It’s the death photo making the rounds on the Internet this afternoon.
Michael Jackson’s doctor Conrad Murray is on trial for the involuntary manslaughter of the King of Pop, and, as part of their opening arguments lawyers for the prosecution showed the jury an image of Jackson’s strapped to a gurney, hours after his death.
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office is arguing that Murray should have regulated or cut down Jackson’s drug intake in his final months,
Deputy District Attoney David Walgren argued in the courtoom that Jackson’s trust in Murray’s medical skills led directly to his death: “The evidence will show that Michael Jackson literally put his life in the hands of Conrad Murray… Michael Jackson trusted his life to the medical skills of Conrad Murray. The evidence will show that misplaced trust had far too high a price to pay… it cost Michael Jackson his life.”
The prosecution is presenting what they say is clear evidence that the pop star was overdosing on the painkiller Propofol. In a video presented at trial today, Jackson is heard slurring his words and acting noticeably under the influence. Witness Kenny Ortega, director of Jackson’s planned comeback tour, has testified that Murray waved off his concerns over the singer’s ability to perform, telling him the singer was “physically and emotionally fine.”
The photo shown at trial is below:
