LOS ANGELES – Dr. Conrad Murray's defense team has claimed Michael Jackson "caused his own death".
The medic - who has been accused of administering the lethal dose of the anesthetic Propofol that killed the 'Thriller' singer on June 25 2009 - is starting his involuntary manslaughter trial today and his lawyer insists he had nothing to do with the death as Michael took the drugs without the physician's knowledge.
Attorney Ed Chernoff told the jury at a Los Angeles courthouse: "During the 10 hours on June 25, 2009, while Michel Jackson was frustrated because he could not sleep, frustrated because his doctor refused to give him a drug that he preferred, that he wanted, he did an act without his doctor's knowledge, without his doctor's permission, against his orders - he did an act that caused his own death.
"The science will show you that Michael Jackson swallowed eight, 2 mg Lorazepam pills. ... He did this when Dr. Murray was not around. ... When Dr. Murray left the room, Michael Jackson self-administered a dose of Propofol ... that created a perfect storm in his body that killed him instantly.
"There was no doctor ... no machine that was going to revive Michael Jackson. He died so rapidly, so instantly - he didn't even have time to close his eyes. ... We will provide to you the science to show you what happened."
During their opening statement of the trial, the defense team claimed Murray had always been concerned about how much knowledge Michael had of Propofol and couldn't cope when Murray weaned him off it after two months.
Chernoff added: "The evidence is going to show you that Michael Jackson died when Conrad Murray stopped [giving Jackson Propofol] ... for 10 hours on the morning of the 25th Murray refused [to give Jackson Propofol]."
During opening statements from, first, the prosecution and then the defense, Michael's brother Jermaine and sister Janet held hands across sister Rebbe's lap in court, while his mother, Katherine, was tearful.
If found guilty, Murray faces four years in jail.
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