AEG Executive Testifies in Murray Trial

Los Angeles - An executive with concert promoter AEG was back on the stand today in the trial of Michael Jackson's personal physician, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter for allegedly giving the pop superstar a large dose of a powerful sedative, then failing to monitor him.

Dr. Conrad Murray's trial began in earnest with opening arguments Tuesday with a prosecutor describing him as a negligent, incompetent physician and a defense attorney portraying him as a caring friend trying to wean Jackson off of the sedative propofol and working to cure his inability to sleep.

Jackson, 50, died June 25, 2009, from acute propofol intoxication. He was in Los Angeles rehearsing for a series of 50 sold-out concerts in London -- concerts that Jackson dubbed "This Is It," saying they would be his final performances.

On the stand Tuesday, AEG Live Concerts co-chief executive officer Paul Gongaware testified that the company originally contracted with Jackson for 31 concerts that sold out as quickly as tickets were offered. He said there were still 200,000 people in the queue for tickets -- enough to sell out another 50 shows -- when tickets to the 50 shows were sold out.

Gongaware said Jackson told him at one point that he wanted to hire Murray as his personal physician for the tour, and the doctor initially asked for $5 million for a year, telling him he had four clinics to close.

"I told him there's no way that's going to happen," Gongaware said. "Michael couldn't afford it."

He said Jackson's personal assistant called him on the way to a rehearsal to insist that Jackson wanted to hire Murray and that he overheard Jackson saying he should be offered 150 -- apparently meaning $150,000 per month. Murray initially declined that offer but accepted after hearing it came directly from Jackson, Gongaware said.

In his opening statement Tuesday, Deputy District Attorney David Walgren told jurors that Murray was more interested in the money than Jackson's health.

The prosecutor said evidence would show Murray "repeatedly acted with gross negligence, repeatedly denied care, appropriate care to his patient, Michael Jackson, and that it was Dr. Murray's repeated incompetence and unskilled acts that led to Mr. Jackson's death on June 25, 2009."

Walgren said Murray, 58, gave Jackson a massive dose of propofol the day he died, then left the singer unmonitored for about 45 minutes while he made phone calls and sent emails. After discovering Jackson had stopped breathing, he did not call 911 or order anyone else to call for help for about 25 minutes, Walgren said.

Murray also allegedly failed to tell responding paramedics or emergency room doctors that he had given Jackson propofol, which is intended to be used in conjunction with other anesthetics in a hospital setting. He mentioned it to police investigators two days after the singer's death, according to the prosecution.

Murray's attorney, Edward Chernoff, countered that the doctor was working to wean Jackson off of propofol, and when he refused to give it to the singer, Jackson gave himself a fatal dose of the medication.

Chernoff told the seven-man, five-woman jury that Jackson -- after being unable to sleep for 10 hours -- swallowed Lorazepam pills and gave himself a lethal dose of propofol while the doctor was out of the singer's bedroom.

"The evidence will show you ... that when Dr. Murray left the room, Michael Jackson self-administered a dose of propofol that, with the Lorazepam, created a perfect storm in his body that killed him instantly," Chernoff said.

"When Dr. Murray came into the room and found Michael Jackson, there was no CPR, there was no doctor, no paramedic, no machine that was going to revive Michael Jackson. He died so rapidly, so instantly, he didn't even have time to close his eyes."

Murray, who is free on $75,000 bail, faces up to four years in prison if convicted of the felony charge.

Also among those set to testify today are Faheem Muhammad, head of Jackson's security team, and Michael Amir Williams, Jackson's personal assistant.