South Coloradan

Michael Jackson’s Death is Ruled a Homicide

Emma Mueller

 The world was shocked when the news was released that King of Pop, Michael Jackson had died in his rented Los Angeles mansion on June 25. On August 24, Jackson’s death was ruled an alleged homicide by the Los Angeles County coroner.
Dr. Conrad Murry is a cardiologist in Las Vegas who became Jackson’s personal physician just weeks before his death.  Murry is now the target of a manslaughter investigation by the L.A. Police Department concerning Jackson’s death.  Murry had been treating Jackson for insomnia for approximately six weeks prior to Jackson’s death.  Murry told investigators that he had been treating the insomnia with fifty milligrams of Propofol each night for the past five or six weeks. Propofol is a drug that reduces anxiety, relieves tension and helps with relaxation and sleep.  Murry told the police that he feared Jackson was becoming addicted to the drug and that he was trying to wean Jackson off of it by lowering the dosage to twenty five milligrams a night and adding two sedatives, Lorazepam and Midazolam.
Murry told investigators that the combination of drugs had helped Jackson sleep in the days prior to his death, but that he was having trouble again in the early morning of June 25. Around 1:30 a.m. Murry gave Jackson a ten-milligram dose of Valium and some other drugs instead of Propofol to help Jackson sleep.  The other drugs included two milligrams of Lorazepam at approximately 2 a.m. and two more milligrams of Midazolam around 3 a.m. He then re-administered each drug at 5 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. The drugs were still not helping Jackson sleep.  Murry says Jackson demanded Propofol at around 10:40 a.m., which Jackson referred to as his “milk.” Murry finally gave Jackson a twenty five-milligram dose of the liquid, after which Jackson finally fell asleep.
Murray says he stayed with the sedated Jackson for ten minutes and then left for the restroom. He says he was gone no longer than ten minutes, but when he returned he found Jackson had stopped breathing.
Dr. Murray says he did not order or buy any Propofol for Jackson, and reported that all the drugs were already in Jackson’s home.  Investigators obtained a search warrant for Murry on August 11. They found evidence of Murray legally purchasing Propofol from a pharmacy in Las Vegas.
The Jackson family released a statement to the press on Monday, August 24, saying they have “full confidence” in the legal process and that all the investigators involved said that their “family looks forward to the day that justice can be served.”