The defense of Dr. Conrad Murray received a rude jolt on Monday, October 31 as the most important witness was held on charges of contempt of court and was subsequently fined $1000. Dr. Murray was charged with involuntary manslaughter for death of Michael Jackson in June 2009. He sought the help of an expert in anesthesia, Dr Paul White. However, White testified about his private conversations with the doctor and in the process incurred the wrath of the court for court order violation. The judge had enough and declared a harsh sentence.
The Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael E. Pastor said that what White did constituted nothing but a direct contempt of court. The judge conveyed this to Mr. White who is regarded as the final witness of the defense team.
Mr. White told the jury that he strongly believed that Michael Jackson was on extra doses of two drugs. This includes the powerful Propofol. White clearly suggested that he thinks Michael killed himself but ruled out a suicide attempt as the singer was ignorant of the potential dangers of the drugs.
Monday was a black day for White as he was held for ???contempt of court??? for the second time. The first offense was on October 21 when a member of the prosecution was addressed in vulgarity by White.
There was a strong exchange between White and District Attorney David Walgren who had started grilling White on the medical conditions of Dr Murray. White, however, admitted that the medical treatment of Jackson of Murray was not in line of standard protocols. Propofol is never administered in home conditions and White agreed to it. He also stated that Dr Murray did not keep notes about his treatment of the singer and that he was a bit late in calling 911. In spite of all these admissions, White refused to call these egregious errors. White did not rule out the possibility that Jackson could have injected himself doses of Propofol from a partially filled syringe. This happened when Dr Murray was away.
At this point the jury was sent outside and Pastor complained that White was making these statements on the basis of his conversations with Murray rather than the statements given to the police. The Judge held him for contempt of court when White testified that he has more information to share with the jury. It must be said that the situation is rather bleak for Dr Murray who can face up to 4 years in jail.