LOS ANGELES — Testimony has ended in the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson’s personal physician.
Defense attorneys and prosecutors said Tuesday they have called their final witnesses after 22 days of testimony.
See Also: Does Kim Kardashian Want To Be Elizabeth Taylor?
See Also: Black Travel: Visit Nashville, Tennessee For Some Country
The final witnesses presented to jurors were a pair of anesthesia experts who had different theories on how Jackson died unexpectedly on June 25, 2009.
The panel did not hear from defendant Dr. Conrad Murray, who told a judge he would not testify in his own defense.
Authorities contend Murray gave Jackson a fatal dose of the anesthetic propofol, but defense attorneys claim Jackson gave himself the fatal dose.
Murray has pleaded not guilty and could face up to four years behind bars and the loss of his medical license if convicted.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.
Michael Jackson’s doctor told a judge Tuesday that he will not testify in his own defense, as testimony in his involuntary manslaughter trial neared an end.
Dr. Conrad Murray held his hands over his mouth as if he was praying in the moments before Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor asked the cardiologist whether he intended to take the stand.
The judge also asked if he understood the decision was his alone to make.
“Have you made up your mind,” Pastor asked.
Murray paused, looked at all his lawyers, seemed to sigh and said, “My decision is I will not testify in this matter.”
The judge asked lead attorney Ed Chernoff if he had conferred with Murray about his rights and Chernoff said yes.
“The court finds the defendant has knowingly, freely and explicitly waived his right to testify,” the judge said. “I certainly will respect that decision.”
Murray had left open the possibility of testifying on Monday, when he told Pastor that he had not made a final decision.
Murray’s announcement Tuesday was made outside the presence of jurors.
The defense rested its case later in the morning after calling 16 witnesses. Prosecutors then recalled their propofol expert, Dr. Steven Shafer, as a rebuttal witness. Walgren said he wanted Shafer to address a few points raised by previous testimony.
Thus far, there have been 22 days of trial.
Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Jackson’s death on June 25, 2009. He could face up to four years behind bars and the loss of his medical license if convicted.
Murray’s decision against testifying came after hours of intense grilling by a prosecutor of Dr. Paul White, an anesthesia expert who has said he believes Jackson injected himself with the fatal dose of propofol when Murray left his bedside.
After asking only eight questions on Monday, Deputy District Attorney David Walgren had gotten White to acknowledge that Murray had repeatedly violated the physician’s standard of care.
Throughout the day, White also told jurors that he would have never done what Murray was doing – giving Jackson propofol as a sleep aid.
RELATED:
