LOS ANGELES (AP) - October 1, 2011
Jurors have heard from witnesses who were on the scene,
including Jackson staffers and paramedics, during the panicked
final moments of the pop star's life.
The first emergency responder to reach Jackson's bedroom
testified Friday that when he arrived he noticed several things
that seemed inconsistent.
Paramedic Richard Senneff said that when he arrived he saw
Jackson on the floor, eyes open with a surgical cap on his head.
His skin was turning blue. Senneff said he asked the sweating,
frantic-looking doctor in the room what condition the stricken man
had.
"He said, `Nothing. He has nothing,"' Senneff told jurors.
"Simply, that did not add up to me," Senneff said.
Over the course of the 42 minutes that Los Angeles paramedics
tried to revive Jackson, several other things about the room and
Murray's responses seemed inconsistent to Senneff.
After repeated prodding, Senneff testified, Murray revealed a
few details about his actions, saying he had only given Jackson a
dose of the sedative lorazepam to help him sleep.
In addition, there were bottles of medicine on Jackson's
nightstand, and Murray finally offered that he was treating the
singer for dehydration and exhaustion.
Senneff said Murray never mentioned that he had also been giving
Jackson doses of the anesthetic propofol and other sedatives, a key
omission that prosecutors say shows he repeatedly tried to conceal
his actions during the struggle to save the pop superstar.
Murray, 58, has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he could face
up to four years in prison and lose his medical license.
Prosecutors contend the Houston-based cardiologist repeatedly
lied to medics and emergency room doctors about medications he had
been giving Jackson in the singer's bedroom. They claim Murray
administered a fatal dose of propofol and other sedatives.
Defense lawyers claim Jackson gave himself the fatal dose after
his doctor left the room.
Senneff said that within moments three other paramedics arrived
and were helping work to revive Jackson. After trying multiple
heart-starting medications and other efforts, Jackson was still
lifeless.
"Did you ever see any sign of life in Mr. Jackson during the
entire time you were attempting to save him," prosecutor Deborah
Brazil asked.
"No I did not," Senneff said.
Another paramedic dispatched to the room, Martin Blount, agreed.
He told jurors that they thought Jackson was dead soon after they
arrived in the room.
Blount also said he saw three open bottles of lidocaine on the
floor of the room but noted that Murray never mentioned giving
Jackson the painkiller. He told jurors he saw the doctor scoop up
the vials and drop them in a black bag.
Between the paramedics' testimony, Superior Court Judge Michael
Pastor threatened Murray's lawyers with a contempt charge over an
interview the law partner of lead defense counsel Ed Chernoff did
Friday with "The Today Show." In the interview, attorney Matt
Alford criticized a key prosecution witness, Jackson's bodyguard
Alberto Alvarez.
Alvarez testified Thursday that Murray ordered him to place
vials of medication in a bag before calling 911. Defense attorneys
have repeatedly challenged his account.
Prosecutors complained and Pastor watched the interview during a
break. He told attorneys he was shocked and had watched the
interview "with my mouth open." The interview was done hours
after the judge warned attorneys not to comment about the case
outside court.
He ordered Alford to appear for a contempt hearing on Nov. 15
and described him as a witness after Chernoff told Pastor to hold
him in contempt instead of his partner.
All the discussions about the interview were held outside the
presence of jurors, who are under strict orders to avoid media
coverage about the case.
The seven-man, five-woman panel instead heard testimony about
efforts to revive Jackson, who the paramedics and emergency room
doctor thought was dead at his rented mansion. Still, the singer
was transported to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center because Murray
wanted life-saving efforts to continue.
---
Associated Press writer Greg Risling contributed to this report.
---
Anthony McCartney can be reached at
http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP
Jackson doctor trial focuses on final moments
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