MJJSource.eu

"Murray paused and looked at each of his lawyers for several seconds before telling the judge, "My decision is that I will not testify in this matter." His decision to remain silent brings to an end the defense case in the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, although prosecutors could still call rebuttal witnesses Tuesday afternoon. Closing arguments will be delivered Thursday, based on what Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor said earlier. The prosecution contends that Murray's use of the surgical anesthetic propofol to treat Jackson's insomnia in his home deviated from the standards of care expected of a doctor so egregiously that it made him criminally responsible for Jackson's death. If Murray had decided to tell jurors his version of what happened the day the world's biggest pop star died under his care, it would have been at the risk of intensive cross-examination by Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney David Walgren. Walgren proved his cross-examination skills again Monday in a fiery battle with Dr. Paul White over the defense anesthesiology expert's theory that Jackson died from drugs he gave himself. White completed his testimony Tuesday morning. White's bruises in his battle with Walgren on Monday included a contempt of court citation and a $1,000 fine after he ignored repeated warnings from Pastor not to refer to his personal conversations with Murray. Walgren insisted that White answer his questions based only on what he knew from Murray's interview with police, not what Murray told him privately. It otherwise would have been a way for the defense to introduce statements from the defendant without him having to testify. "Nice try," Pastor told the defense as he ruled they couldn't do that. Walgren spent much of Monday trying to discredit what White said during his testimony Friday, and getting the defense expert to support the prosecution's argument that Murray's treatment of Jackson was reckless. White conceded that Murray deviated from the standards of care, but he would not agree that they were so "egregious and extreme" that they make Murray criminally responsible for Jackson's death. Murray's deviations were "perhaps between minor and serious, but it's not extreme," he said. Walgren also was successful in getting White to agree that he would not have done what Murray did -- take the job of sedating Jackson nearly every night at home with propofol. "No amount of money" could get him to take the job, White said. "Absolutely not," he testified. "That would be a job I would never consider accepting.""