(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Michael Jackson's manslaughter trial took an interesting turn yesterday when the defence team's expert witness was held in contempt of court.
Dr. Paul White was the most important witness called to testify for Dr. Conrad Murray's team.
But the Propofol specialist may have done more harm than good and was fined $1,000 for repeatedly violating court orders.
Murray has pleaded not guilty of the involuntary manslaughter of the King of Pop who died in June 2009 from acute Propofol intoxication.
White continually testified about private conversations he had with Murray which Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael E. Pastor ruled inadmissible in the case that is nearing the end.
The expert told the jury that he believed Jackson took extra doses of two drugs while Murray was not in the room but White added that he did not think it was a suicide attempt.
"I don't think [Jackson] realised the potential danger," he said in court yesterday.
However, White agreed that Murray's treatment of Jackson deviated from medical standards of care and said he should not have administered the powerful anaesthetic in a home setting and he did not have proper monitoring equipment for the star.
White also stated that he believed Jackson had his own storage of Propofol and the Thriller star could have injected the drug from a partially-filled syringe left in his bedroom by Murray.
He also told the jury that he had additional information he wanted to share with them but that the judge told him he could not, which was deemed a further violation of the court's proceedings.
If Murray is convicted he faces four years in jail. (C) Cover Media