Michael Jackson's personal physician deviated from the accepted standard of care by giving the singer the powerful anesthetic propofol at his rented Holmby Hills mansion, a defense expert on the medication testified Monday under cross-examination.
Special Section: The Conrad Murray Trial
In the involuntary manslaughter trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, Deputy District Attorney David Walgren asked defense expert Dr. Paul White if he had ever heard of anyone administering propofol in a patient's bedroom.
"No, I have not," White responded.
White gave the same answer when asked if he had ever done so.
Walgren also asked White if he thought Murray had made an extreme deviation from the standard of care by not keeping accurate medical records of the medications he had given the singer.
"I think it's a deviation from the standard of care. ... I would say it's perhaps between minor and serious, not extreme in my opinion," White answered.
White also conceded that if he had been in Murray's position, he would have "immediately" called for help when he discovered that the singer had stopped breathing, adding that he could not justify any delay in making such a call.
But he added, "I think he should have called 911 sooner. ... I do not, however, think it would have made any difference in the outcome of this case."
He also said that given Murray's statement that Jackson had expressed familiarity with propofol and how to use it, that a doctor should be careful about giving such a patient access to the medication
"It would certainly make me careful about allowing access to (propofol)," he said. "... No, I would not leave the room."
Murray, a 58-year-old cardiologist, faces up to four years in prison if convicted of the felony charge stemming from Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, from acute propofol intoxication.
Prosecutors allege Murray gave the singer a fatal intravenous dose of propofol, then spent about 45 minutes on the phone or sending emails instead of monitoring him. Jackson was in Los Angeles rehearsing for a series of 50 concerts in London dubbed "This Is It."
In his opening statement, defense attorney Edward Chernoff countered that the evidence would show Jackson "self-administered a dose of propofol" after Murray left the room, which "created a perfect storm" and "killed him instantly."
Murray told police he only left Jackson's side for about two minutes to use the bathroom after giving the singer a small amount of propofol.
White testified last week that he believed the evidence showed the entertainer had rapidly given himself 25 milligrams of propofol less than an hour after Murray slowly infused 25 milligrams of the anesthetic into his system. He also said Jackson had taken eight tablets of the sedative lorazepam in the hours leading up to his death.
The exchange between Walgren and White on Monday got testy at times. At one point, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor became agitated and sent the jury out of the courtroom, after which he chastised White and the defense team for making comments about evidence that is not before the jury.
The judge's comments came after White indicated on the stand that while Murray did purchase a large amount of propofol, Jackson apparently had his own supplier. That prompted Walgren to ask where in Murray's statement to police it had ever been mentioned that Jackson had a propofol supplier.
Pastor then stepped in, and after the jury left the courtroom, he told the defense team that White was deliberately trying "to add in other material."
White has already been ordered by Pastor to come to court Nov. 16 for a possible contempt hearing for making comments to the media about the case outside the courtroom -- against strict rules set down by the judge.
On the stand Monday, White said he has been paid about $11,000 for his work for Murray's defense.
Asked by Walgren about Murray's failure to tell paramedics or emergency room doctors about giving the singer propofol, White said it could have been a simple oversight.
"It's often difficult to recall details in that kind of situation... It can be overlooked," he said. "... I don't think it was done in a devious fashion."
White is expected to be the defense's final witness. The seven-man, five- woman jury could feasibly be given the case to begin deliberating late this week.
Follow USA LOCAL NEWS for the latest LA news, events and entertainment: Twitter: @USA LOCAL NEWS // Facebook: USA LOCAL NEWS
No comments:
Post a Comment