Prosecutors opened the trial of Michael Jackson's personal physician Tuesday with an image of the dead pop star's pale, emaciated body and a recording of Jackson sounding drugged-out but hopeful for his future.
The defence countered that the "King of Pop" caused his own death, taking a powerful anesthetic after his doctor left the room.
Dr. Conrad Murray, who has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, arrived to court holding hands with his mother. Many of Jackson's relatives, including his father Joseph, mother Katherine, sisters LaToya and Janet, and brothers Jermaine, Randy and Tito, attended the proceedings.
In his opening statement Deputy District Attorney David Walgren played a recording of Jackson during a call to Murray in May 2009 while on propofol, the powerful anesthetic Murray gave to Jackson as a sleep aid.
With slurred, slow speech, Jackson talked about how he wanted to impress fans at a planned series of upcoming concerts.
"When people leave my show, I want them to say, 'I've never seen nothing like this in my life,"' the voice on the recording says.
Jackson died about two weeks later on June 25, 2009, allegedly from an overdose of propofol, which is only supposed to be administered in a hospital setting.
"What happened during that time frame is that the acts and omissions of Michael Jackson's personal doctor Conrad Murray directly led to his premature death at age 50," Walgren told jurors.
He said Jackson trusted Murray as his physician.
"That misplaced trust in Conrad Murray cost Michael Jackson his life," Walgren said. "He left him there, abandoned him to fend for himself."
Murray never called emergency services himself, and waited 20 minutes before having one of Jackson's bodyguards make the call.
"Basic common sense requires 911 be called immediately," Walgren said. "Basic common sense. And we know that was not done."
Defence attorney Ed Chernoff said there was nothing Murray could have done to save the singer and Jackson was obsessed with making his comeback in a series of concerts that year.
Chernoff said Jackson died, not because his doctor gave him too many drugs, but because he stopped giving them.
"What we will hear is that Dr. Murray provided propofol for two months to Michael Jackson for sleep," Chernoff said. "During those two months, Michael Jackson slept. He woke up and he lived his life. The evidence will not show you that Michael Jackson died because Dr. Murray gave him propofol. The evidence is going to show you Michael Jackson died when Dr. Murray stopped."
The defence said that June 25, 2009 – the last day of Jackson's life – the singer was on the third day of being weaned off the drug and it wasn't working.
Chernoff claimed Jackson swallowed several pills of the sedative lorazepam the morning of his death, which was enough to put six people to sleep.
Doctor's credibility attacked
Walgren claimed Murray was a dishonest doctor who lied in order to gain access to thousands of milligrams of propofol and initially wanted US$5 million per year to care for Jackson.
The doctor asked originally for $5 million a year to work for Jackson but eventually took a lower salary at $150,000 a month, Walgren said.
The opening statements Tuesday are expected to be followed by the start of testimony.
In addition to media, fans and curious onlookers, Jackson's father Joseph, his mother Katherine, sisters LaToya and Janet and brothers Jermaine, Randy and Tito were all present.
The trial is being broadcast on television and the Internet.
NBC's Jinah Kim said the trial has attracted media coverage from around the world, driven in part by the star power of those expected to attend.
"We are expecting Latoya, Janet, the parents, perhaps some of his brothers to sit in the courtroom at least some of them every single day of this trial. That's what we're hearing from the family. And possibly his children may be on the list of witnesses to take the stand," Kim told CTV News Channel.
The trial is expected to probe deeply into Jackson's final hours before he took a dose of the powerful sedative propofol, which is normally administered in a hospital setting.
Murray was charged with involuntary manslaughter based on a police interview two days after Jackson's death, in which he said he had been giving the singer the anesthetic to help him sleep.
Murray's testimony will mark the first time the public hears, in the doctor's own words, what exactly happened the night Jackson died.
Kim said prosecutors are expected to argue that even though Jackson had drug issues, Murray is ultimately responsible because of his role administering the drug and that "he should have known better, that this violated the physicians' standard of care."
Prosecutors plan to play a recording of Murray's interview with police and will delve into witnesses' memories and conclusions about the final hours of Jackson's life.
Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor has limited, however, what the defence can say about Jackson's history with drugs and his money troubles. Prosecutors, for their part, are limited in what they can say about Murray's personal life, including his own financial troubles and relationships.
The trial is expected to last for weeks and include dozens of witnesses. After final arguments, the jury will decide the outcome.
With files from The Associated Press
