.

Conrad Murray's Lawyer Disputes "Police Theory" in Jackson's Death

August 25, 2009 9:01 AM ET

Yesterday an unsealed search warrant for the Houston offices of Michael Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, indicated how police believe the King of Pop died: after Murray administered a cocktail of sedatives in an attempt to relieve the star's insomnia. Murray's lawyers have responded with a statement that reads, "Much of what was in the search warrant affidavit is factual. However, unfortunately, much is police theory." As Rock Daily reported yesterday, a source told the AP that the L.A. coroner has ruled the death a homicide.

"Most egregiously, the timeline reported by law enforcement was not obtained through interviews with Dr. Murray, as was implied by the affidavit. Dr. Murray simply never told investigators that he found Michael Jackson at 11:00 a.m. not breathing," Murray's lawyer Ed Chernoff said in the statement picked up by TMZ. Previous reports had stated that Dr. Murray told investigators that he found Jackson with a faint pulse before attempting CPR on the singer.

Look back at Michael Jackson's life, in photos.

Chernoff also denied reports that Murray left Jackson alone after administering Propofol to make phone calls to his family and medical offices — or at least denied Murray ever told police he'd left Jackson by himself. "He also never said that he waited a mere 10 minutes before leaving to make several phone calls. In fact, Dr. Murray never said that he left Michael Jackson's room to make phone calls at all," Chernoff said. But investigators reportedly have unearthed phone records that prove Murray was on the phone for 47 minutes in the time before Jackson's death on June 25th.

Michael Jackson: the Rolling Stone covers.

According to the search warrant affidavit unsealed yesterday, Murray told authorities that he wasn't the first doctor to administer the powerful sedative Propofol — or his "milk," as Jackson reportedly called the drug because of its cloudy white color — to the star. Murray expressed concern that Jackson was becoming addicted to Propofol, which is strictly meant for hospital use, and attempted to break Jackson's preference for the drug with a "cocktail" of other sedatives and a lowered dosage of Propofol, a combination that ultimately caused Jackson's death.

Related Stories:
Warrant Reveals Jackson Likely Died After Dose of Propofol; Coroner Declares Death Homicide
Report: Doctor Left Jackson Alone After Administering Propofol
Jackson Doctor Conrad Murray Breaks His Silence in New Video

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

prev
Music Main Next

blog comments powered by Disqus
Daily Newsletter

Get the latest RS news in your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Rolling Stone newsletter and special offers from RS and its
marketing partners.

X

We may use your e-mail address to send you the newsletter and offers that may interest you, on behalf of Rolling Stone and its partners. For more information please read our Privacy Policy.

Song Stories

“Youth Knows No Pain”

Lykke Li | 2011

“Like on 'Youth Knows No Pain' — we are the ones that should demonstrate, because we can take it,” Likke Li said. “We can pierce ourselves, take Ecstasy, dance all night and still go to work at our McDonald's jobs.” Despite the hedonistic sentiment in the song, the Swedish singer also admitted in hindsight her youth had repercussions. “I remember when I was 18-19 and feeling that I know it all,” Li said. “I always feel that I know it all. But that song is about realizing you don’t, and reflecting, ‘Boy, if I only knew what would follow.’”

More Song Stories entries »