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Jackson bodyguard says doc told him to hide vials

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Published : Sept. 30, 2011 - 14:18

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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The first bodyguard to reach Michael Jackson's bedroom after the singer's doctor called for help testified Thursday that he was told by the doctor to gather medicine vials before calling emergency services.

Deputy District. Attorney. David Walgren displys an image of Micheal Jackson's Holmby Hills bedroom while questioning Alberto Alvarez,one of Michael Jackson's security guards, during Conrad Murray's involuntary manslaughter trial in downtown Los Angeles, Thursday. Murray has pleaded not guilty and faces four years in prison and the loss of his medical license if convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Michael Jackson's death. (AP-Yonhap News) Deputy District. Attorney. David Walgren displys an image of Micheal Jackson's Holmby Hills bedroom while questioning Alberto Alvarez,one of Michael Jackson's security guards, during Conrad Murray's involuntary manslaughter trial in downtown Los Angeles, Thursday. Murray has pleaded not guilty and faces four years in prison and the loss of his medical license if convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Michael Jackson's death. (AP-Yonhap News)


Alberto Alvarez said Dr. Conrad Murray grabbed the vials form a nightstand next to Jackson, who was still in his bed. ``He said here, put these in a bag.'' Alvarez said of Murray.

Alvarez said at first he thought he was bagging the items in preparation for a trip to the hospital. He said he trusted Murray because he was a doctor.

When he entered the bedroom, Alvarez said, he saw Jackson's eyes were open and was surprised to see the singer was wearing a condom catheter.

Alvarez testified that Murray only told him Jackson had a bad reaction. Alvarez is the sixth witness to testify in the involuntary manslaughter trial of Murray, who has pleaded not guilty.

Earlier, Alvarez testified that Jackson was in good spirits at a rehearsal on the night before he died.

``He was very happy,'' Alvarez testified. ``I do recall he was in very good spirits.''

Prosecutors have been calling witnesses who were with Jackson and Murray the day the singer died.

Authorities accuse Murray of giving Jackson a lethal dose of the anesthetic propofol in the bedroom.

Prosecutors are calling key witnesses in an attempt to show Murray delayed calling authorities on the day the King of Pop was found lifeless and was intent on concealing indications that he had been giving the singer doses of the surgical anesthetic.

The jury has already gotten a glimpse into the entertainer's inner sanctum through photos and testimony.

Alvarez's testimony will likely be challenged by Murray's defense attorneys, who on Wednesday questioned Jackson's head of security and the singer's personal assistant about why they didn't reveal certain details about the day Jackson died to police for at least two months.

Defense lawyer Ed Chernoff asked Faheem Muhammad and Michael Amir Williams about whether they conferred with Alvarez before their interviews with detectives.

Williams, who was Jackson's personal assistant, said his interview with detectives had been delayed. He testified that he received an urgent phone call from Murray on the day of Jackson's death but wasn't told to call emergency services.

He called Muhammad, who then dispatched Alvarez to Jackson's bedroom on the second floor of the singer's rented mansion in the ritzy Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles.

The room was off-limits to Jackson's staff, and Muhammad paused before racing up the stairs after reaching the mansion just before paramedics arrived.

He described a heart-wrenching scene. By then, he said, Jackson had been removed from his bed and was on the floor, where Murray, sweaty and frantic, was performing CPR.

Alvarez was pacing nervously, Muhammad told the jury. When he saw Jackson up close, he understood why.

``What did you observe about his face,'' prosecutor David Walgren asked

``That his eyes were open,'' Muhammad said. ``That his mouth was slightly open.''

``Did he appear to be dead,'' Walgren asked.

``Yes.''

The bodyguard soon noticed that Jackson's children, Prince and Paris, had gathered by the doorway.

``Paris was on the ground, balled up crying,'' Muhammad said. He ushered the children out of the room, and then into a sport utility vehicle so they could follow the ambulance to the hospital.

Some of the scenes recounted by Muhammad will likely be repeated Thursday as prosecutors work to fill in other details about Murray's behavior after finding Jackson unconscious. Also expected to testify on Thursday are Kai Chase, a chef who spoke to Murray briefly on the morning of Jackson's death, and paramedics who also tried to revive the singer. The medics believed Jackson was already dead by the time they arrived, but Murray insisted the performer be taken to a hospital for additional resuscitation efforts.

Prosecutors contend Murray did not tell any of the bodyguards or emergency personnel that he had been giving Jackson propofol and other sedatives to help him sleep.

Chernoff claimed in opening statements that Jackson gave himself the lethal dose.

Much of the trial in later sessions will focus on the science of what killed Jackson, and dueling theories of Murray's role.

 

<한글기사>

'마이클 잭슨 주치의, 구조대 오기 전 약병제거 지시'

 

'팝의 황제' 마이클 잭슨이 숨진 당일,  주치 의가 침대에 죽은 듯이 누워 있는 잭슨의 침대 주변에 있는 물약병들을 숨기라는 지시를 했다는 법정 증언이 나왔다.

잭슨의 핵심 경호원이었던 알베르토 알바레스는 29일(현지시간) 미국  로스앤젤 레스 법원에 나와 주치의 콘래드 머레이(58)가 도움을 요청해 달려가보니 긴급 구조 서비스(911)를 부르기 전에 잭슨 침대 주변의 물약병들과 식염수 병을 없애라는  요 구를 했다고 말했다.

이같은 증언은 주치의 머레이가 수면마취제 `프로포폴' 등 약물을 과도하게  투 여해 잭슨을 숨지게 했다는 혐의로 기소돼 미국민들의 커다란 관심 속에 재판을  받 는 가운데 나왔다.

경호원 알바레스는 "내가 침대 끝 부분에 서 있으니 그가 한 줌의 물병들을  집 어들고는 건네며 '이것들을 가방 안에 담으시오'라고 했다"고 증언했다.

알바레스는 또 머레이가 링거 주사대로부터 식염수 병을 떼어내 그것을 다른 가 방 안에 넣으라 했고, 자신이 식염수 병을 떼어내면서 가방 안에 병 하나가  들어있 는 것을 봤다고 말했다.

이같은 증언과 관련, 데이비드 월그린 검사는 당시 가방 안에 들었던 병이  100

㎎의 프로포폴 병이었다는 증거를 제시하며 머레이를 몰아부쳤다.

당시 현장을 초반에 목격한 사람들 중 한 명인 알바레스는 이밖에 당시 방안에 있던 잭슨은 두 팔을 벌린 채 엎드려 누워 있었고 두 눈을 약간 뜨고 입은 벌리고 있었다고 설명했다.

머레이는 잭슨이 "좋지 않은 반응"을 보였다고 말했으며 한 손으로 흉부압박을 하는 것도 봤다는게 알바레스의 증언이다.

알바레스의 증언에 대해 주치의 측 변호인은 앞서 나온 잭슨의 개인비서나 경호 책임자 등의 검찰 측 증인들처럼 알바레스가 잭슨 사망 후 최소 두 달 동안 이같은 내용을 자세하게 공개하지 않은 이유를 집중 추궁할 것으로 보인다.

지난 27일 시작된 이번 재판은 5주 간 이어진다. 검찰과 변호인 측은 지금까지 남성 7명, 여성 5명으로 구성된 배심원단 앞에서 각각 "중대한 과실"과 "잭슨  스스 로 야기한 죽음"이라는 주장을 펴며 맞서고 있다.

검찰 측은 머레이가 한 달에 15만 달러라는 엄청난 보수를 받는 주치의 자리를 놓치지 않으려 불면증 치료에 그릇된 방법을 썼다고 주장했다.

반면, 변호인 측은 프로포폴은 불면증 치료에 흔히 쓰는 약물로 머레이는  잭슨 이 약물을 끊도록 애를 썼다고 반박했다.

배심원단이 유죄 평결을 내리면 머레이는 최고 4년의 징역형을 받을 수 있다.