A manslaughter trial for Dr. Conrad Murray began Tuesday on an emotional note, according to news reports. The doctor is charged in the death of the singer in 2009, but his attorneys contend that Jackson is responsible for his own death.
In opening arguments, Defense attorney Ed Chernoff told jurors that Jackson, of his own accord, swallowed several lorazepam pills on the morning of his death and that was enough to put people to sleep. He also claimed Jackson self-ingested the anesthetic propofol, creating a "perfect storm in his body" that killed him instantly.
Chernoff said Murray and Jackson
were actually friends and Murray was trying to wean Jackson off of
propofol. Jurors viewed a multimedia presentation which featured an audio
recording Murray made of Jackson under the influence of propofol, and
an image of the pop star's pale body lying on a gurney after he died
from an overdose on the drug on June 25, 2009.
Murray has
pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and if convicted, he faces up to
four years in prison and the loss of his medical license. A number of Jackson's family members were in the
courthouse for opening arguments, including his father Joseph, mother
Katherine, sisters LaToya and Janet, and brothers Jermaine, Randy, and
Tito. LaToya Jackson carried a sunflower, Michael's favorite flower.
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