Attorneys claim Michael Jackson was drug addict, wants inner circle to testify

scorpionchik

Attorneys claim Michael Jackson was drug addict, wants inner circle to testify<br /><br />August 29, 2011 | 10:04 am    <br /><br />Defense lawyers for Michael Jackson's personal physician signaled Monday that they intend to rely on witnesses from Jackson's own inner circle to portray the singer as a desperate drug addict constantly "on the hunt" for the surgical anesthetic that killed him.<br /><br />In papers filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, attorneys for Dr. Conrad Murray detailed the testimony they plan to elicit at the physician's upcoming trial from a host of Jackson confidants, including longtime friends, medical providers, the nanny to his three children and his make-up artist.<br /><br />Most of these insiders have not cooperated with Murray's defense. But in the court filing, his lawyers suggest that accounts the prospective witnesses gave police concerning Jackson's drug use and career worries make their testimony vital to the doctor's claim that Jackson gave himself a fatal dose of propofol.<br /><br />Jackson's longtime make-up artist Karen Faye, for example, told detectives that the recording star "was weak, extremely thin and seemed to be under the influence of drugs" the week before his death and told her he didn't think he could "physically complete" a 50-show comeback attempt in London, according to the filing.<br /><br />A friend, Susan Etok, told police the singer expressed the same doubts about performing in the "This Is It" shows and asked her to help him get propofol and other drugs, the filing states.<br /><br />The nanny, Grace Rwaramba, told investigators she had repeatedly tried to stage interventions and once fielded a call from Jackson's children when their father had passed out on the floor. She was fired two months before the singer's death after complaining about his drug use, according to the filing.<br /><br />Whether jurors will hear from those closest to Jackson remains unclear. Prosecutors have questioned the relevance of the confidants' testimony. A hearing before Judge Michael Pastor is set for Monday afternoon.<br /><br />Murray's lawyers have said they will present evidence that another doctor, Beverly Hills dermatologist Arnold Klein, was giving Jackson the narcotic painkiller Demerol "for no valid medical purpose" and that the singer sought propofol to deal with severe insomnia, a side effect of the painkiller that was hindering rehearsals for his make-or-break comeback effort.<br /><br />Defense attorney Edward Chernoff said in an interview that the intimate accounts of Jackson's friends and employees were meant not to malign the pop star but to document a drug addiction that stretched back to the 1990s.<br /><br />"We're not interested in character assassination. If the prosecution would concede the Demerol addiction, it would greatly reduce the number of witnesses we need to call," he said.<br /><br />In their court papers, Chernoff and another defense lawyer, Nareg Gourjian, wrote that they expect prosecutors to argue that the singer was not an addict and only "liked" Demerol.<br /><br />The defense also hopes to summon more than ten medical professionals to the witness stand to recount Jackson's use of and desire for propofol and other drugs. Among them are:<br /><br />• David Adams, a Las Vegas physician who the defense filing says told police that Jackson "was so familiar with" propofol that he referred to it as "milk."<br /><br />• Cherilyn Lee, a nurse, who is said to have told investigators that Jackson pledged to pay "her or another doctor whatever they wanted" for propofol.<br /><br />• Allen Metzger, a West Hollywood doctor who according to the filing said Jackson sought intravenous sleep medication two months before his death.<br /><br />Prosecutors have asked the judge to bar testimony from other doctors and medical professionals who treated Jackson over the years, saying the only issue for jurors is Murray's conduct.<br /><br />"None of these individuals was caring for Michael Jackson on the night of June 24, 2009, or the day of June 25, 2009, and none of these doctors was present with Michael Jackson when he died of acute propofol intoxication," wrote David Walgren and Deborah Brazil, deputy L.A. County district attorneys.<br /><br />The defense also intends to call a Santa Barbara sheriff's detective to the stand to testify that a 2003 search of Jackson's Neverland estate in connection with a child molestation investigation yielded propofol and Demerol. A jury acquitted Jackson in 2005 and prosecutors have said they oppose any mention of the molestation case at Murray's trial.<br /><br />Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter. Jury selection in his trial is set for Sept. 8.<br /><br />http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/08/michael-jackson-was-habitual-drug-addict-doctors-defense-claims.html<br /><br />

hesouttamylife

IMO, no matter what these “circle of friends” have said in the past, it still is irrelevant and CANNOT PROVE that michael did anything of the sort.  What it proves is that Murray was the only one desperate enough to get the propofol and stupid enough to try to administer it with any expertise in doing so. :roll:  Okay, Murray, why not put your own foot up your ass already :roll:  sorry, again  lolol/

Souza

If Mike was a drug addict and was really dead, they would ask the coroner. He is the one that can see if he was a drug addict. His organs, hair, blood and all that would have shown that.

paula-c

Karen and its version fetching the weakness of Michael, i don't think anything about this, as a person that all the nights use anesthesia on the following day works and has a great physical activity dancing? ::)

finfin

<br />Here is an update to the above article<br /><br />http://www.wfmz.com/business/Jackson-molestation-evidence-ruled-irrelevant-to-Conrad-Murray-trial/-/121698/461790/-/142mu5l/-/<br /><br />Jackson molestation evidence ruled irrelevant to Conrad Murray trial<br />Jury selection to begin Sept. 8<br /><br />Author: By Alan Duke CNN<br />Posted On Aug 29 2011 06:04:07 PM EDT<br />Print Email<br />  <br /><br />Houston Criminal Law<br />LOS ANGELES (CNN) -<br />Michael Jackson's sexual molestation trial is "no-go territory" for defense lawyers in the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, a judge ruled Monday.<br /><br />Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor, however, rejected the prosecution's request that he not allow testimony from several doctors who treated Jackson in the months and years before his death.<br /><br />Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the June 25, 2009, death of Jackson, who would have turned 53 Monday.<br /><br /><br /><br />The defense wanted to have a Santa Barbara County, California, detective testify about drugs found at Jackson's Neverland estate during a search related to the sex charge.<br /><br />"In particular, it is relevant to the defense that Michael Jackson possessed both propofol and Demerol in his residence as early as 2003," the defense said in a motion filed Monday.<br /><br />Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney David Walgren argued testimony about drugs Jackson possessed in 2003 "has absolutely nothing to do with the standard of medical care" Murray gave Jackson the day he died on June 25, 2009.<br /><br />Bringing up anything about the molestation trial, which ended with Jackson's acquittal, would be "character assassination on the victim," Walgren said.<br /><br />Defense lawyer Ed Chernoff, in a hearing Monday afternoon, assured the judge that he did not intend to question the detective about the sex charge, but only about drugs he found in his search.<br /><br />"In particular, it is relevant to the defense that Michael Jackson possessed both propofol and Demerol in his residence as early as 2003," the defense said.<br /><br />Murray's defense lawyers want to argue that Jackson was addicted to the painkiller Demerol and was undergoing withdrawal from the drug when he died, Chernoff said. He said he expects the prosecution will say he "merely liked Demerol" and was not addicted.<br /><br />Jackson's "past drug adictions, use desires, possessions" is relevant, Chernoff said in court.<br /><br />Pastor ruled that the events were too far in the past for this trial and could mislead the jury.<br /><br />"Anything having to do with the year 2003, any incident with Neverland, Santa Barbara, medical doctors, fundamentally is irrelevant," Pastor said. "It proves absolutely nothing with regard to the year 2009."<br /><br />Pastor ruled that Beverly Hills dermatologist Dr. Arnold Klein could not be called to testify about giving Jackson Demerol shots. Testimony about Jackson's visits to Klein's office in the days before his death could lead the jury "down the path of prescribing to Dr. Klein some sort of criminal culpabilty in the death of Mr. Jackson."<br /><br />However, Klein's medical records can be used in the trial, he ruled.<br /><br />Two of Klein's office employees also cannot be called as witnesses, he ruled.<br /><br />Prosecutors in the trial of Murray, Jackson's last doctor, had asked the judge to exclude or limit the testimony of 26 witnesses Murray's lawyers said they might call.<br /><br />Pastor has indicated he would keep the trial limited to what happened the last several days of Jackson's life. His decisions on the prosecution's request to limit witnesses indicate how tightly the judge will limit the defense arguments.<br /><br />Other witnesses the judge said the defense could not call include John Branca, the lawyer who became executor of Jackson's estate after his death. Nothing about Jackson's finances can be considered, he said.<br /><br />The Los Angeles coroner has ruled that Jackson's death, which occurred June 25, 2009, was caused by an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol, combined with other drugs.<br /><br />Prosecutors have accused Murray of having a role in the overdose. Jury selection is scheduled to begin on September 8, with opening statements expected to be heard on September 27. Lawyers estimate the trial will conclude in early November.<br /><br />If convicted on the involuntary manslaughter charge, Murray could face up to four years in prison.

PureLove

Michael a drug addict? I can only at that!   8-)

all4loveandbelieve

If Michael is a drug addict, then I am the Queen of England.. Tea anyone? lolol/

suspicious mind

i am having a little trouble seeing how he could be in such financial straights and be willing and able to make it worth the while for anyone who could get him the propofol. :?

scorpionchik

What makes me MAD is that media could not resist itself NOT to have another BS article on Michael's birth day.<br />FUCK YOU LA Times & all other media source!  >:(  TMZ is quiet today..........