LOS ANGELES, CALIF.-Attorneys for Dr. Conrad Murray, who is scheduled to stand trial for involuntary manslaughter in the case of the death of Rock Superstar Michael Jackson, say they intend to rely on witnesses from Jackson's inner circle. They intend to use those witnesses to portray Jackson as a desperate drug addict who was always looking for the drug that killed him.
Through the use of witnesses close to Jackson, they will put forward the claim that Jackson injected himself on the night of his death. Witnesses they want to call include long-time friends, the nanny of his three children, and medical providers.
One of the witnesses that they want to call is Karen Faye Jackson’s make-up artist. She previously told detectives that Jackson was “was weak, extremely thin and seemed to be under the influence of drugs” a weak prior to his death. She related to detectives that Michael had told her he didn’t think he could do the 50 week tour arraigned for his comeback. Another friend, Susan Etok told a similar story to police and also said that Jackson had asked her to help him acquire propofol as well as other drugs.
They intend to call Grace Rwaramba, the nanny to her children, who was fired two months before his death for complaining of his drug use, had on several occasions attempted to arraign interventions on his behalf as well.
Murray’s attorneys also plan on calling Arnold Klein to the stand. Klein was giving Jackson propofol for insomnia to counteract the side effects of the painkiller Jackson was receiving while rehearsing for his comeback tour.
Murray’s attorneys have a long list of medical providers that Michael Jackson approached for propofol prior to his death. Many of whom Jackson offered to pay whatever they wanted for the drug.
Prosecutors, David Walgren and Deborah Brazil, deputy L.A. County district attorneys, have asked to bar much of the testimony of other medical providers on the grounds that, “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.”
Dr Conrad Murray’s trial is set for September. Jury selection is scheduled for September 8th.