Conrad Murray Trial Begins

Photo by CNN

Opening statements began against the Houston-based cardiologist Conrad Murray on Tuesday to answer the question “Who is ultimately responsible for the death of Michael Jackson?”

Murray’s attorney Ed Chernoff, in his opening statement told the court that Murray isn’t to blame for Jackson’s death, that Jackson gave himself a dose of drugs that killed him so quickly Jackson “didn’t even have time to close his eyes.” While he gave his statements, an emotional Murray wiped away tears.

“What happened during that time frame is that the acts and omissions of Michael Jackson’s personal doctor Conrad Murray directly led to his premature death at age 50,” prosecutor Walgren said. “That misplaced trust in Conrad Murray cost Michael Jackson his life.”

Just minutes into his opening, prosecutor David Walgren showed the courtroom a photo of Jackson dancing at the Staples Center the night before he overdosed on propofol and put the picture side by side with of a ghostly Jackson lying dead in a hospital bed, draped by a hospital gown. ABC News reports that when the photo of Jackson’s corpse was shown Latoya Jackson could be seen passing tissues to Janet Jackson.

He also played a tape of a conversation with Jackson in which the drugged-up singer slurred his words so badly the prosecutors had to run captions on the screen so jurors could understand what Jackson was saying.
“We have to be phenomenal … when people leave this show, when people leave my show; I want them to say I’ve never seen nothing like this in my life. Go. Go. I’ve never seen nothing like this. Go. It’s amazing. He’s the greatest entertainer in the world,” Jackson mumbles.

“I’m taking that money, a million children, children’s hospital, the biggest in the world. Michael Jackson’s Children’s Hospital,” Jackson says in the recording.

This new trial will reveal new detailed information about the singer’s final hours. Murray’s trial will allow the public to hear, in the defendant’s own words, his account of what happened, June 2009, in the bedroom of Jackson’s mansion.

Murray could face four years in prison if convicted of involuntary manslaughter.