October 28, 2011 8:50 AM ET
Dr. Conrad Murray
Paul Buck-Pool/Getty Images
Michael Jackson was dependent on regular Demerol shots in the months before his death, according to a doctor knowledgeable on the topic of addiction who testified at the manslaughter trial of the singer's physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, yesterday.
Dr. Robert Waldman said that Jackson, who received 900 milligrams of Demerol over three days in May 2009 from dermatologist Dr. Arnold Klein, likely suffered withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety and insomnia, which the singer attempted to treat with the sedative propofol, the drug medical examiners ruled was the chief cause of his death. Waldman claimed that Dr. Klein gave Jackson "stiff doses" of Demerol that were not required for the singer's Botox and Restylane treatments.
Waldman stopped short of characterizing Jackson's dependency on Demerol as an addiction, and noted in cross-examination by prosecutors that he is not officially certified as an addiction specialist.
Related
• Timeline: The Trial of Dr. Conrad Murray
• Photos: Michael Jackson Remembered
• Photos: Michael Jackson's Funeral
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