Outcome of Jackson manslaughter trial nearsJane Cowan reported this story on Friday, November 4, 2011 08:22:00
TONY EASTLEY: Two and a half years after Michael Jackson died, closing arguments have begun in the involuntary manslaughter trial of his personal doctor, Dr Conrad Murray.
Prosecutors say the cardiologist performed an "obscene pharmaceutical experiment" by injecting Michael Jackson with a hospital-grade anaesthetic to help him sleep.
North America correspondent Jane Cowan reports that after six weeks of evidence, the jurors could begin their deliberations within hours, and the legal consensus is it's the prosecution's case to lose.
JANE COWAN: In his closing arguments, prosecutor David Walgren impressed on the jury that Michael Jackson was a creative genius, a perfectionist and, most of all, a doting father.
DAVID WALGREN: He had plans, he had hopes, he had dreams as we all do both for himself and his family. For Michael's children, this case will go on forever because they do not have a father. They do not have a father because of the actions of Conrad Murray.
JANE COWAN: In contrast, the prosecution painted Conrad Murray as an inept and reckless doctor who acted in a criminally negligent way by using the powerful anaesthetic propofol to treat Michael Jackson's insomnia without having the proper equipment.
DAVID WALGREN: Propofol is in no way indicated for the treatment of insomnia. What the experts testified to is what Conrad Murray was doing was a pharmaceutical experiment.
JANE COWAN: The deputy district attorney David Walgren says Dr Murray then botched efforts to revive Michael Jackson and lied to other doctors trying to save the dying star.
DAVID WALGREN: The fact that Conrad Murray would not tell the paramedics that he administered propofol and had been administering propofol for over two months - that is consciousness of guilt. That is Conrad Murray knowing full well what caused Michael's death. That is Conrad Murray not putting the patient first. That is Conrad Murray putting Conrad Murray first.
JANE COWAN: He made much of the fact that the 58-year-old cardiologist was pocketing $150,000 a month for looking after Jackson, accusing him of turning the doctor-patient relationship into a business transaction.
DAVID WALGREN: He hit the lottery and he was taking it wherever it was going to take him.
JANE COWAN: The defence, though, has argued the pop star caused his own death by giving himself the propofol behind the Dr Murray's back.
The defence case relied largely on the testimony of other patients who described a competent, caring physician and an addiction expert who testified that Michael Jackson probably an addict.
Throughout the trial, Dr Murray has kept a stoic demeanour, even when witnesses called in his own defence conceded they would never have agreed to administer propofol the way he did.
The jury never heard from the doctor directly, after he decided in the final days of the trial not to take the stand.
DANA COLE: They know they have not had frankly one good day in this lengthy trial.
JANE COWAN: Legal analyst Dana Cole says the defence is fighting an uphill battle.
DANA COLE: They're just sort of hoping that somehow, some way maybe they connected to one or two jurors that might hang that jury, but there is no way he's going to get an acquittal.
JANE COWAN: If convicted, Dr Murray faces four years behind bars and the loss of his medical license.
This is Jane Cowan reporting for AM.
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