Cardiologist Testifies in Conrad Murray Trial

Los Angeles - Dr. Thao Nguyen, a cardiology fellow at UCLA who has since become a cardiologist, testified that Murray introduced himself to her at the hospital as Jackson's physician and that Murray told him that Jackson had been asking for some medications to help him go to sleep.

She said Murray identified Ativan -- another name for Lorazepam -- as the only substance he had given Jackson, but said he was not able to tell her when he had administered it or how long it was until the time he realized the singer was not breathing.

"He never mentioned propofol to you?" Deputy District Attorney David Walgren asked.

"Absolutely not," Nguyen responded. "He did not mention that agent to me."

She said Jackson's doctor asked "that we not give up easily and try to save Mr. Jackson's life."

"In Dr. Murray's mind, if we called it quits at that time it would be giving up easily," the cardiologist said.

Nguyen said it was "not a case of too little, too late," but seemed instead to be "like a case of too late."

"What I feared was that time was not on Mr. Jackson's side," she said. "We were running too late."

Nguyen said after multiple attempts to revive Jackson, doctors eventually decided to use a "balloon pump" as a last-ditch effort. She said doctors spoke with Murray about the procedure, and they agreed that it would be the last effort to revive the singer.

After the procedure failed, Jackson was pronounced dead.

She said Murray "sounded desperate and looked devastated" at the hospital.

Also called to the stand today were representatives from AT&T and Sprint/Nextel, who testified about phone records showing calls made to and from Murray's two cellular phones in the hours leading up to Jackson's death. They included a 32-minute call made from one of Murray's cell phones to his Las Vegas office and an 11-minute call to Sade Anding, a Texas cocktail waitress who prosecutors believe was talking with Murray when he discovered Jackson lifeless.

Also speaking to Murray on the phone at 10:20 that morning was Dr. Joanne Bednarz Prashad, who testified that she was "impressed" by Murray's ability to remember a patient and clearly state that the patient needed to postpone surgery for a deep wound on his leg and to instead continue on a prescription medication given after he had a stent installed 4 1/2 months earlier.

Another Murray patient, Antoinette Gill, said she had a "very short conversation" with Murray that day, with phone records indicating that the call at 8:49 a.m. lasted 53 seconds.

Consuelo Ng, who began volunteering in Murray's office after the doctor helped to save her grandmother's life, said he informed his office staff at one point that he would be going on a tour with Jackson and wanted to get a competent doctor to see his patients while he was gone. She said she did not speak with Murray the day Jackson died.

Bridgette Morgan, who testified that she met Murray in a social setting in 2003, testified that Murray informed her that he was Jackson's personal physician. She said she called Murray the morning of June 25, 2009, but did not speak to him.

Murray, 58, is on trial for involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death from acute propofol intoxication. He faces up to four years in state prison if convicted.

When Jackson died at age 50, the cardiologist was working for him at a rented mansion, where the pop star was staying while rehearsing for 50 sold-out concerts in London dubbed "This Is It." Prosecutors contend Murray gave Jackson propofol and then failed to monitor him, leaving his bedroom for at least 45 minutes to make phone calls and send emails.

Defense attorneys insist Murray was weaning Jackson off the medication and that he gave him only a small amount of propofol, but that Jackson "self-administered" a larger dose, killing himself instantly after the doctor left the room.

Two paramedics who responded to the Holmby Hills home testified last week that Murray never mentioned giving Jackson propofol.

Paramedic Richard Senneff also said Jackson appeared to have been dead for some period of time before they arrived, despite Murray's claim that the singer had only stopped breathing around the time 911 was called.

"There were multiple observations," Senneff said. "When I first moved the patient, his skin was very cool to the touch. When I took a first glance at him, his eyes were open, they were dry and his pupils were dilated. When I hooked up the EKG machine, there was a flatline ... "

Senneff also said paramedics were unable to locate a vein in Jackson's arm, an indication that his blood had not been circulating.