 A Michael Jackson fan holds up a sign to protest Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, at a Los Angeles courthouse on Tuesday. AP photo |
Prosecutors accuse Michael Jackson's doctor of a string of failings leading to the pop icon's sudden death as the physician appeared in court on manslaughter charges.
In a pre-trial hearing Tuesday attended by Jackson's mother and his sister LaToya Jackson, Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said Dr. Conrad Murray failed to call 911 quickly enough as Jackson's life slipped away and did not tell paramedics what he himself had done.
The doctor, accused of administering an overdose of powerful sedatives, also performed emergency resuscitation wrongly, said Walgren, who has suggested that Murray's lawyers will try to claim Jackson injected himself with an overdose.
Jackson's mother Katherine Jackson, LaToya Jackson and brother Jackie Jackson were all in court to hear the prosecution argue why Murray should go to a full trial for the King of Pop's death on June 25, 2009.
Walgren said Murray gave Jackson the powerful sedative propofol every night for nearly two months to help him sleep as he prepared for a string of comeback concerts in London.
Among the first witnesses was Jackson's former personal assistant, Michael Williams, who told how he received a voicemail at 12:13 p.m. from a "frantic" Murray, telling him to rush back to the estate Jackson was renting.
Murray, a cardiologist, is accused of administering a potent cocktail of sedatives and painkillers to help Jackson sleep. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Walgren claimed last week that defense lawyers will say Jackson woke up that fateful night at his Beverly Hills mansion and injected himself with an overdose while Murray was out of the room.
"I do think it's clear the defense is operating under the theory that the victim, Michael Jackson, killed himself," he said.
One of Jackson's security guards, Faheem Muhammad, said that when he approached Jackson's bedroom, Murray asked if anyone knew how to perform cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, or CPR.
Walgren earlier said one of Murray's failings was that he tried to perform CPR with Jackson lying on a soft bed, rather than a hard surface.
At the preliminary hearing, Judge Michael Pastor will decide whether there is enough evidence to try Murray, 57, on charges of involuntary manslaughter – essentially, a killing done without malice.
In a pre-trial hearing Tuesday attended by Jackson's mother and his sister LaToya Jackson, Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said Dr. Conrad Murray failed to call 911 quickly enough as Jackson's life slipped away and did not tell paramedics what he himself had done.
The doctor, accused of administering an overdose of powerful sedatives, also performed emergency resuscitation wrongly, said Walgren, who has suggested that Murray's lawyers will try to claim Jackson injected himself with an overdose.
Jackson's mother Katherine Jackson, LaToya Jackson and brother Jackie Jackson were all in court to hear the prosecution argue why Murray should go to a full trial for the King of Pop's death on June 25, 2009.
Walgren said Murray gave Jackson the powerful sedative propofol every night for nearly two months to help him sleep as he prepared for a string of comeback concerts in London.
Among the first witnesses was Jackson's former personal assistant, Michael Williams, who told how he received a voicemail at 12:13 p.m. from a "frantic" Murray, telling him to rush back to the estate Jackson was renting.
Murray, a cardiologist, is accused of administering a potent cocktail of sedatives and painkillers to help Jackson sleep. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Walgren claimed last week that defense lawyers will say Jackson woke up that fateful night at his Beverly Hills mansion and injected himself with an overdose while Murray was out of the room.
"I do think it's clear the defense is operating under the theory that the victim, Michael Jackson, killed himself," he said.
One of Jackson's security guards, Faheem Muhammad, said that when he approached Jackson's bedroom, Murray asked if anyone knew how to perform cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, or CPR.
Walgren earlier said one of Murray's failings was that he tried to perform CPR with Jackson lying on a soft bed, rather than a hard surface.
At the preliminary hearing, Judge Michael Pastor will decide whether there is enough evidence to try Murray, 57, on charges of involuntary manslaughter – essentially, a killing done without malice.
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