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4 January 2011
Last updated at 15:06 ET
Michael Jackson's doctor tried to hide the fact that he had given the singer a powerful anaesthetic shortly before he died, a prosecutor has said.
At a preliminary hearing, the prosecutor said Dr Conrad Murray phoned paramedics only after Jackson had died.
Prosecutors say Dr Murray's negligence in treating the singer for insomnia led to his death aged 50 in June 2009.
Dr Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter, arguing he did not cause the singer's death.
The preliminary hearing is to decide whether prosecutors have enough evidence to try Dr Murray. It is expected to last several days.
'Extreme deviation' In the courtroom in Los Angeles on Tuesday, prosecutor David Walgren said that when Dr Murray realised the singer had died, he ordered a security guard to collect medical paraphernalia and other items before having him call the authorities.
Continue reading the main story Analysis
It's nearly 18 months now since Michael Jackson died and at every step of this high-profile case his family members, fans and scores of journalists have thronged the courthouse in Los Angeles.
Today, the star's mother Katherine and some of his siblings arrived for what is an important step in determining who killed the singer.
Dr Conrad Murray, too, is present in court. Over the next two weeks, prosecutors will call about 30 witnesses and reveal some of their case.
Dr Murray's lawyers are not expected to reveal much during this hearing, but it is believed they may argue that Jackson - desperate to get to sleep - injected himself with the lethal dose.
Mr Walgren said Dr Murray had given Jackson a dose of propofol, a powerful surgical anaesthetic, on the morning of 25 June 2009, after giving him various sedatives during the previous night.
He said that Dr Murray did not properly perform CPR, and said that when paramedics did arrive, Dr Murray did not mention that he had given Jackson the drug.
"The court will learn that in the opinion of these medical experts, there were a number of actions displayed by Dr Murray that showed an extreme deviation from standard medical care," Walgren said, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Dr Murray faces up to four years in prison if convicted.
When he died Jackson had been rehearsing for a series of highly anticipated concerts in London.
The Los Angeles County coroner's office ruled the singer had died from an overdose of surgical anaesthetic propofol, found in his body along with a cocktail of other sedatives.
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At a preliminary hearing, the prosecutor said Dr Conrad Murray phoned paramedics only after Jackson had died.
Prosecutors say Dr Murray's negligence in treating the singer for insomnia led to his death aged 50 in June 2009.
Dr Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter, arguing he did not cause the singer's death.
The preliminary hearing is to decide whether prosecutors have enough evidence to try Dr Murray. It is expected to last several days.
'Extreme deviation' In the courtroom in Los Angeles on Tuesday, prosecutor David Walgren said that when Dr Murray realised the singer had died, he ordered a security guard to collect medical paraphernalia and other items before having him call the authorities.
Continue reading the main story Analysis
It's nearly 18 months now since Michael Jackson died and at every step of this high-profile case his family members, fans and scores of journalists have thronged the courthouse in Los Angeles.
Today, the star's mother Katherine and some of his siblings arrived for what is an important step in determining who killed the singer.
Dr Conrad Murray, too, is present in court. Over the next two weeks, prosecutors will call about 30 witnesses and reveal some of their case.
Dr Murray's lawyers are not expected to reveal much during this hearing, but it is believed they may argue that Jackson - desperate to get to sleep - injected himself with the lethal dose.
Mr Walgren said Dr Murray had given Jackson a dose of propofol, a powerful surgical anaesthetic, on the morning of 25 June 2009, after giving him various sedatives during the previous night.
He said that Dr Murray did not properly perform CPR, and said that when paramedics did arrive, Dr Murray did not mention that he had given Jackson the drug.
"The court will learn that in the opinion of these medical experts, there were a number of actions displayed by Dr Murray that showed an extreme deviation from standard medical care," Walgren said, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Dr Murray faces up to four years in prison if convicted.
When he died Jackson had been rehearsing for a series of highly anticipated concerts in London.
The Los Angeles County coroner's office ruled the singer had died from an overdose of surgical anaesthetic propofol, found in his body along with a cocktail of other sedatives.
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