Prosecution Rests in Murray Case

The prosecution has ended its case in the Conrad Murray preliminary hearing after 6 days of testimony.

The defense filed a motion to dismiss, which is routine.  It will almost certainly be denied.

Judge Michael Pastor has taken a recess.  It's virtually certain that Dr. Murray will be ordered to stand trial.

The Deputy Attorney General who represents the Medical Board of California is in the courtroom.  We're told he will ask the judge to suspend Murray's license to practice medicine.

  

Murray Lawyer Paints Picture -- Michael Killed Himself
Updated 1/07/11 at 3:30pm

Dr. Conrad Murray's lawyers  laid the groundwork for their defense -- Michael Jackson delivered the fatal shot of Propofol to himself.

Murray's lawyer, J. Michael Flanagan, asked Coroner investigator Elissa Fleak two questions  1) Was the IV bag fingerprinted? and 2) Was it possible for Jackson to reach the syringes from the bed?

As TMZ first reported, the defense will argue that Jackson became frustrated when he couldn't sleep that day and gave himself the fatal shot of Propofol when Murray was out of the room.


Coroner Found A Dozen Bottles of Propofol
Updated 1/07/11 at 3:10pm

An investigator for the L.A. County Coroner's Office testified her office found 12 bottles of Propofol in Michael Jackson's home.

Elissa Fleak sa ys two bottles were in the bedroom where MJ died, and the other 10 were in a nearby closet.

One of the Propofol bottles found in the room by the nightstand was empty.

In addition to the Propofol, investigators found a pharmacy full of drugs, including lorazepam, diazepam, temazepam, trazodone, flomax, clonazepam, tizanidine, hydrocodone, lidocaine and benoquin.

Also found ... used syringes and needles, as well as a box of unopened hypodermic needles, IV catheters and vials.


Murray's Other GF Describes Deliveries, No Mention of Propofol
Updated 1/07/11 at 12:15pm

Dr. Conrad Murray's baby mama, Nicole Alvarez, testified today about multiple mystery packages Murray had  sent to her Los Angeles apartment between April and June 2009.

Although the contents of the packages were not mentioned in court, TMZ first reported back in October 2009 ... those packages were shipped from Murray's pharmacy in Las Vegas and  contained Propofol.
 
Alvarez was also one of the people that received a phone call from Dr. Murray on the day Jackson died -- but the prosecution did not question her about the call. Murray's team declined to cross-examine.
 

SMOKING GUN IN MICHAEL JACKSON'S DEATH
Updated 1/07/11 at 10:35am

A girlfriend of Dr. Conrad Murray's at the time of Michael Jackson's death just established for prosecutors Murray waited around 25 minutes after noticin g MJ was lifeless before calling 911.

Sade Anding -- who was in Houston the day MJ died -- testified she received a call from Murray at around 12:30 PM.   It's unclear if she was referring to Pacific or Central time.

But there is only on e call in the phone records from Murray to Sade, and that's at 11:51 AM PT.

Sade says Murray was asking her how she was doing and she started talking about her day.  She spoke for a few minutes and realized Murray wasn't on the phone anymore.

Sade then said she heard commotion, as if the phone was in his pocket, and heard "coughing and voices." 

Sade estimates the entire call lasted 5 minutes.

The 911 call wasn't made until 12:21 PM PT, which means -- if Murray did indeed first realize MJ was in distress at around 11:55 AM PT -- there was a long delay in sounding the alarm. 

UCLA Docs -- Michael Was DOA
Updated 1/06/11 at 2:45pm

Two doctors from the UCLA Medical Center testified ... Michael Jackson was dead on arrival, yet Dr. Murray told them "not to give up easily and try to save the patient."

Dr. Richelle Cooper testified when Jackson arrived at UCLA there was "no signs of life."

Dr. Cooper added Murray was not forthcoming about the drugs administered to MJ.   Cooper says Murray copped to giving Michael lorazepam, but made no mention of Propofol.

And this was interesting.  Cooper says MJ weighed 136 lbs.

Dr. Thao Nguyen testified Dr. Murray denied giving Michael any sedatives or narcotics, other than the lorazepam.

Phone Company -- Murray Called Everyone BUT 911
Updated 1/06/11 at 12:25pm

Two reps from the phone company testified in the hours surrounding the revelation that Michael Jackson was lifeless in bed, Murray was texting and calling lots of people, but never called 911.

The records show Murray was sending and receiving multiple texts.  Two particularly interesting ones at 12:03 and 12:04 PM ... the person Murray was texting was in Texas.

It's unclear if the texts had anything to do with the two women in Murray's office who went to a storage facility to retrieve boxes.

Murray also sent data at 12:15 and 12:18 and another text at 12:53.

Murray also called a number of people, including his girlfriend, Nicole Alvarez, but the only record shows 1:08 PM. 
 
EMT: Murray Denied Giving MJ Drugs
Updated 1/06/11 at 10:35am

Another paramedic testified ... Dr. Conrad Murray denied giving Michael Jackson drugs as the singer lay lifeless in his bedroom.

Martin Blount said when he walked into MJ's room Murray was sweating profusely.  Blount says Murray told EMTs he waited only one minute before calling 911.

But another paramedic testified earlier he believed Murray waited between 20 minutes to an hour to call 911.

EMT:  Murray Wouldn't Accept That Michael Was Dead
Updated 1/05/11 at 4:45pm

An EMT continued testifying after a recess, stating all of the emergency workers at Michael Jackson's house knew the singer was dead, but Dr. Murray wouldn't "call it."

Richard Senneff testified about facts that TMZ has been reporting for more than a year -- that when paramedics arrived at MJ's house, there was no sign of life and no chance of revival.  Nevertheless, Senneff testified Dr. Murray claimed to feel a pulse and, as the senior medical person on scene, refused to pronounce MJ dead.

Murray ordered the EMTs to take MJ to the hospital.  Senneff said the ride was "unbelievable ... like the Rose Parade.  People running down the street, taking pictures, random cars passing the ambulance.  It was insane."

Once at UCLA, Senneff said Murray was "spinning ... moving around, nervous, sweating, multitasking."

On cross examination, Ed Chernoff got Senneff to admit ... Jackson's skeletal, frail frame, along with his black/bluish feet, were signs of a drug addict.

EMT Testifies MJ Already Dead ... Murray Mum on Propofol
Updated 1/05/11 at 3:03pm

An EMT who arrived at Michael Jackson's house 4 minutes after the 911 call says Michael was dead when he arrived, and it looked like he had been dead for a long time before Dr. Conrad Murray called 911.

Richard Senneff testified when he arrived at MJ's house and saw MJ, he looked like a hospice patient -- extremely frail.

Senneff says he believes Murray must have waited at least 20 minutes before calling 911, based on the condition of the body.  MJ's EKG was flatlined.

And Senneff said, when he asked Murray if MJ had been taking meds, all Murray volunteered was lorazepam (Ativan).  Murray never uttered a peep about Propofol.

Murray told Senneff Jackson had been "dehydrated." 

MJ Cook to Prince: "Something May be Wrong with Your Dad"
Updated 1/05/11 at 2:58pm

Kai Chase, Michael Jackson's cook, testified after Michael stopped breathing, Dr. Murray came downstairs in a panic and summoned Prince ... and Chase told the boy, "Something may be wrong with your dad."

Chase says it was evident there was an emergency and the housekeepers started crying.

Chase had testified MJ was on an extremely healthy diet, dining on seared ahi tuna salad for lunch the day before he died.

She found it odd that she prepared Tuscan white bean soup for MJ and Murray the night before Jackson died, but when she came to work the next morning the soup was untouched.

 MJ's Security Guard: Murray Said Hide The Bottles
Updated 1/05/11 at 10:55am

Alberto Alvarez, a bodyguard who says he was MJ's Director of Logistics, testified Dr. Conrad Murray instructed him to remove bottles from Michael's bedroom -- along with an IV bag with a milky-white substance, before calling 911.

Alvarez says he walked into MJ's bedroom sometime after 12:17 PM and saw Michael laying motionless.  He says Murray told him Michael had "an allergic reaction," then ordered him to collect a bag of bottles and put them in a bag.

And this is big.  Alvarez says Murray then "instructed me to remove the IV bag from the IV stand."

For the record, law enforcement believes the milky-white substance in the bag was Propofol.

Alvarez says there was a second IV bag -- which we know contained saline -- and Murray told him to leave it there.

Alvarez says only after the bottles and bag were collected did Murray tell him to call 911.

UPDATE:  During cross examination, Ed Chernoff, Murray's lawyer, got Alvarez to admit he never told the cops about Murray ordering him to remove the bottles.  Alvarez also admitted he may sell his story.

Janet Jackson Arrives at Court 
Updated 1/05/11 at 9:40am


MJ Bodyguard -- Murray Asked, "Does Anyone Know CPR?"
Updated 1/04/11 at 2:55pm

Faheem Muhammad, one of Michael Jackson's bodyguards, just testified he was in Michael's room after Murray noticed MJ stopped breathing. Faheem told the prosecutor, Murray was on his knees doing compressions on MJ in a panicked state, when he turned to Faheem and another bodyguard and asked, "Does anyone in the room know CPR?"

Faheem recalled how Prince and Paris were near the room and Paris was on her hands and knees crying.  The nanny took them away.

Faheem also said after Michael was pronounced dead at UCLA, Dr. Murray told him he was hungry and wanted to leave. Faheem said he told Murray to eat at the hospital, but Murray left.

On cross-examination, Ed Chernoff got Faheem to admit Murray spoke with MJ's family and police before leaving.

Michael Jackson's Assistant Testifies 
Updated 1/03/11 at 12:30pm

The prosecution began to paint a picture of Dr. Conrad Murray's reckless actions on the night MJ passed away ... by calling to the stand the Jackson assistant Murray telephoned before he called 911.

Michael Amir Williams testified that he received a frantic voicemail from Murray at 12:13 PM on June 25, 2009. Williams said Murray's VM said, "Where are you? Get here right away, hurry."

Williams says he then called Alberto Alvarez, MJ's security guard, and asked Alvarez to walk to the front door. Williams says he heard Murray's voice in the background, then Alvarez hung up.

Williams said that later on at the hospital, Murray approached him and said Michael had some cream in his room that Murray knew MJ wouldn't want the world to know about. Williams said he wanted someone to give him a ride back to MJ's house to retrieve it.

Murray's baby mama, Nicole Alvarez, was in court today -- but ordered to return on Friday. Murray was on the phone with Alvarez when he realized MJ was in trouble.

Kenny Ortega Testifies 
Updated 1/04/11 at 10:45am

Kenny Ortega, MJ's producer/director for "This Is It," was the first to testify, stating just days before MJ died, Dr. Murray was upset that Kenny sent MJ home from rehearsal on June 19.  According to Ortega ... Murray felt only he should make such decisions.

According to Ortega ... Dr. Murray said during the June 20 meeting at MJ's home that Michael was "physically and emotionally fine," even though Ortega said MJ had the chills and was not well during the failed rehearsal the day before.

The June 20 meeting at MJ's home is important for prosecutors, who claim it shows Murray did not care about MJ's health.

And Ortega said June 23 and 24 were "two wonderful days of rehearsal" and that MJ was happy and healthy.  The point -- that Jackson wasn't in distress the day before he died, and it was the Propofol that did him in.

Ortega testified, "He didn't look well at all. Michael was chilled and soft-spoken ... He wasn't in the kind of condition to be at rehearsal."

During cross examination, Ortega denied he read Michael "the riot act" during the June 20 meeting.

DA Opening Statement: MJ Already Dead
Updated 1/04/11 at 10:15am

Los Angeles County Prosecutor David Walgren began to lay out the case against Dr. Conrad Murray ... saying in his opening statement that Michael Jackson was dead even before paramedics got to MJ's home.

Walgren also told Judge Michael Pastor Murray tried to conceal the fact he had administered Propofol to Jackson -- categorizing Murray's actions as and "extreme deviation from the standard of care."

Walgren said the evidence will show Murray ordered a bodyguard to help him clean up evidence and waited at least 20 minutes before he called 911. Once Jackson was taken to the hospital, Walgren said Murray still had not told anyone about the use of Propofol, saying, "Not a word was said about Propofol to the UCLA doctors."

He also pointed out Murray performed CPR incorrectly -- with one hand on his bed, rather than a hard surface.

Murray's attorney, Ed Chernoff, declined to make an opening statement.

The first witness the prosecution will call is "This Is It" producer/director Kenny Ortega.

Click here for complete week #2 coverage ...

After TMZ made fun of his unfortunate tie on Tuesday, sources tell us Conrad Murray went shopping and bought himself a new dapper bow tie.



Doc showed off his new nerd chic look while meeting with his lawyers in downtown L.A. this morning.

Just dandy.

The Jackson clan turned day 2 of the Conrad Murray/Michael Jackson manslaughter prelim into a couture runway show.


From Janet in Jermaine drag to Katherine's purple Barney suit, check out all of the killer fashions.

Dr. Conrad Murray stopped to have breakfast in downtown Los Angeles before heading to court today for the first day of his preliminary hearing in the Michael Jackson manslaughter case.


They should throw the book at him ... for wearing that tie.