'Lethal levels' of anesthetic propofol killed Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson died of "lethal levels" of the powerful anesthetic propofol, according to a search warrant affidavit unsealed today in Houston.

The court documents quote the L.A. County coroner's office as reaching that conclusion after an autopsy of the pop star.

The documents address one of the major unanswered questions surrounding Jackson's death. But they also raise new questions about how Jackson was treated, particularly in the hours before his death.

Conrad Murray, Jackson's personal doctor, told detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department that he had been treating Jackson for insomnia for about six weeks. He had been giving Jackson 50 milligrams of propofol every night using an intravenous line, according to the court records.

But Murray told detectives that he feared Jackson was forming an addiction and began trying to wean the pop star off the drugs. He lowered the dosage to 25 milligrams and mixed it with two other sedatives, lorazepam and midazolam. On June 23, two days before Jackson's death, he administered those two medications and withheld the propofol.

On the morning Jackson died, Murray tried to induce sleep without using propofol, according to the affidavit. He said he gave Jackson valium at 1:30 a.m. When that didn't work, he said, he injected lorazepam intravenously at 2 a.m. At 3 a.m., when Jackson was still awake, Murray administered midazolam.

Over the next few hours, Murray said he gave Jackson various drugs. Then at 10:40 a.m., Murray administered 25 milligrams of propofol after Jackson repeatedly demanded the drug, according to the court records.

Although Murray acknowledged to police that he administered propofol, authorities said they could find no evidence that he had purchased, ordered or obtained the medication under his medical license or Drug Enforcement Administration tracking number. However, police detectives saw about eight bottles of propofol in the house along with other vials and pills that had been prescribed to Jackson by Dr. Murray, Dr. Arnold Klein and Dr. Allan Metzger.

Other drugs that were confiscated in the search included valium, tamsulosin, lorazepam, temazepam, clonazepam, trazodone and tizanidine. They also found propofol in Murray’s medical bag. Murray told detectives that he was not the first doctor to administer the powerful anesthetic to Jackson.

At least two unidentified doctors gave Jackson propofol in Germany. Between March and April 2009, Murray said he called Las Vegas doctor David Adams at Jackson’s request to arrange for Adams to administer propofol. Murray said he was present at a cosmetologist’s office, where Adams used propofol to sedate Jackson. Since he began treating Jackson, Murray said he repeatedly asked the pop star what other physicians were treating Jackson and what drugs they were prescribing. But Jackson declined to provide the information, Murray told authorities.

Murray said he noticed injection marks on Jackson’s hands and feet. When he asked Jackson about them, the pop star told him he had been given a “cocktail” to help him. In addition to Murray, authorities subpoenaed medical records from Dr. Arnold Klein, Dr. Allan Metzger and Dr. David Adams, the affidavit states. They also asked for medical records from Dr. David Slavitt, who conducted the independent medical examination of Jackson for Anschutz Entertainment Group, Dr. Randy Rosen and nurse practitioner Cherilyn Lee. They also subpoenaed records from Dr. Mark Tadrissi, who stored medical records with Adams.

Jackson’s doctor told authorities he left Jackson’s bedside for no more than two minutes before returning to find the pop star not breathing. Jackson reportedly fell asleep at 10:40 a.m.

 

Murray said after monitoring Jackson for 10 minutes, he left to use the restroom. When he returned and saw Jackson wasn’t breathing at 11 a.m. He immediately began attempting to revive Jackson, administering CPR as well as a drug to reverse the effects of the sedative. But police are questioning that account. Cellphone records for the morning of June 25 show Murray made three separate phone calls for approximately 47 minutes beginning at 11:18 a.m.

 

He called Jackson’s personal assistant to request that they send security upstairs. After a few minutes without a response, Murray told authorities he ran downstairs to the kitchen. He asked the chef to send Jackson’s eldest son, Prince Jackson, upstairs. Murray said he continued CPR and waited for the arrival of paramedics.

Murray has already acknowledged obtaining and administering propofol to Jackson the morning that the pop star died. In an interview with police, Murray told them that he had left Jackson alone under the influence of the medication to make telephone calls to his Houston office and family members.

When he returned, he discovered Jackson was not breathing. He performed CPR, and one of Jackson’s staff members called 911. The 50-year-old pop star was rushed to UCLA Medical Center, where he was later declared dead. Much of the investigation has focused on propofol -- a drug typically administered by anesthesiologists during surgery -- and whether Murray’s decision to give it to Jackson as a sleep aid outside a hospital setting reaches a level of negligence required for an involuntary manslaughter charge.

-- Kimi Yoshino and Andrew Blankstein

Photo: Conrad Murray. Credit AFP / Getty Images

Over the next few hours, Murray said he gave Jackson various drugs. Then at 10:40 a.m., Murray administered 25 milligrams of propofol after Jackson repeatedly demanded the drug, according to the court records.

Although Murray acknowledged to police that he administered propofol, authorities said they could find no evidence that he had purchased, ordered or obtained the medication under his medical license or Drug Enforcement Administration tracking number. However, police detectives saw about eight bottles of propofol in the house along with other vials and pills that had been prescribed to Jackson by Dr. Murray, Dr. Arnold Klein and Dr. Allan Metzger.

Other drugs that were confiscated in the search included valium, tamsulosin, lorazepam, temazepam, clonazepam, trazodone and tizanidine. They also found propofol in Murray’s medical bag. Murray told detectives that he was not the first doctor to administer the powerful anesthetic to Jackson.

At least two unidentified doctors gave Jackson propofol in Germany. Between March and April 2009, Murray said he called Las Vegas doctor David Adams at Jackson’s request to arrange for Adams to administer propofol. Murray said he was present at a cosmetologist’s office, where Adams used propofol to sedate Jackson. Since he began treating Jackson, Murray said he repeatedly asked the pop star what other physicians were treating Jackson and what drugs they were prescribing. But Jackson declined to provide the information, Murray told authorities.

Murray said he noticed injection marks on Jackson’s hands and feet. When he asked Jackson about them, the pop star told him he had been given a “cocktail” to help him. In addition to Murray, authorities subpoenaed medical records from Dr. Arnold Klein, Dr. Allan Metzger and Dr. David Adams, the affidavit states. They also asked for medical records from Dr. David Slavitt, who conducted the independent medical examination of Jackson for Anschutz Entertainment Group, Dr. Randy Rosen and nurse practitioner Cherilyn Lee. They also subpoenaed records from Dr. Mark Tadrissi, who stored medical records with Adams.

Jackson’s doctor told authorities he left Jackson’s bedside for no more than two minutes before returning to find the pop star not breathing. Jackson reportedly fell asleep at 10:40 a.m.

 

Murray said after monitoring Jackson for 10 minutes, he left to use the restroom. When he returned and saw Jackson wasn’t breathing at 11 a.m. He immediately began attempting to revive Jackson, administering CPR as well as a drug to reverse the effects of the sedative. But police are questioning that account. Cellphone records for the morning of June 25 show Murray made three separate phone calls for approximately 47 minutes beginning at 11:18 a.m.

 

He called Jackson’s personal assistant to request that they send security upstairs. After a few minutes without a response, Murray told authorities he ran downstairs to the kitchen. He asked the chef to send Jackson’s eldest son, Prince Jackson, upstairs. Murray said he continued CPR and waited for the arrival of paramedics.

Murray has already acknowledged obtaining and administering propofol to Jackson the morning that the pop star died. In an interview with police, Murray told them that he had left Jackson alone under the influence of the medication to make telephone calls to his Houston office and family members.

When he returned, he discovered Jackson was not breathing. He performed CPR, and one of Jackson’s staff members called 911. The 50-year-old pop star was rushed to UCLA Medical Center, where he was later declared dead. Much of the investigation has focused on propofol -- a drug typically administered by anesthesiologists during surgery -- and whether Murray’s decision to give it to Jackson as a sleep aid outside a hospital setting reaches a level of negligence required for an involuntary manslaughter charge.

-- Kimi Yoshino and Andrew Blankstein

Photo: Conrad Murray. Credit AFP / Getty Images

Comments

[I Sanchez]

It's sorry that the world lost a great entertainer, but he brought it upon himself. He knew what he wanted and he was told of the consequences, history tells us what happens to people who use drugs, there is a long list of tragedies with celebrities, he should have heeded the Heath Ledger incident. And not be stupid!

[karmic]

Why on earth the doc agreed to administer all these drugs? For money, he left his ethics behind, huh? And those phone calls? Why on earth the doc left Michael's side when he was under the anesthetic?

Michael needed medical help for his insomnia and all other conditions he was suffering from. But people were expecting him to perform. It's sad that the pressure took his life.

It wasn't like Michael was dependent on Es or something. He was a patient of a clinical condition and the docs didn't treat it but hid it all these years, fooling Jackson for money.

[Robert]

Wow, I heard that Michael Death was ruled as homocide. That's shocking!

[Matthew]

Explosive story. Who says newspapers are dead?

[Laura]

Seriously...did this guy have any rescue equipment in the house? Ambu?
I would think CPR would crush MJ. Can't wait to see the final report.

[Leroy Jenkins]

Nobody to blame here, it was Michael's call for the drugs. Now he could sleep all he wants.. RIP

[Mark Russell]

Extraordinarily sad that a medical doctor didn't treat Mr Jackson for drug addiction. Instead he opted to feed that drug addiction. It's quite apparent that much of the medical community have become subservient to this notion of treating just about everything with drugs. Extremely sad that this is what happened to Michael.

[john crespinel]

the truth revealed!

[Alice]

Then at 10:40 a.m., Murray administered 25 milligrams of propofol after Jackson repeatedly demanded the drug, according to the court records.
Murray said after monitoring Jackson for 10 minutes, he left to use the restroom. When he returned and saw Jackson wasn’t breathing at 11 a.m.
Why he don't go to restroom before injection?
Why????????????

[Jack Henry]

Trying to blame one doctor for this?? Jackson's family, close friends, numerous doctors and many in his entourage were all aware that he was abusing drugs. Put them all on trial for negligence.

[marco]

his value as a death man is bigger than if he was alive, this is certainly the reason why he passed. but nobody of involved people self-asked how much talent we all could lost consequentely to his dead at 50. now it's really to late, there aren't words able to give him back to the humanity.

[Tony]

Very sad! What's even more sad is that if the doctor did the right thing, then probably another doctor would be found to administer the drug? There are sadly no winners, and probably the worlds greatest act has been lost. It's a shame no one had the power to step in to act more appropriately for Michael Jackson and all who are suffering the loss of him. I wonder is it possible to put something inplace to intercept such a tragedy in future?

[mf]

R.I.P MICHEAL KACKSON YOU ARE IN A BETTER PLACE KNOW GOD BLESS YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111

[SeanBoy]

Boy, that's enough zepams to put king kong to sleep. Has the doctor ever wondered what kept MJ awake? Maybe MJ needed another kind of help.

[Kelly M. Bray]

Everyone had choices here. Michael Jackson could have opted to receive mental health counseling and enter rehab, but he chose not to. All of the doctors involved could have said "NO", I will not participate in your drug addictions. They chose the money path and lined their pocketbooks instead. Michael Jackson's death was 99.9% preventable.

[JoeQ]

The LA County Prosecutors office will relentlessly pursue this as long as the cameras are rolling ... I mean ... um ... er ... until justice is served.

[CARRIE]

Well, it's obvious to me that Dr. Murray is not well educated when it comes to those types of powerful drugs. I bet he's never performed any surgeries nor has he ever been an anesthesiologist.
Michale Jackson probably had built up a very high tolerance to propofol and God knows what else, which in return required so much medication in him that his heart just stopped.
Shame on the Doctor's who know better when it comes to addictions and patients.
In this article it states that Dr. Murray told detectives that he feared Jackson was forming an addiction and began trying to wean the pop star off the drugs..
What a crock of crap.
Those don't sound like weaning drugs to me.
I feel bad. I wish I could have just sang Michael to sleep. That works better than medications. I've often sung myself to sleep.

[Shane]

As an anesthesiologist, I am shocked that any doctor would give Propofol to an unmonitored patient in their home. I give this everyday in an operating room with state of the art monitors. I am vigilant and constantly their beside my patient. This is the safest anesthesthetic ever invented but when given by non-anesthesia providers to treat "insomnia" it is clearly a recipe for disaster!!!

[Sue]

I'm a nurse anesthetist in the midwest. There is absolutely no way a competent and ethical nurse anesthetist (or anesthesiologist) would ever, ever recommend--let alone administer--Diprivan as a sleep aid. Not in a hospital. Certainly not in a home. 100% contraindicated. I hate to judge peers, but I think Dr. Murray should at the minimum lose his license.

[BradPittWantsMe]

Homocide? I seriously doubt it was intended homocide - the doctor had way too sweet of a deal with Jackson to want to kill him for any reason. But, the doc needs to lose his license for feeding a drug addiction and using such strong drugs to begin with. Jackson is responsible in the end - he was the one abusing drugs - dangerous drugs. If I were on the jury here, I would find the doctor guilty of manslaughter at the most and give him 20 years in jail. Jackson needs to be held responsible here as well, which means that insurance payoffs, etc. need to be halted. The family has enough money anyway.

[Lynette Ray]

I find it difficult to believe that this doctor did anything wrong intentionally. It appears to be a chain of events that was unstoppable. Unfortunately, MJ had a drug addiction. I hope the court finds that it's the drug addiction, not the doctor that/who is at fault.

[Bill]

Michael Jackson's talent and creative levels cost him dearly. He paid a price but not before giving us a portion of his humanity. May we all have the wisedom to separate the beautiful spirit from the physical and emotional man. God knew the road Michael was to walk and the choices Michael would make. It is the grace of the creator to give Michael those fifty years in which he delivered to the world his gifts. Lets asorb the message and continue with it.

[smokeonit]

let's hope ALL doctors the were involved will get a manslaughter charge & conviction!!!

L.A. seems to be the epicenter of corrupt doctors that cater to the rich & infamous...

of course someone should know better than to administer propofol outside a hospital and w/o any heart monitoring device... normally ony anesthesiologists themselves do propofol, this is the 1st time a non-doc has been caught...

[karmic]

What choices did Michael have? Did he have a choice to make the media not write about him to make money (even today the media is making money selling his stories!). Did he have a choice not to go for trial where he was not guilty?
He was a sensitive soul and he was put through hell. He died a slow death at the hands of media and it became practical with this doc's negligence.

[Timothy]

For those few who still believe in personal responsibility, this sounds like accidental suicide, not homicide.

[Joy Treadwell]

This Dr. was doing exactly what he was hired to do. As would anyone else in his situation who was earning a staggering amount of money and wanting to continue to do so. Michael Jackson was the employer and therefore he was calling the shots and making his own decisions. He was fifty : an adult, not a six year old child.

[Mike]

In the 4th graph from the bottom, the word "He", which follows 11 a.m., should not be capitalized. It's not a new sentence. Or the previous phrase needs to be written as a complete sentence.

Sorry, I'm a proofreader looking for work. Otherwise, excellent article!

[Deborah Wake]

I am incredibly sad that this has come out. Dr Murray should not have given him all those drugs but we also do not know the full story as yet. I have loved Michael Jackson all of my life and feel deeply saddened that his life ended so soon. I hope Michael's children will not have to go through all the media coverage again and I hope the paper's are a lot more sympathetic to what happened and don't use sensationalist headlines to sell more papers. Remember also Dr Murray has eight young children. My thoughts and prayers are with him... RIP Michael Jackson. You will always be loved.

Deborah Wake Durham England

[Ted F]

Poor Michael. With all his $ it wasn't hard to find the doctors who would give him anything he wanted. But the real story here isn't the propofol. It's the benzodiazepines.

I have 9 years clean and sober after being addicted to benzodiazepines so I know what kind of deadly battle Mr. Jackson was facing.
Unfortunately this kind of addiction is extremely prevalent in our society. Drugs like Ativan, Valium, Klonopin, and Xanax are highly addictive and easily fatal if combined with Propofol, alcohol, or opiates.
The pharmaceutical corporations make tons of $ manufacturing benzodiazepines and they have a long history of downplaying the terrible consequences of long term benzo use.
I am fortunate to have survived a bout with benzos. I am truly sad that one of our greatest entertainers succumbed to the deceptive allure of these powerful prescription drugs.

[Unshocked]

The King of Pop should have learned an important lesson from the King of Rock.

[Jon Lyles]

I can't get over how much drugs Murray treated Jackson with before finally giving in and administering the propofol. Obviously Jackson had a big habit. Also it's now obvious he was a drug abuser (understatement) and he overdosed and he had lots of help. It's obvious there are doctors out there who are willing to enable ridiculous drug addictions for the right price. Very sad.

[Scott Boyce]

The massive tolerance built-up by MJ is subject to future medical scrutiny. No doubt his insomnia was induced by a drug addiction. Up-down. Left-right. Blaming an outside provider only dilutes the truth. RIP

[Christian Nungo]

Unfortunately this unprofessional doctor became the scapegoat in all this tragedy.

[Bruce]

Sad for MJ's family especially his elderly Mom and his young children. When will these stars learn?

Judy Garland, Elvis, Heath Ledger and now Michael.

The Dr. was not practicing good medicine. The day he first saw Michael he should have demanded rehab not continued to feed his habit.

I think stars have a tough life especailly having to deal with the press and all the fans, never any privacy.

[julie brawley]

If it was not for greed of a doctor a great entertainer would still be alive and wowing london with his unbeliveable concerts. My heart goes out to his beautiful children and his family to have lost a great man. He should be aloud to practice as a doctor as he is no such thing to administer such leather doses of drugs. What was he thinking. Strick him off and put him in jail where he belongs. Only time will heal his family now, God Bless you all.

[proud american]

Can't understand why we are paying oodles of money to investigate this overdose. The kid down the street overdosed and no one went after his supplier. Guess he wasn't important enough. Guess you have to be a weirdo, pervert, etc to get that kind of attention.

[jaikovsky]

Sad that this happened...but as some stated here, it's not only the doctor's fault but others (who were close to MJ) as well.

As being a personal doctor for MJ, I can understand why Murray complied to MJ's request for the treatment. If Murray rejected his client's request, MJ would consider him as a bad doctor and fire him or hire someone else who would listen to his request...

[cohen]

money and math

[Karen G]

Kelly M. Bray said it all...bad choices. Additionally, when a physician starts initiating sedatives and anesthetics and that is not their area of expertise, you are asking for trouble. So many signs Michael was in trouble it's hard to know where to start...the blame ultimately and unfortunately lies with Michael and his refusal to get help for his addiction. Insomnia is not treated with anesthetics!

[Rick Beezee]

...and pot is illegal?

[TJ]

Medical malpractise and negligent homicide. The administration of midazlopam or "Versed" should not be given IV in a non hospital, non critical care setting, without the availability of emergency resuscitative equipment and skilled, knowledgeable personnel to intervene. It causes respiratory depression and arrest. The administration of Valium IV also causes respiratory depression. The administration of Ativan IV is careless. The administration of Propofonol, under any circumstances, at home, by any physician, is malpractise. One of these drugs alone could have caused respiratory arrest, together, it was a certainty. Any physician asked to engage in this should have refused. Surely, a physician could be found to agree to do it. But, anyone with any knowledge of this ritual should have reported it to appropriate authorities. Any physician prescribing these meds, including the friendly, good old Dr Klein, should be indicted as well and have their medical license revoked. Many laws have been broken here; the entire scenario since it's inception in Germany, was medical practise "off the wall". This patient, even though it was Michael Jackson, King of Pop, should have been hospitalized a long time ago for treatment of insomnia, drug dependancy, anorexia, and other psychological disorders. Performing CPR on him would have had to been done as if with an infant since he lacked a patent airway via his nostrils, as evidenced by physical appearance, sound of voice. It is inconceivable that his managers, promoters, and his personal staff was not aware of his fragile state of physical and mental health. It is like the movie, "They Shoot Horses, Don't They", soaking money out of him one way or another, dead or alive. The glee with which AEI is promoting his taped rehersals is disgusting and telling. And Sony gloating in the The Sunday NYT magazine about their ownership of his Beatles catalogue is more disgusting. There is no justification for administering Propofonol for insomnia at home. The least they could have done, though, if they were going to engage in this criminal behavior, was to put Michael on a ventilator every night, triggered to breathe for him if/when his own respirations ceased. Michael had poor judgement and no one around him cared enough to intervene to stop the madness. And it was, indeed, madness.

[jeanet]

this is very shoking
its now official
dr.murray killed michael jackson
i love you michael jackson
always and forever
RiP

[Rpunch]

Clearly an addict, Jackson used his fame and influence to manipulate others in his never-ending quest for more drugs. Nevertheless, Dr. Murray over-stepped the boundaries by apparently administering high quantities of dangerous drugs to appease Jackson. Now, he (Murray) should be vigorously prosecuted for his actions because being a doctor with a high-profile patient does not make him above the law.

[Mike]

How unfair is life ? They bust this idiot's doc and Elvis - the only real King - his doctor got off scott free. Unbelievable.

[stepahnie]

You will never know the thruth unless Michael was alive...Everyone has there side of a story

[Chris]

Yeah, what drugs was MJ doing that he needed that kind of medication to go to sleep, he was a druggie. That's too bad. I wonder what else we don't know about him.

[James I]

This is typical of conventional western medicine. What all of you don't realize is that according to the AMA prescription drugs are the #4 killer in the USA. This does not include overdoses. Big Pharma is not the solution to your health problems. The USA consumes 50% of all the prescription drugs sold and we are at the bottom of the list as far as health is concerned. Why is that? Big Pharma controls all forms of the media and Washington. That will never change. This is not about health care this is about sick care. The US economy is dependent on disease and sickness. Without it this country would go down the tubes financially. If everybody would give up their MD and find a good ND we would all be a lot better off. Bottom line MJ was killed by greedy MD's.

[Sunil]

Agree that the doc was involved in negligence. How about the media that gave him the insomnia. Everyone is upset with the doc for doing the wrong thing but the media has been killing and will keep killing famous people ( Princess Diana ) and no one will do sqaut about it. Leave the doc alone, he just tried to help. If the doc wont have given him the meds he would have taken it illegally anyways and died just like so many actors have done in the past. LEAVE THE DOC ALONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SHERRILYN]

michael DID NOT deserve to die,he trusted this doctor and he failed him so.it does not matter what the other doctors' gave michael .THEY DID NOT LET HIM DIE....

[Geoff]

"Jackson’s doctor told authorities he left Jackson’s bedside for no more than two minutes before returning to find the pop star not breathing. Jackson reportedly fell asleep at 10:40 a.m. Murray said after monitoring Jackson for 10 minutes, he left to use the restroom. When he returned and saw Jackson wasn’t breathing at 11 a.m."

Do the math. Was he gone for 2 minutes or 10 minutes? Sounds more like 10 minutes.

"Cellphone records for the morning of June 25 show Murray made three separate phone calls for approximately 47 minutes beginning at 11:18 a.m... Murray told authorities he ran downstairs to the kitchen."

Explain how one properly performs CPR while talking on the cellphone and/or runs downstairs. CPR doesn't work if one stops chest compressions to leave the room or to hold a phone.

Either the account of events is wrong or the doctor engaged in malpractice.

[bruno]

thank god now we can rest knowing how this loser died

[bruno]

thank god now we can sleep at night knowing how he died

[virgolady]

This whole MJ thing is so TACKY. I am embarassed! The burial...(if he is buried), the kids, the estate, the money, and the LIES. Now this? ENOUGH already!!!!! When is enough enough? Homicide?? Everyone envolved for the cash should be ashamed.

[Nick]

As a physician who has run into Conrad Murray a few times in the hospital and has one patient who Murray saw and conned him into getting an angiogram for no reason at all, it still shocks me what Murray was doing. There is no way any ethical physician would agree do 1/100th of what what Jackson was demanding, and as a physician for more than 20 years not much surprises me anymore.

Well, is is not said facts are stranger than fiction ?

[virgolady]

Why would this doctor give Michael such a drug??? Why? How STUPID can a a doctor be? Was he thinking of the money he would get? Well....look at him now. How smart is that?

[LoveHimMore]

From the time Dr. Murray noticed that MJ was not breathing, until 911 was called, 1 hour and 29 minutes elapsed. During that 1 hour and 29 minutes, Dr. Murray was on his cell phone for 47 minutes.

When the paramedics arrived, Dr. Murray did not tell them he had administered Propofol to MJ. He only told them about 1 of the drugs he administered.

This seems much worse than manslaughter to me.

For those who think MJ brought this on himself by requesting the Propofol, let me tell you how the medical profession sees it: No matter how much an addict, begs, pleads, bribes, threatens, or pressures you to give them their drugs of choice, THE DOCTOR MUST SAY NO. PERIOD.

It is beyond the pale for a doctor to administer Propofol in the home even one time, but Dr. Murray did it every night for 6 weeks!

[Irving Drinkwine]

I disagree with the poster who says MJ's death was 99.9% preventable. Had that doctor not given him the Meds MJ would have just gone elsewhere until he found what he wanted.
The difference between MJ and a "junkie" is just the several billion MJ had. With that much money the drug dealers came to him and even shot him up. Or he could visit a doctor and have his bully boys insist that he be given narcotics. Blame the doctors, blame his father, blame his friends, we all no that MJ is blameless right?
You play, you pay.

[Kakwasi]

SCARY!!

[doctorB]

I am a trauma surgeon. Propofol is only used in the hospital on patients that are carefully monitored, in an OR or ICU and usually by a trained anesthesiologist or intensivist. Even in these ideal conditions, this drug is powerful, and can be extremely dangerous. For Dr. Murray and others to give Michael Jackson this drug in his home most certainly displays a high level of negligence and I would be surprised if the good doctor is not charged with manslaughter, as he well should be. At the very least, this man should be stripped of his license and never allowed to harm another human being under it's auspices again.

[tony curtis]

Murray will be the lone wolf to be prosecuted the doctors before him will walk away Scot free

[LoveHimMore]

If MJ was such a drug addict as the media is reporting him to be, how did he pass his 5 hour insurance physical for AEG in Feb/March? why did Nurse Cherilyn Lee say she drew blood and saw no sign of addiction in his lab work and no needle tracks? why did Nurse Lee say she tried hard to convince the cops that MJ was not an addict? why do so many of the people who were close to MJ for years say they never saw any sign of addiction? why did Dr. Klein say he saw no sign of addiction & no needle tracks?

[Rey]

This is the sad state of affairs. Anybody can find a doctor to do whatever as long as you pay him/her. You may have to search a bit, but in celebrity circles I think people know where to go just like more common drug seekers will find out which doctors are writing prescriptions for money without proper indications and monitoring. The question is not as much about what they will do with Murray and everyone else crazy enough to administer Diprivan as a sleep aid. What will they do about this subset of doctors with no scruples or conscience ? You can say Jackson brought this on himself but the only way he should have been able to do this is buy Diprivan on the street and inject it himself. Okay law and regulatory authoritities the ball is in your court.

[Bill]

Like Warren Zevon's greatest hits album titled "I'll sleep when I'm dead". He's finally going to get his rest! lol

[fingerprint door lock]

Its sad that he is gone, but this really doesn't come as much of a surprise. Even if MJ was addicted, people encouraged it and allowed it. Sad.

[Carlos Cespedes]

I had sleeping problems more than 25 years ago.The worst thing to a human being is when he can not sleep anymore as I did .Than ks God I found this medicament: Vistaril 25 mg, is easy to get a prescripcion,I have 2 pills at night and I sleep ; EXCELLENT!!!! I tried all other pills without result and the reason I am posting this is for the people with sleeping problems check your doctor and try.I pray for all the people with sleeping problems because I know what is it? Very Sorry about Michael,people with a large amount of energy tends to have sleeping problems without this pill I will be awake forever.Thanks God for find this relaxed non dangerous medicament.

[GG]

Does administering propofol as a sleep aid outside a hospital setting reach a level of negligence required for an involuntary manslaughter charge?
Hmm, let me ponder...

[C. James]

This doctor did not try to help him with his addiction? Get real. He has just been busted doing something illegal so he wants to say he was trying to help Michael. You don't help an addict by giving them what they want. Yes, Michael needed help. That's true. But I understand why he probably didn't go seek professional help...you can't trust them especially if you're a celebrity. Everyone wants to sell you out for a $. It's so sad. Also, why was this doctor giving him other addictive medication...he gave Jackson valium, lorazepam, midazolam and the article said "various drugs" before giving him propofol! What the french!! Regardless of who Michael Jackson was, IF he was acting in Michael's best interest (and not his own..$$) he should've told him NO! Who was the doctor and who was the patient. Again, I agree Michael should've got some help...then again, thanks to our wonderful tabloid media who wants to smell the least little fart a celebrity like Michael passes, He didn't go. Maybe he was embarrassed, scared he'd lose his children and his children would know about it, having something negative about him "again" in the media or just simply was in denial he had a drug problem. Most celebrities don't get the help they need because of the intrusive media and the cost it will have on their career. When are we going to make it okay for them to do so without it being splattered all over the news!!! We need to take a close look at ourselves as a society...before we lose another great entertainer...And just a little note: who stood the most to gain from Michael dying? two words come to mind...AEG & Sony! enough said.

[Dan]

I am not a doctor, but I have friend who is an M.D. and among other specialties is an expert in anesthesiology. Propofol is not a sleep aid. Using it does not provide the restorative functions for the body that natural sleep does. So all these doctors did was encourage a drug addiction and cause Jackson to be constantly tired so he needed drugs to bring him up and down. Eventually, he would die as his body gave out. What kind of doctor would do this who takes the Hippocratic Oath?

[John]

Though you don't push the plunger in the syringe, when you allow others to do it to you, you are still a pathetic, dissolute addict.

A fool and his life are soon parted.

[Aaron]

This "doctor" lacked the skills to resuscitate MJ from the drugs he was giving him. Moreover, if he did have those skills he would have realized his equipment was totally inadequate. Finally, he was foolish because he didn't comprehend his own ignorance. This "doctor" killed MJ through criminal stupidity, and while the label "negligent homicide" certainly applies in this case, I'd personally think it sufficient that he never practice in the same profession as me.

[Chuck Wavy Dean]

MJ was an out-and-out drug addict and he had the money to pay the doctors to get as much of whatever drugs he wanted. Maybe in part because of his celebrity, these doctors, especially Connie Murray, never said no to him, even though they knew this was no way for any normal person to live their life. I sometimes wonder if Dr. Murray tried to convince MJ to quit taking all these drugs and MJ, who was so deep into his drug addiction, basically told him either give me the drugs I want or you're fired. And Dr. Murray, deep in debt and in need of a big payday, went along even though he knew it was dangerous.

[K.Hill]

I have chronic pain. It keeps me awake sometimes. I take tizanidine, ambien, daypro, percocet, and wear a fentanyl patch...my doctor does NOT give me all the meds I WANT, I still have pain. But I understand he gives me all he CAN and not damage me. I'm sure there is damage, but that is the price we pay for comfort. I don't think I'd ever take injectibles, they just work too fast, not at home anyway. Michael was a desperate man, desperate for rest and pain relief. I can totally understand, but it wasn't worth children losing their only parent. That makes me mad a bit at Michael, for letting that happen. Mad at Dr. for enabling it too!

[Pat]

As if there were any question of malpractice! We don't even give that drug in a hospital setting without advanced monitoring. And lifesaving equipment must be nearby. And you don't leave anyone's side when under anesthesia. Propofol as a sleeping aid? Please. At any rate, I'm not surprised the man had problems sleeping. What could stop all the voices in his head?

[LadyScorpio]

Everyone isn't supposed to have a long life. Sadly, Michael's ended at age 50. Though his life was short, it was filled with enough music, magic and ingenuity to live a thousand lives. He did more in those 50 years than most people do in 70 or more. I hate that drugs are what claimed his life, but apparently, it was meant to be. Nothing can change that and nothing will change the fact that he was the GREATEST entertainer that ever lived!!!! Long live the King!

[chooty]

How sad that we lost him. Will he ever know how much we love him.....
Doctors are greedy for money. But don't they give an oath before they pass out as Medical personal??? Also that reporter should be hung. (Basheer..rrr)
I still cant get over Michael's death.
Michael you were a GOD'S GIFT TO THE MANKIND.

[rc53]

Has anyone in LA heard of the word NO? After reading about doctors like those involved with Jackson it is very hard to think about medicine as a profession, they sound more like drug pushers willing to sell themselves to the highest bidder. It's like referring to bookies as financial advisers, or pimps as personnel managers. They all seem to be operating on the same moral level.

[little italy]

oh my god i knew in my heart from the get go he was guilty RIP

[T]

I agree with Kelly everyone has a choice and from what I hear if you did not give MJ his way u were out the door and he would find someone that would give him his way. So there were some Dr's that may have dobe the right thing. As many resources he had available to him he could have made a different choice everyone holds some responsilbility here. As much as I love him he is at fault too,and I don't feel he resting peacefully they still can't make up their minds as to how to bury him he has been dead since June 25 it's is disgusting that he is not buried. The world ate him up and no one cared all they want to know is whats in it for them. MayGod have mercy on your soul all he wanted to do was sleep.Money don't mean nuttin when u behind bars or dead someone else will be spending it.

[Steve Bobulsky]

We don't give patients that many drugs in hospice. Both MJ and the Doc were in some deep delusion- maybe MJ was a special PERSON, but the human body is a human body no matter who owns it- and if you give a human body enough downers, even if it has a high tolerance, at some point it's gonna shut down, period. Very sad.

[hope]

sad and tragic story.
mj's many millions allowed him the leverage to get whatever he wanted.
there are many who cannot afford the meds to help/heal/keep them alive and
well...mj used his monies in outrageous ways. how absurd to request such meds.
the docs had to inform him on what drugs could be obtained...what lay person
would know about such meds and then-yep-have them administered to them
in a way not normal for what he wanted.
money-money-money-money...greedy bunch...including mj.
what a waste of talent.

[William Posey]

And who is the man in the photograph? You have a photograph with the article and you want us to guess who it is?

[Alex]

We all know that his doctor killed him. Micheal owed him millions and millions of $$$. I guess he got tired of waiting for MJ to pay back.

[mary g]

My take on this sad death, Dr's have a legal and human obligation to preserve life, what this Dr. did was criminal. No matter how many times MJ asked for this drug, the Dr. was in the position to say NO. His negligence caused this death, plain and simple. According to his former patients, Dr. Murray sent out letters telling them he had a opportunity that he could not pass up, and that he would not be available for them for about 1 yr. He was blinded by the money, and he made terrible choices, which he should pay for. No reputable Dr. would inject numerous sedatives every 1/2 hour., then follow up with Diprivan, then leave the room for about an hour and not monitor the patient. He will have to live with the guilt for the rest of his life.

[Adriane]

Michael is better off at rest. Inner peace became less and less attainable the more successful he became. When life and its craziness, and the craziness it can give you, drives one to the point where true rest, physical and emotional is no longer possible, what is left? He would have had to leave the spotlight and the entertainment world completely to heal and find true contentment. He never would have done that.

[Kathy]

No competent doctor would have EVER given that combination 0f drugs - not to mention the fact that no competent doctor would ever administer propofol for god sakes in a home!

Do people get that when you are administered propfol, your breathing, heart rate and the rest are monitored by machines for such purposes?

Good lord. I feel incredibly sorry for Michael. It seems that there were more people around him who just didn't care about anything other than their meal ticket. Not to say that there weren't good and loving folks in his life, I'm sure there were, but there sure seemed to be a huge plethora of unethical, greedy, soulless ones too.

[tania]

WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY :'(

[John Logan]

Nothing new to see here. Just another death cause by the government approved drug pushers (the ones that have lobbyists). At least he wasn't smoking evil marijuana or something "illegal" like that. That would be dangerous.

[Julia]

The doctor was up from 1:30 a.m. until 10:40 a.m. trying to help Michael Jackson sleep. He had to be too tired think straight especially trying to cater to the demands of the King.

[Lisa]

The Doctor Conrad Murray should of known better as a physician not to mix all those powerful drugs together he was a complete fool, and deserves to have his license ripped from him for not only doing something very "ILLEGAL" but for also LEAVING the patient unattended after administraing the anesthetic...not even an anesthesiologist will walk away from their patients when administering the drug...what are you on Crack doctor conrad....shame on YOU..I hope you never practice again...and for those who also aided in supplying all these drugs SHAME on you too and hope the book is thrown at you...Michael may have had an insomnia problem but you took it way too far....I hope you are able to live with yourselves with what you all have done..Michael is no longer here because of "YOU" I dont care how much money he offered or whatever as a medical professional you should of known better.

[tehgame101]

Well I guess this will be classified as a "pharmaceutical malfunction."

Lots of people use surgical grade anaesthetics ... and lots of people can get them under false names just as easily as any other medication, right? I'm sure if I went to my GP and told him I was having problems sleeping I'd be able to get a script of propofol just mailed to me...

yeah...

right

[Jess]

MJ, just like many people who have enough money to spend was exploited/milked. Yes he did not decline the drug, but when someone is battling addiction and or depression do you provide them with a gun or place them on top of bridge without suicide barriers. When everyone around you in the entertainment industry, counselors, agents, even friends, wants to milk you like these doctors and would rather see you go another world tour then seek help ...
well that is disapointing and depressing. You gotta remember how many times the tabloids have milked MJ too whenever with all sorts of gossip, this propofol thing would have been another blow to his image, so he and apparently many around probably followed direct orders to keep this secret, and kept cashing in the cheque. I'll never know why the worst decision are always more profiteable.

[SARAH]

Wouldn't anyone have trouble falling to sleep with someone staring at bedside and waiting with baited breath for them to doze off? It's kind of a given that MJ was a sick individual who needed help, but help can't be forced on people. I don't understand why the doctor would give into his demands for drugs, other than the threat of losing his position as MJ's personal doctor. I guess his greed has lost him that, anyway, and he and all others involved have this on their conscience for the rest of their lives.

[mandabanda]

How come when celebrities are non-responsive, the people that find them all call security?!?!?!? What ever happened to dialing 911 immediately? Trying to protect them from prying eyes isn't helpful when they're DEAD.

[Chezza]

I beleive these doctors who choose to cross the bounderies of their profession, should be held accountable for their actions. They have may huge money from these people like Michael, Heath, Anna Nicole, they broke the law, someone has died and shouldn't they be held accountable?.

[Mike]

Versed, Ativan, Valium, Zanaflex, Klonopin, and Propofol all found in MJ's house? He was a florid addict. The doctor is criminally negligent. I am an internist and I would never mix benzodiazepines , under any circumstances. Unfortunately there are many unethical doctors who would prescribe whatever is asked for the right price.

[Daniel]

As someone with lots of experience with propofol, I can't believe that 25 milligrams was enough to kill someone with as much tolerance as Jackson. It certainly wouldn't come back as a "lethal level".

Either this doc is lying about how much he gave or he made a giant mistake in his dosage calculation.

[EJ]

Michael Jackson and his family are to blame for his addiction and the doctors for feeding this addiction. Now he sleeps forever. How unfortunate. Such a great talent. Seems like he had a sad, lonely, life and only his children brought joy to his life. I hope they realize as they grow older how much he loved them.

[Curbstone]

It is tragic that MJ has died.
The world lost a great entertainer.
MJ had a sleep disorder and because he had money, he used that to get what he wanted. Unfortunately he found Dr.Murray who was in financial difficulty and used him as his pawn in the game.
Because Mr. Jackson did not look for help with his sleep disorder or refused help, he is now dead.
I don't blame Dr.Murray for what happened as MJ knew the consequences and was playing a game of Russian Roulette and lost.
Even MJ's family knew MJ had a problem..

[Chris A]

I can't believe people blame Jackson for demanding the drugs. It is clearly the Doctor's fault. He was negligent and must pay the price. To administer a drug, that requires constant supervision under specialized circumstances, to a patient at home and then leave him unattended, is pure negligence. This doctor has taken his MD qualification and sold it to the highest bidder....now he has to pay the price. Surely there are numerous specialists who could have helped Jackson get through the insomnia without resorting to anesthetics....just a crazy situation. I am appalled at the lack of ethics that this doctor has portrayed.

[AmySerna]

I think the Doctor that gave Michael Jackson the powerful medicine Propofol she be put in prison for the rest of their awful life. cause he Murdered Michael Jackson. so there for the doctor responsible for Michael Jackson"s Death should be Killed in prison for what he done and for what he committed. its only fare. Michael Jackson Did not deserve to die. he had his whole life ahead of him. he had 3 kids that he had to finish raising. but now he can"t do so. cause he was Murdered. and the doctor that was responsible for his death should also be put to death. and should be put on death row. for what he committed. cause Michael"s 3 kids deserve Justice. for what was done to their Dad.