Attorneys in the trial of Michael Jackson's personal physician will make their final arguments to jurors Thursday after 22 days of testimony that included dramatic accounts of what led to the King of Pop's death on June 25, 2009.
The judge has asked both sides to wrap up arguments by the end of Thursday. Once attorneys have summarized their cases, the seven-man, five-woman jury can begin deliberations in the involuntary manslaughter case of Dr. Conrad Murray.
The defense has attempted to portray Murray's superstar patient as an addict willing to take great risks in his quest for sleep as he prepared for a series of planned London concerts. Jackson pleaded for medications to help him sleep and ingested lorazepam without telling Murray, creating a "perfect storm" of medications in his system, according to the defense.
Prosecutors claim Murray administered the fatal dose of the powerful sedative propofol -- which prosecution witnesses said should not be used as a sleep aid -- then failed to properly monitor his patient. Prosecution witnesses repeatedly questioned Murray's decision to adminstered propofol, usually reserved for surgical settings, at Jackson's rented Holmby Hills without proper monitoring equipment.
The prosecution also targeted Murray's actions after he returned to Jackson's bedroom and realized his patient was not breathing. Phone records showed Murray was on the phone with his girlfriends. Prosecutors said he delayed calling 911 and attempted to hide drug vials.
Murray did not testify in his defense, but jurors heard his account of the day Jackson died on a recorded interview with Los Angeles Police Department detectives. Murray provided a chronological account of June 25, 2009, starting at the time Jackson arrived home after a late-night rehearsal for his planned "This Is It" concert series in London.
Murray described a restless night and the singer's pleas for something to help him sleep.
"He tried to close his eyes, and nothing would work," Murray said during the two-hour interview. "He complained that he would have to cancel rehearsals... and not satisfy his fans if not rested well."
It was about 10:40 a.m. that Murray said he decided to administer propofol, a drug he said Jackson called his "milk." His account to detectives included the frantic moments after he realized Jackson was not responsive.
It was Murray's disclosure regarding the location of propofol bottles during the interview that prompted investigators to search the superstar's bedroom two days later. That resulted in a police investigation and Murray's arrest in the high-profile case.
If convicted, Murray faces up to four years in prison and loss of his medical license.
