The drugs coursing through Michael Jackson's system on June 25, 2009 will be the subject of testimony Thursday when prosecutors call on a toxicology expert and coroner's investigator at the trial of the superstar's personal physician.
Conrad Murray Trial: Coroner's Report, Trial Timeline, Who's Who
Jurors have heard about and seen pictures of the drugs throughout the involuntary manslaughter trial's first eight days -- propofol, lidocaine, lorazepam and others. They've also heard testimony from one of Jackson's security guards, who claimed that a frantic Dr. Conrad Murray demanded he hide bottles of medicine when the two were in Jackson's bedroom just minutes before paramedics responded to the rented Holmby Hills mansion on the day Jackson died.
Prosecutors plan to explain the drugs' interaction Thursday, a day after jurors heard the King of Pop -- his words barely intelligible on a recording extracted from Murray's iPhone -- expressing his desire to wow fans during an upcoming tour. Prosecutors claim Jackson was under the influence of drugs at the time the recording was made -- about six weeks before his death.
Jackson also described plans to build a children's hospital after the "This Is It" concert series in London.
"That will be remembered more than my performances," Jackson said on the recording as family members and the jury listened in court. "My performance will be up there helping my children and always be my dream. I love them. I love them because I didn't have a childhood... I feel their pain. I feel their hurt. I can deal with it. 'Heal the World,' 'We are the World,' 'Will You be There,' 'The Lost Children,' these are the songs I've written because I hurt, you know, I hurt.''
Prosecutors were attempting to show that Dr. Murray should have realized by listening to Jackson's slurred and labored speech on May 10, 2009 that something was wrong. A few hours after playing the recording, Deputy District Attorney David Walgren methodically arranged drug bottles for display in the courtroom.
A coroner's report cited "acute propofol intoxication" in Jackson's death. Prosecutors claim Murray administered the powerful anesthetic, then failed to monitor his patient. Defense attorneys claim Jackson self-administered the fatal dose when Murray left the bedroom.
During opening statements, defense attorney Ed Chernoff pointed out Jackson's drive to please his fans. That ambition ultimately prompted him to give himself a fatal dose of medication, Chernoff argued, saying Jackson's doctor was trying to wean him off propofol.
"Michael Jackson started begging,'' Chernoff said. "When Michael Jackson told Dr. Murray, 'I have to sleep. They will cancel my performance,' he meant it."
Jackson created "a perfect storm" of drugs in his system, Chernoff said.
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