(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Dr. Conrad Murray will stand trial for the involuntary manslaughter of Michael Jackson.
The 50-year-old pop icon died on June 25 2009 of acute Propofol intoxication by intravenous injection of another. Propofol is a powerful anaesthetic usually given to surgery patients to help them sleep.
Murray, Jacksons personal physician, has been charged with his involuntary manslaughter, which he denies. A preliminary hearing began in Los Angeles last week, with the aim of deciding whether there is enough evidence for Murray to stand trial.
Yesterday, Superior Judge Michael Pastor ruled the trial will take place and suspended Murrays medical license in California. The defence motion to dismiss the trial is denied. I believe that Conrad Murray should be held to answer the charge, he said.
Murray has admitted giving Jackson some of the powerful anaesthetic, but insists it wasnt enough to kill him. In his closing statement, attorney Joseph Low said the pop icon had administered the Propofol himself expected to be the main defence argument at trial.
That defies common sense. Most importantly it defies everything you've heard about Dr Murray and what a good doctor he is and how much he cares about Michael Jackson, he said, referring to allegations Murray had killed Jackson.
I do not believe Conrad Murray should be held responsible for killing Michael Jackson because he couldn't breathe life back into him. Sometimes when it's your time to go, there's nothing you can do.
Earlier in the day, the court was told Murray had admitted to police he felt under pressure by Jackson to give him Propofol which he apparently took to help him sleep. In an interview, the physician alleged the singer liked to push in the Propofol himself.
However, evidence was also heard from coroner Dr. Christopher Rogers who claimed Jacksons death would be homicide even if he had administered the anaesthetic himself.
Based on the quality of the medical care, I would still call this a homicide even if the doctor didn't administer the Propofol to Mr. Jackson, he said.
If there was Propofol there, the doctor should have been prepared for the effects. The care was substandard. There were several actions that should have been taken.
During the six-day hearing, it has been alleged Murray took several phone calls when he should have been caring for Jackson, meaning he was distracted. He is also accused of failing to summon emergency services immediately after discovering Jackson was ill.
The court has also heard he ordered 255 vials of Propofol in the three months before the star died, and gave him the substance six nights a week for two months before his death. (C) Cover Media