Dr. Conrad Murray may have been ahead of his time ... because the drug that killed Michael Jackson will now be used to put people to death in Missouri.

The Missouri Department of Corrections has announced it has opted to ditch the previous 3-drug cocktail method for lethal injections ... and replace it with one giant helping of Propofol.

Missouri would be the first state to use Propofol for the purpose of executing someone EVER.

So far, it's unclear when MO will begin using Propofol to kill people ... but there are 19 condemned men who could go on the chopping block in the very near future.

Conrad Murray and James DeBarge just got a new friend -- Lenny Dykstra is now held up next to them in the L.A. County Jail's celebrity wing.

Dykstra -- who is serving time for assault with a deadly weapon and lewd conduct -- joins the doctor and the singer in the slammer, and we're told at times it has gotten downright raunchy.

We're told Dykstra sometimes puts a sheet over his head -- for fun -- pokes a hole around the waste area and sticks his "baseball bat" through the hole ... for the amusement of anyone who dares to look.

Debarge's lawyer, Spencer Vodnoy, tells TMZ ... Murray and DeBarge are now best buds, and they make fun of Dykstra and his perverted past-time pleasures.

But all good things must come to an end.  DeBarge is getting out in a few days.

Looks like it's time for batting practice, Conrad.

Dr. Conrad Murray has dumped 30 pounds because he's pooping out his guts, and he blames the water at L.A. County Jail.

We're told Murray has been extremely sick since becoming an inmate last November. He claims the water smells and tastes bad, and believes it has given him a horrible case of dysentery. Murray says the bad water, along with a bad diet, is ruining his health.

Murray says he can't eat jail food, and is forced to eat what he calls "cat food" which he buys at the commissary .

Murray buys canned tuna for $4.25 a pop, salmon flakes for $3.50 and canned mackerel for $2.50. Murray is telling friends that aside from cats, he's the only human being forced to eat canned mackerel.

We're told Murray is filing multiple appeals to get out of jail, primarily because his health is compromised.

L.A. County Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore tells TMZ, "All inmates receive the proper nutrition and medical care that is required by law, but the Sheriff's Dept. goes above and beyond what is required."

We don't know how the appellate judges feel about explosive diarrhea, but one thing we know for sure ... jail is a really sh**ty experience.

File under "Nothing succeeds like success."

David Walgren, the L.A. County Deputy District Attorney who put away Dr. Conrad Murray ... has thrown his hat in the ring to become an  L.A. County Superior Court judge.

Walgren -- who is considered one of the best prosecutors in L.A. County -- has submitted an application to the Governor's office.

Sources connected with the process tell TMZ ... Walgren's application is being taken "very seriously."

If you place a bet that Governor Jerry Brown will send Walgren shopping for a black robe, your money is probably safe.

El DeBarge was right ... his famous incarcerated brother James DeBarge has finally settled his MJ beef with his fellow inmate Conrad Murray ... and all it took was an honest jail house conversation.

TMZ broke the story ... James -- Janet Jackson's ex-husband -- held a serious grudge with Murray because he blamed the doc for killing his friend Michael Jackson.

But now we've learned ... the two managed to have a confrontation behind bars at the Men's Central Jail facility in L.A. in the past few days ... and "squashed the beef."

TMZ spoke with James' wife ... who says the singer was very impressed with Murray and that James "has made peace with what happened to Michael."

We're told James no longer believes Murray is an "evil" man or a murderer ... instead he told his wife Conrad is a "kind man."

So, we gotta ask ...

Dr. Conrad Murray was just shot down by a judge, denying him bail while he appeals his manslaughter conviction in the death of Michael Jackson.

During today's hearing, Judge Michael Pastor found Murray is still a flight risk because he does not have significant property or family ties here in Los Angeles.

Judge Pastor also believes Murray is a danger to society -- citing the NBC documentary, in which Murray fails to show any remorse for MJ's death.

Pastor said "it scares me" that Murray believes it's okay to use Propofol in a home setting -- and insists he could pose a danger to the safety of other people if he were released.

Murray had previously filed a motion asking for bail so he could spend time with his family while he awaits the outcome of his appeal.

Murray is hoping to overturn his manslaughter conviction on grounds he never had a chance to prove Michael killed himself  due to stress ... among other reasons.

Murray's appellate attorney Valerie Wass says she believes Murray is a "scapegoat," who's being blamed for Michael's death because there's no one else to target.

Dr. Conrad Murray's girlfriend is begging the court to let him out of jail pending his appeal ... claiming he's a "good father" to their toddler.

Nicole Alvarez -- who played the femme fatale during the trial -- filed a declaration of support for Murray today ... in which she says if Murray is released he will live with her and their 2-year-old son in Santa Monica.

It's not the most powerful or emotional letter. Alvarez says, "Dr. Murray is the father of my child" -- and adds ... he "has been our primary source of support."

It's unclear how much support Murray can provide now -- considering his medical license has been revoked.

Murray's hearing for bail pending appeal of his manslaughter conviction is scheduled for tomorrow morning in downtown L.A. 

Dr. Conrad Murray hasn't even COME CLOSE to paying for the crime of killing Michael Jackson ... and should NOT be granted early release as he's requested ... this according to La Toya.

LTJ was at LAX yesterday when we asked what she thought of Murray's recent request to be freed from jail early while he works on his appeal ... claiming he doesn't pose a threat to society.

La Toya's response -- "Absolutely NOT ... my brother's not free."

Bonus Moment -- We asked La Toya about her days with the Psychic Discoveries Network ... and she TOTALLY DROPPED A PSYCHIC BOMBSHELL!!! Check out the clip.

Dr. Conrad Murray just filed legal docs in which he claims his manslaughter conviction should be overturned, on grounds that the judge should have allowed him to prove ... Michael Jackson was so stressed out over his financial woes ... he recklessly rolled the dice by self-administering a fatal dose of Propofol.

Murray is responding to the D.A.'s claims that he should stay in jail pending appeal because the grounds for challenging the conviction are bogus.

Murray makes a number of arguments, but the most interesting is the section titled, "Financial Condition of Michael Jackson."  Murray's lawyers put it this way:  "Mr. Jackson was in debt approximately $440 million and desperately needed to fulfill a contractual commitment at the O2 arena in London."

The lawyers go on:  "He was on the verge of losing his entire estate to foreclosure.  The pressure to fight through his insomnia, to rehearse and be the entertainer he was in his earlier years was overwhelming."

And then the lawyers bring it home:  "His motivation and resulting desperation were relevant to show a likelihood or reason to act in a manner inconsistent with good judgment."

The lawyers believe it was an error for the judge to exclude evidence of MJ's financial desperation.

The D.A. is alarmed that Dr. Conrad Murray is asking the trial judge to spring him from the pokey while he appeals his conviction in the death of Michael Jackson -- arguing Murray is a danger to society.

According to the new docs, obtained by TMZ, prosecutors say Murray has shown no remorse for his "reckless and criminal conduct that directly caused Michael Jackson's death."  In other words, the D.A. says Murray just doesn't get it, and he could engage in the same conduct again if the judge lets him loose.

The D.A. also claims Murray is a flight risk, because he no longer has strong ties to California now that his medical license has been revoked.

As for Murray's grounds for appealing the conviction, the D.A. claims they're all bogus.  The D.A. makes mention of the judge's decision to exclude Dr. Arnold Klein's testimony.  Klein gave MJ scores of Demerol shots in the months preceding his death, but the D.A. says no traces of the drug were found in MJ's body at the time of his death.

The Texas Medical Board suspended the license of Dr. Conrad Murray on Friday ... almost three years after the death of Michael Jackson. 

Murray is currently serving a 4 year sentence for involuntary manslaughter. The board in Texas did not need to seek an emergency suspension of Murray's license after his conviction, a board spokesperson said, since he was behind bars and not a threat to patients in Texas. 

The board spokesperson told the Houston Chronicle, "This achieves the same effect as license revocation."

Murray is seeking an appeal of his conviction.