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Michael Jackson's Dr. Conrad Murray has been a primary person of interest in Jackson's death investigation since day one of the LA coroner ruling the singer's death a homicide. Los Angeles law enforcement has been trying to make the case of manslaughter against Jackson's personal physician, who admitted in his affidavit that he administered the drug propofol which reportedly led to the singer's demise.
Dr. Murray was hired by AEG Live to not only keep Jackson alive, but fit for his next 50 engagements. It had been widely reported that Jackson suffered from insomnia, an illness according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services that afflicts approximately 64 million Americans yearly.
Dr. Murray unfortunately is the last in a line of physicians who plied the star with the deadly propofol drug. Murray, who is licensed to practice as a cardiologist in Texas, Nevada and California, had been treating Jackson for insomnia for about six weeks, he had been administering propofol by injecting him with 50 milligrams every night using an intravenous line.
According to his sworn statement Murray said he feared Jackson was forming an addiction to propofol and began trying to wean the pop star off the drug. He said on June 23, two days before Jackson's death, he gave him only 25 milligrams of propofol mixed with other sedatives, a concoction which allowed the singer to fall asleep.
On the morning Jackson died, Murray said he had tried to induce sleep without using propofol. He said he gave Jackson valium at 2 a.m., and then, at 3 a.m. when Jackson was still awake, Murray said he administered midazolam.
Over the next few hours, Murray said he gave Jackson various drugs. Then at 10:40 a.m. when Jackson still wasn't able to sleep, Murray gave him 25 milligrams of propofol after Jackson demanded it.
The persistent difficulty of falling asleep and staying asleep is a symptom which may be accompanied by a number of medical and psychiatric disorders. While propofol is a powerful anesthetic that induces sleep, it is not a cure for insomnia. The most effective way to treat insomnia is with therapy, but to prescribe such a potent and addictive drug, at the very least, should rise to the level of medical malpractice... or manslaughter.
With LAPD trying to make the case of manslaughter it is hoped they will pursue all leads and investigate all who played a part in Jackson's death. Thus, instead of only looking at the one physician who was trying to do what all physicians ought to do, save the patient, shouldn't the primary person of interest be that initial doctor reckless or criminal enough to prescribe the highly addictive propofol in the first place?
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