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Dublin: 9 °C Friday 29 March, 2024
Conrad Murray on trial
Michael Jackson

Paramedics to take stand at Jackson trial

Dr Conrad Murray’s trial is now entering its fourth day. He is charged with the involuntary manslaughter of singer Michael Jackson.

PARAMEDICS WHO RESPONDED to Michael Jackson’s house are expected to testify today during the fourth day of his doctor’s trial.

Dr Conrad Murray is on trial charged with the involuntary manslaughter of Jackson in June 2009.

The two paramedics, Martin Blount and Richard Senneff has previously testified at a preliminary hearing that Dr Conrad Murray had never mentioned giving Jackson propofol, which is a powerful anaesthetic.

They said he told them the singer lost consciousness moments before an ambulance was called. They thought Jackson was dead by the time they arrived but Dr Murray asked them to take the singer to hospital.

Yesterday, Jackson’s personal chef Kai Chase said she was preparing a spinach Cobb salad for him when a panicked Murray came down a spiral staircase shouting for her to get security and the singer’s son, Prince.

“His energy was very nervous and frantic,” she said. She told Prince: “Hurry, Dr Murray needs you. Something may be wrong with your father.”

Chase said later she saw paramedics and security running upstairs to the singer’s bedroom.

“The children were crying and screaming,” she said. “We started hugging. We came together, held hands and we began to pray.”

Bodyguard Alberto Alvarez said he went to help after the singer’s assistant called him on his mobile phone. He said he barely had time to react when he heard the singer’s daughter scream “Daddy!” from the doorway.

He led her and Prince from the room, trying to comfort them.

Alvarez then said Murray told him to put vials of medicine he scooped from Jackson’s night stand into a bag, which he did, and also placed an IV bag into another bag.

Alvarez’s testimony was key for prosecutors who contend Murray, who has pleaded not guilty, was intent on concealing signs that he had been giving the singer doses of propofol as a sleep aid.

Alvarez said he thought Murray might be preparing to take the items to the hospital, but the bags never made it to the hospital and the bodyguard never questioned the doctor.

If convicted, Murray, 58, could face up to four years in prison and lose his medical license.

Defence attorney Ed Chernoff asked whether there was enough time for Alvarez to shield Jackson’s children, survey the room and stow away the drugs in the brief period that phone records show he was in the home before calling emergency responders.

The bodyguard insisted there was, telling the attorney, “I’m very efficient, sir.” But the attorney questioned this.

He also challenged Alvarez’s recollection, asking whether the collection of the vials happened after paramedics had left for the hospital. Alvarez denied it happened after he called 911.

Chernoff questioned why Alvarez didn’t tell authorities about Murray’s commands immediately after Jackson died, but instead waited until two months after the singer’s death.

The bodyguard said he didn’t realize its significance until seeing a news report in late June in which he recognized one of the bags detectives were carrying out of Jackson’s mansion.

Alvarez’s testimony allowed Walgren to present jurors directly with a bottle of propofol that they’ve heard much about throughout the previous two days of the trial.

Watch: Jackson’s family arrive for trial of star’s doctor>

Read: Trial hears audio of Michael Jackson under influence of ‘unknown agents’>

Read: ‘Get here right away, Mr Jackson had a bad reaction’ – the trial continues>

Author
Associated Foreign Press