LOS ANGELES – Grim photographs of Michael Jackson's corpse in a hospital bed juxtaposed with a picture of the Thrillersinger rehearsing the day before his death brought an emotional opening yesterday to the manslaughter trial of the doctor hired to care for him.
In opening arguments two years after Jackson’s sudden death by drug overdose, prosecutor David Walgren told jurors the pop star “literally put his life in the hands of Dr Conrad Murray”. “That misplaced trust in the hands of Conrad Murray cost Michael Jackson his life,” Mr Walgren added.
But Dr Murray’s lawyers argued that Jackson “caused his own death” by giving himself extra medication. “He died so rapidly, so instantly, he didn’t even have time to close his eyes,” defence lawyer Ed Chernoff said in opening arguments.
Dr Murray has pleaded not guilty to the involuntary manslaughter of Jackson on June 25th, 2009, but faces a prison sentence of up to four years if jurors find he is ultimately responsible for the pop star’s death. The trial is expected to last four to six weeks.
The Texas cardiologist, who was receiving $150,000 (€110,000) a month to care for Jackson, wiped away tears during yesterday’s opening statements as Mr Chernoff defended him.
Jackson’s body was found at his rented Los Angeles mansion just three weeks before 50 planned London comeback concerts.
Dr Murray has admitted giving the 50-year-old pop star a dose of the powerful anaesthetic propofol as a sleeping aid while he rehearsed for the shows. But Mr Chernoff told jurors Dr Murray was trying to wean the pop star off his addiction to the drug.
Mr Chernoff said Jackson gave himself eight lorazepam antianxiety pills in a bid to sleep in the early hours of June 25th, 2009.
“We believe the evidence will show ... that when Dr Murray left the room, Michael Jackson self-administered a dose of propofol that with the lorazepam created a perfect storm within his body that killed him instantly,” Mr Chernoff added.
Jackson’s parents, Joe and Katherine, his sisters, Janet and La Toya, and other family members were in court yesterday, while outside dozens of fans held sunflowers, pictures of the dead pop star, and placards saying “Justice for Michael”.
Mr Walgren opened the prosecution case by showing jurors a photo of Jackson lying dead on a hospital gurney, side by side with a picture of him singing and dancing while rehearsing for the concerts one day before. Footage of the rehearsals were made into Jackson's posthumous concert movie This Is Itin 2009, which became a global box office hit.
But Mr Chernoff painted a different scenario, claiming that Jackson was under huge pressure to make the concerts – his first in 10 years – a success, not just financially but also to restore his image after his damaging 2005 trial and acquittal for child molestation.
Jurors are expected to hear testimony from the paramedics who transported Jackson to the hospital, medical experts, Jackson’s choreographer and Dr Murray’s girlfriends.
The first prosecution witness is expected to be Kenny Ortega, the choreographer and film director who was hired to stage the London shows. – (Reuters)