeback tour This Is It.
He said: “We have to be phenomenal. When people leave this show, I want them to say ‘I’ve never seen nothing like this in my life, he’s the greatest entertainer in the world’.”
Mr Walgren also showed jurors a picture of the star lying dead in a hospital bed beside a picture of him rehearsing the day before his death.
He said: “Michael Jackson trusted his life to the medical skills of Conrad Murray. That misplaced trust had far too high a price to pay. That misplaced trust cost Michael Jackson his life.”
The prosecutor added: “Dr Murray abandoned Michael and left him to fend for himself. It violates not only every standard of medical care, but decency from one human being to another.
“Whatever other evidence the defence puts forwards, it will remain clear Conrad Murray abandoned Michael when he needed help.
“It was Conrad Murray’s gross negligence, unskilled hands and his desire to obtain a lucrative contract that led him not only to abandon his patient, but to abandon all medical principles of care.”
The court heard Dr Murray called the star’s personal assistant before calling paramedics. The medic is also alleged to have failed to mention propofol to hospital staff when he was asked what the singer had been given.
However, Dr Murray’s defence lawyer Ed Chernoff said in his opening statement Jackson’s death was caused by drugs he had taken himself.
Mr Chernoff said: “He did an act without his doctor’s knowledge, without his doctor’s permission, against his orders, he did an act that caused his own death.”
He claimed that, on the morning of Jackson’s death, the singer took a dosage of the sedative lorazepam which was enough to put six people to sleep.
The lawyer claimed Jackson was then killed instantly when he self-ingested propofol, which the singer nicknamed his “milk”, as the two drugs caused “a perfect storm”.
He added the doctor had been trying to wean the performer off the drug, saying: “The evidence is not going to show that Michael Jackson died when Dr Murray gave him propofol, it will show Michael Jackson died when Dr Murray stopped.”
Jackson’s parents Joe and Katherine and his sisters Janet and La Toya were joined by other family members at the hearing.
Fans outside the courtroom waved sunflowers, pictures of the dead singer and placards saying “Justice for Michael”. Several people, some holding “Team Murray” placards, came to support the doctor.
Jurors in the trial, which is expected to last five weeks, will hear testimony from the paramedics who transported Jackson to the hospital, medical experts and Jackson’s choreographer. It is believed Jackson’s daughter Paris might also give evidence.
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