MJ death preliminary hearings
A judge this week will hold preliminary court hearings in the involuntary manslaughter case against Dr Conrad Murray, the doctor who is accused of being responsible for the death of pop star Michael Jackson.
January 04, 2011 / 08:53 IST
A judge this week will hold preliminary court hearings in the involuntary manslaughter case against Dr Conrad Murray, the doctor who is accused of being responsible for the death of pop star Michael Jackson.
Jackson died of an overdose of prescription drugs on June 25, 2009. Officials ruled his death was due to an overdose of the anesthetic propofol and sedative lorazepam. Investigators quickly focused on Murray, who was with Jackson when he stopped breathing at his Los Angeles mansion.Here are some facts about the case:On Tuesday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor will begin a preliminary hearing in which he will determine if enough evidence exist to hold a trial before a jury on whether Murray is guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Murray has pleaded not guilty.The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office will use the hearings to present its theory of how Jackson died. Other highlights of the hearings could include testimony on what Murray told investigators, as well as the views of medical experts on what led to Jackson's death.Attorneys for Murray have said the preliminary hearings could last two weeks. Many such hearings in Los Angeles take hours. Legal experts say the longer time frame for the Murray case stems from its high-profile nature and the complexity of testimony from medical experts.In August 2009, Los Angeles County coroners ruled Jackson's death a homicide by overdose. They said propofol and lorazepam were the key drugs involved, but the full autopsy listed "acute propofol intoxication" as the principal cause cause of death. Other drugs in Jackson's body included diazepam, midozolam, lidocaine and ephedrine.Court documents describe Jackson as an insomniac who, with the assistance of Murray, used propofol to sleep. Jackson is said to have called propofol his "milk." The drug is often used to sedate patients and anesthetize them before surgeries. Jackson is believed to have sold about 750 million records. His 1982 "Thriller" is the top-selling album of all time and he won 13 Grammy Awards and was twice inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
