Michael Jackson Murder Trial: Witnesses Offer Condemning Testimonies Against Conrad Murray
The Michael Jackson murder trial of Dr. Conrad Murray has reached day two, calling witnesses to the stand Wednesday.
Formerly Michael Jackson’s personal physician and licensed cardiologist, Murray is under investigation for the death of the pop icon in 2009.
In the high-profile trial, the prosecution is trying to convince the jury that it was Dr. Murray’s “gross negligence” in treating Jackson with numerous drugs that killed the superstar.
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The first witness called by prosecutors is Kenny Ortega, who was friends with Michael Jackson. The choreographer worked with Jackson on his “This is It Tour.” Ortega reportedly warned Dr. Murray before the physician started working for Jackson that the singer was not well.
“My friend wasn’t right,” Ortega said during his testimony. “There was something going on that was deeply troubling me,” he recalled of Jackson’s appearance days before he died.
Ortega, who has helmed the “High School Musical” films, also directed the documentary “Michael Jackson’s This is It.”
The film’s tagline says, “Like you’ve never seen him before,” and reveals a behind-the-scenes look at Jackson’s life.
Footage shows Jackson as a fully alert, healthy performer- as opposed to the way Ortega describes his deceased friend while on the stand.
Concert promoter Paul Gongaware also testified, saying that the singer looked strong and healthy during rehearsals.
Michael Amir, formerly the singer’s personal assistant, took the stand Tuesday to answer questions about Jackson. Murray placed a phone call to Amir shortly after Jackson’s death on June 25, 2009,
Jackson’s bodyguard, Alberto Alvarez, has given a testimony describing how he discovered his boss unconscious before his death. According to his testimony, Murray administered CPR on Jackson with only one hand, and then tried to get rid of medicine vials and a saline bag before medical responders were called.
Expected to testify are members of Michael Jackson’s family, who have attended the trial so far. Jackson’s mother Katherine, father, Joseph, sisters LaToya, Reebe, and Janet, and his brothers, Jermaine, Randy, and Tito all sat together listening to the accounts.
“He killed him,” Katherine Jackson told reporters last year after Murray’s arraignment. “He wasn’t monitoring him.”
LaToya Jackson suspects that her brother’s death was part of a much more elaborate scheme. Active on Twitter, the grievant sister wrote, “This is all a BIG CONSPIRACY and the doctor knows exactly what happened,” on the first day of the trial. “The family has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with his estate!”
Also, it is safe to assume that Jackson’s children may be beckoned to the stand during the trial. Prince, 14, and Paris, 13, have reportedly expressed a desire to testify, but whether either will take the stand remains to be seen.
The trial of Conrad Murray is likely to take several weeks. The physician pleads not guilty, and if convicted, he faces a maximum of four years in prison and will likely never be able to practice medicine again.
