AEG Court Session 6: Conrad Murray Was Not Qualified

In Tuesday's session, a heart specialist questioned Dr. Conrad Murray's performance.

On June ۲۵, ۲۰۰۹, Murray injected Michael with a large amount of propofol, as well as sedatives and tranquilizers, and left him in the room where he was unconscious. He left Michael alone for more than ۴۷ minutes, and when he returned, he realized that Michael's breathing had stopped.

Dr. Daniel Wohlgelernter said that after seeing Michael's respiratory arrest, Murray had taken incorrect actions. He said that in those circumstances, instead of focusing on cardiac massage, Murray should have restored Michael's breathing.

He stated that Dr. Conrad Murray did not have the necessary qualifications to serve as Michael Jackson's physician during the This Is It tour. He said that instead of hiring a cardiology specialist, Michael should have used a medical professional who specialized in drug addiction, substance abuse, and sleep disorders. This witness said that since Michael had no heart problems, hiring a heart doctor was the wrong choice.

He also testified that Murray's prescribing of painkillers and sedatives was outside his scope of competence. He said that not only did this doctor prescribe inappropriate medications for Michael, but the way he injected these drugs into him was also incorrect.

The company said that Michael insisted on hiring Murray. In the witness stand, Wohlgelernter pointed out that this issue should have caused concern for the company:

"At the very least, the company should have asked them for the reason behind this insistence."

He said that propofol should only be administered to a person in a hospital because at any time there is the possibility of the patient's respiratory arrest. He emphasized:

"Cardiology specialists like Conrad Murray are not qualified to inject propofol."

Attorney for Katherine Jackson used this doctor's testimony to show that Murray was not only an unsuitable choice, but that the company also turned a blind eye to his mistakes.

Wohlgelernter also referred to a clause in Conrad Murray's contract with AEG, which states that "Conrad Murray is required to perform services requested by the producer (AEG)."

While making this point, the doctor emphasized that reading this clause worried him because it shows that Dr. Murray was trying to meet the company's demands, not the patient’s needs for which he was responsible.

Katherine Jackson was present in that day's session, accompanied by Trent, Michael's cousin. Years ago, Michael had entrusted his mother to Trent's care. Since then, Trent has always been by Katherine's side, and now he lives with her and Michael's children in Calabasas.

Source: eMJey.com / LA Times & AP & Washington Post