Michael Jackson death trial hears of doctor’s panic

Bodyguard tells court Conrad Murray had him take away IV drip and medicines from near body A former bodyguard for Michael Jackson has testified that the pop star’s doctor asked him to grab vials of medicine and an IV bag before an ambulance was called for the singer on the day he died. Witnesses on the third day of the involuntary manslaughter trial of Dr Conrad Murray over Jackson’s 2009 death described a chaotic scene at the singer’s mansion. Prosecutors say Murray, who has admitted giving Jackson the powerful anaesthetic propofol that morning as a sleep aid, had discovered Jackson was not breathing at around 11.56am. Jackson’s personal chef described Murray running down the stairs at the singer’s Los Angeles mansion between 12.05pm and 12.10pm on 25 June 2009. “His energy was very nervous and frantic and he was shouting: ‘Get help, get security, get [Jackson's son] Prince,’” Kai Chase said. Bodyguard Alberto Alvarez said he was one of the first members of the household to arrive in Jackson’s bedroom. “While I was standing at the foot of the bed, he [Murray] reached over and grabbed a handful of vials and then he said ‘Here, put them in a bag,’” Alvarez said. Alvarez said Murray pointed at an IV stand by Jackson’s bed and told him to take away one of the saline bags hanging there. The drip bag contained “what appeared to me like a milky white substance. I recall seeing it at the bottom of the bag.” Prosecutors say the milky substance was propofol, which authorities deemed to be the main cause of Jackson’s death. Prosecutors have suggested Murray was trying to cover up evidence of the drugs he had given Jackson by having them bagged up and by not immediately calling for an ambulance. Murray’s defence lawyer, Ed Chernoff, asked Alvarez about how, according to his testimony, he had the time within a minute or less of walking into Jackson’s bedroom to usher the children out the door, bag up the drugs and take down an IV bag before calling for an ambulance at 12.20pm. “I’m very efficient, sir,” Alvarez replied. Asked why he complied with Murray’s request to remove the bag and vials of medicine, Alvarez told the court: “I thought we were packing to get him ready to go to the hospital.” Murray’s defence team has argued that Jackson gave himself sedatives and extra propofol when the doctor was out of the room and the additional dose killed him. The trial continues. Conrad Murray Michael Jackson United States guardian.co.uk

Posted by on September 30, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.