Investigator testifying about Jackson doc's phone
By ANTHONY McCARTNEY
AP Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES -- Prosecutors have called a computer forensic analyst to describe his investigation of the cell phone of the doctor charged in Michael Jackson's death.
Stephen Marx previously testified that he found emails that defendant Dr. Conrad Murray sent hours before Jackson died on June 25, 2009.
Marx is also expected to testify about the recording of a conversation between Jackson and Murray that was extracted from the physician's iPhone.
Prosecutors played the recording during opening statements and a voice is heard speaking extremely slowly and slurring his words.
The audio was one of the previously undisclosed pieces of evidence against Murray, who has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death.
The involuntary manslaughter trial of the doctor charged in Michael Jackson's death is moving into its "CSI" phase, with jurors set to hear next from investigators and detectives.
The panel also will hear from Dr. Conrad Murray, himself, though it will be through a more than two-hour interview that police conducted with the Houston-based cardiologist two days after Jackson's June 2009 death.
The exact order of the witnesses is unclear, but court transcripts of discussions between the judge and lawyers from both sides Tuesday show that prosecutors are entering the next stage of the trial - furthering their case against Murray through the recollections of people who investigated him.
Murray has pleaded not guilty in the case. He faces up to four years behind bars and the loss of his medical license if convicted of involuntary manslaughter. Authorities contend he gave the singer a lethal dose of the anesthetic propofol and other sedatives in Jackson's bedroom. Murray's attorneys say that Jackson gave himself the fatal dose.
The prosecution had been prepared Tuesday afternoon to call a police detective who would introduce the interview with Murray, which is expected to be played in its entirety for jurors. Defense attorneys said they needed more time to prepare for the witness, prompting the judge to send the trial into recess early and instruct prosecutors to call other witnesses to give Murray's lawyers opportunity to get ready.
Lead defense attorney Ed Chernoff hinted at a sidebar conference that the next witness may now be Stephen Marx, a forensic computer examiner for the Drug Enforcement Adminstration who analyzed Murray's iPhone. At a preliminary hearing earlier this year, Marx talked about emails he was able to retrieve from the phone, but in upcoming testimony he is likely to talk about a much more dramatic find.
Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said in opening statements that investigators were able to extract a recording of Jackson talking to Murray from the physician's iPhone. The audio of Jackson speaking slowly and slurring his speech was one of the previously unknown pieces of evidence prosecutors are using against the doctor.
Statements and items shown to jurors during opening remarks are not evidence until someone testifies about them.
Other investigators from the coroner's office will be called during the remainder of the trial to talk about Jackson's autopsy and toxicology findings that led to the determination that the singer died from acute propofol intoxication and the effects of the sedatives.
Prosecutors plan to call their main expert on propofol Tuesday, according to the transcripts.
The investigators come seven days into the government's case against Murray, which has featured dramatic testimony about the frantic efforts to revive Jackson. In the past two days, jurors have heard in rapid-fire succession from witnesses who called or texted Murray in the hours before Jackson's death.
The witnesses included several of the doctor's mistresses and his current girlfriend, Nicole Alvarez, who received shipments of propofol at her apartment on Murray's behalf but said she never knew what he was being sent.
Another woman, Sade Anding, told jurors that Murray called her at 11:51 a.m. on the day Jackson died, but stopped paying attention to her during the call. Murray's phone sounded like it had been shoved in a pocket.
"I pressed the phone to my ear and I heard mumbling and voices. Like the phone was in his pocket. I heard coughing," she said.
AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch contributed to this report.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/10/05/2439905/investigator-testifying-about.html
Jackson Death Trial Showcases iPhone Forensic Capabilities
By Computer Forensics International
Last modified: 2011-10-06T01:49:28Z
Published: Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011 - 6:49 pm
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 5, 2011 -- /PRNewswire/ -- "iPhone users would be stunned to learn the amount of recoverable data we can get", says Mark McLaughlin of Los Angeles based Computer Forensics International. "When you hit delete it doesn't necessarily mean that message, text or picture is gone forever. You're just telling the iPhone, don't show it to me anymore and it flags that deleted data so it can be overwritten. So depending on the activity after the deletion, we may be able to bring it back like it was never deleted."
DEA Computer Forensics Examiner Stephen Marx testified today in the Michael Jackson Death Trial that he found emails the defendant Dr. Conrad Murray had sent hours before Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009. Not only did Marx recover critical timeline emails, he also discovered digital medical charts thought to be non-existent. But the key piece of evidence was a damaging audio recording of an impaired Michael Jackson reportedly made by Murray.
Computer forensic examiners like McLaughlin, routinely use very sophisticated software tools, such as EnCase, on civil and criminal cases. They start by first making a copy of the iPhone's entire memory – which includes active and deleted data. This exact copy doesn't disturb the original data which makes the examination forensically sound and admissible in court. Then the copy can be searched either visually or by using keywords. The recovered data is ultimately put into known iPhone categories and displayed.
McLaughlin says, "Our SmartPhone forensic capabilities have improved exponentially. But it stands to reason because they're just pocket computers, and we've been searching them successfully for nearly 20 years now. So I guess people need to realize that if it's there, we're usually going to find it".
SOURCE Computer Forensics International
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/10/05/3963662/jackson-death-trial-showcases.html
Conrad Murray's emails reveal fake names for Michael Jackson
October 5, 2011 | 11:24 am
Michael Jackson’s personal physician was using his iPhone to read and send emails in the hours before the pop star died, a computer expert testified Wednesday.
Forensic examiner Stephen Marx said screenshots automatically archived by the device showed Dr. Conrad Murray was perusing emails the morning of June 25, 2009, including three letters referencing Omar Arnold –- a pseudonym Jackson sometimes used.
The emails sent to Murray by a staffer at his Las Vegas practice were briefly displayed for jurors and included copies of handwritten treatment records for “Arnold” dating back to 2006.
One entry for November 2008 indicated the patient was being treated for “insomnia/anxiety” and listed Murray as his primary physician.
Another document Murray reviewed was entitled “Omar Arnold Medication Log.” It listed Benoquin, vitamins, Xanax and Valium, but made no mention of propofol, the anesthetic Murray was using as a sleep aid for Jackson.
A lawyer for the promoter managing Jackson’s comeback has previously testified that Murray was supposed to be collecting the singer’s medical records for the company insuring his comeback attempt.
The emails displayed in court indicate Murray’s staff was confused about his use of pseudonyms. In one record, the name “Mike Smythe” was crossed out and replaced with “Omar Arnold.” In another email, a medical assistant, Consuelo Ng, asked her boss, “Is Paul Farance him too?”
Jackson had used “Paul Farance” to get medical treatment, according to a search warrant filed in the investigation into Jackson’s death.
Murray faces a maximum of four years in prison if convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lan...ls-reveal-fake-names-for-michael-jackson.html
'I am asleep,' Jackson says in slurring audio
Singer is heard telling doctor he wants to build a children's hospital in rambling recording
LOS ANGELES — Michael Jackson is heard discussing his plans to build a hospital for children in a rambling, slurring conversation with the doctor charged in his death.
The recording ends with the singer saying, "I am asleep" after the doctor asks him if he is OK.
A forensic computer expert told jurors hearing the involuntary manslaughter case against Dr. Conrad Murray that the audio was recorded May 10, 2009, roughly six weeks before Jackson's death.
The audio played Wednesday in a Los Angeles courtroom is significantly longer than the snippet that prosecutors played during opening statements last week.
Jackson is heard telling Murray that he wants to build a children's hospital after his planned series of comeback concerts. The singer tells the doctor that he is attempting to accomplish something that Elvis Presley and The Beatles did not.
Murray has pleaded not guilty in the case. He faces up to four years behind bars and the loss of his medical license if convicted. Authorities contend he gave the singer a lethal dose of the anesthetic propofol and other sedatives in Jackson's bedroom. Murray's attorneys say that Jackson gave himself the fatal dose.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44785478/ns/today-entertainment/
The recording is currently available on this page:
http://insession.blogs.cnn.com/category/conrad-murray/
The full transcript screen capture can be found here:
http://insession.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/05/michael-jackson-on-audio-tape-i-hurt-you-know-i-hurt/
Conrad Murray Trial: Michael Jackson Audio Mumbles About 'Lost Childhood'
By JIM AVILA (@JimAvilaABC) , KAITLYN FOLMER (@ABCKaitlyn) and JESSICA HOPPER (@jesshop23)
LOS ANGELES Oct. 5, 2011
Jurors in the Conrad Murray manslaughter trial listened to a drugged Michael Jackson saying he hurts and that he had no childhood.
The audio was the second portion of a recording made on Murray's iPhone that was first played for jurors during opening statements. Murray, Jackson's personal doctor, is on trial for involuntary manslaughter in the singer's overdose death. Murray faces up to four years in prison if convicted.
On the tape, Jackson describes starting a children's hospital with the proceeds from the grueling comeback "This Is It" tour that he was preparing to embark on.
"My performances will be up there helping my children and always be my dream. I loved them. I love them because I didn't have a childhood. I had no childhood. I feel their pain. I feel their hurt. I can deal with it.
"'Heal the World,' 'We Are The World,' 'Will You Be There,' 'The Lost Children'... These are the songs I've written because I hurt, you know, I hurt," he mumbled.
Jackson's slurred speech is virtually unrecognizable. Computer forensic examiner Stephen Marx testified that the recording was made on Murray's iPhone on May 10, 2009. Jackson's siblings, Randy, Jermaine and Rebbie, listened as the recording of their brother played.
Jermaine Jackson listened with a pained face and Randy Jackson put his hand over his mouth when their brother is heard saying, "I hurt."
Jackson said that the world's children are depressed and that's why he wants to build a hospital complete with game rooms and a movie theater.
"Don't have enough hope, no more hope. That's the next generation that's going to save our planet, starting with-we'll talk about it. United states, Europe, Prague, my babies. They walk around with no mother. They drop them off, they leave... They reach out to me. Please take me with you," he said.
Last week, prosecutors played a portion of the recording, made just weeks before Jackson died of a drug overdose. In that portion, Jackson talked slowly about the impact he hopes his "This Is It" Tour will have on his reputation.
"We have to be phenomenal ... when people leave this show, when people leave my show, I want them to say I've never seen nothing like this in my life. Go. Go. I've never seen nothing like this. Go. It's amazing. He's the greatest entertainer in the world," Jackson says.
"I'm taking that money, a million children, children's hospital, the biggest in the world. Michael Jackson's Children's Hospital," Jackson says in the recording.
The second portion of the recording was played by prosecutors today because the whole recording must be played to be submitted as evidence.
Prior to the shocking recording, this morning's testimony centered on medical supplies ordered by Murray's staff in the months before Jackson died of a drug overdose and the contents of Murray's iphone.
Several emails had been sent from Murray's employee Connie Ng and they contained medical records and information about a patient named "Omar Arnold." Prosecutors seemed to be implying that "Omar Arnold" was an alias for Jackson in Murray's records.
The email attachments included an echo cardiogram, Murray's handwritten notes saying that "Omar Arnold" was suffering from insomnia and anxiety and medications taken by the patient that included benoquin, a bleaching cream.
On Tuesday, the owner of a specialty pharmacy testified that Murray ordered several tubes of the bleaching cream along with the powerful anesthetic propofol and other sedatives in the months before the singer died. Jackson died from an overdose of propofol.
Prosecutors claim that Murray recklessly administered the drug and didn't properly monitor Jackson while he was under the influence of propofol. Murray's defense team argues that Jackson himself took a powerful combination of propofol and the sedative lorazepam without Murray's knowledge on the day he died.
Murray sent an email on the morning Jackson died at 11:17 a.m., a little more than an hour before 911 was called to report a lifeless Jackson.
The email centered on a request for Jackson's medical records in an effort to get an insurance policy for the concert. Potential insurers wanted Jackson's medical records to see if there was any truth to media reports that Jackson used a wheelchair, suffered a back injury, had lupus or cancer or emphysema or was anorexic.
Murray called those reports "fallacious."
"I spoke with Mr. Jackson and requested his authorization for release of his medical records in order to assist you to procure a cancellation insurance policy for his show, however, authorization was denied. I therefore suggest that someone from AEG should consult kindly with Mr. Jackson as to its relevance for he is of the opinion that such a policy is already secured," Murray writes in the email.
During the final days of Jackson's life, Murray was in the midst of contract negotiations. He signed a contract for $150,000 a month to be Jackson's personal physician, however neither Jackson or any one from the company promoting the concert signed the contract.
A previous witness who drafted the contract said that she had asked for more information about Jackson's health including any records that Murray had.
Murray insisted that Jackson was a healthy man and that any records he had would be thin because Jackson's health was so good.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/Conrad_Mur...audio-lost-childhood/story?id=14674700&page=2
'My babies walk around with no mother': Court hears eerie ramblings of Michael Jackson 'under the influence of drugs' recorded weeks before his deathConrad Murray made recording on his iPhone using an iTalk function
Last updated at 8:39 PM on 5th October 2011
By David Gardner
Michael Jackson's private suffering was revealed to jurors in the Conrad Murray trial today as he was heard in a slurred voice explaining how he felt the pain of abandoned children because he never had a childhood himself.
In an eerie recording from beyond the grave, the King of Pop told how important it was to him that his planned comeback concerts at London's O2 Arena were a triumph.
'Elvis didn't do it. Beatles didn't do it. We have to be phenomenal. When people leave the show, when people leave my show, I want them to say, "I've never seen nothing like this in my life",' he said.
He said he wanted his fans to hail him as 'the greatest entertainer in the world.'
The recording was made by Jackson's personal doctor, Conrad Murray, on his iPhone using an iTalk application and prosecutors claim it was taped while the star was under the influence of the hospital anaesthetic Propofol.
'My performances will be up there helping my children. I love them I love them because I didn't have a childhood. I had no childhood. I feel their pain. I feel their hurt. I can deal with it,' Jackson said in a slow, faltering tone much different to the star's famously high voice.
'Heal the World, We Are the World, Will You Be There, The Lost Children. These are the songs I have written because I hurt, you know, I hurt,' he added.
The recording was played during the testimony of Drug Enforcement Agency forensic computer expert Stephen Marx, who analysed data on Murray's iPhone. It was recorded on May 10, 2009 - just six weeks before Jackson's death.
Jackson told how he planned to take the millions he would make with his 'This Is It' tour to build the 'biggest children's hospital in the world' with a game room and a move theatre.
Prosecutors claim Murray taped Jackson after sedating him with Propofol, but defense lawyers claim it would have put him to sleep immediately and he'd been given a milder sedative
'Children are depressed in those hospitals because there is no game room, no movie theatre. They're sick because they're depressed.
'Their mind is depressing them. I care about them, them angels. God wants me to do it. I'm going to do it, Conrad,' he adds.
The lights were dimmed in the courtroom while the recording - a snippet of which was heard during the prosecution's opening statement - was played in full.
'Don't have enough hope, no more hope,' he said. 'That's the real generation that's going to save our planet, starting with, we'll talk about it - United States, Europe, Prague.
'My babies. They walk around with no mother. They drop them off, they leave - a psychological degradation of that. They reach out to me - please take me with you.
'I want to do it for them. That will be remembered more than my performances. My performances will be up there helping my children and always be my dream.'
Asked by Murray if he was okay, Jackson says: 'I am asleep.'
Murray, 58, has pleaded not guilty to causing Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, by administering him with a fatal dose of powerful Propofol, which is only supposed to be used in a hospital setting.
If he is convicted of involuntary manslaughter, Murray could be jailed for up to four years.
Prosecutors claim Murray taped Jackson's voice after sedating him with Propofol to help him sleep, but defense lawyers claim the drug would have put the star to sleep immediately and say the doctor had given him a milder sedative.
The case continues.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...luence-drugs-recorded-doctor-weeks-death.html
Slurring Jackson aimed to build hospital for kids
LINDA DEUTSCH, AP Special Correspondent
Updated 04:42 p.m., Wednesday, October 5, 2011
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Six weeks before Michael Jackson died, his doctor recorded the semi-comatose superstar mumbling what might have been his farewell address to the world.
In a slow, slurred voice, clearly under the influence of sedatives, Jackson spoke about leaving a performance legacy bigger than Elvis or The Beatles, and building a fabulous hospital for children with proceeds from his highly anticipated "This Is It" comeback concerts.
"Elvis didn't do it. Beatles didn't do it. We have to be phenomenal." Jackson is heard saying on the tape.
Jackson, known for donating huge amounts to children's charities, said his vision was driven by his love of children. In his ramblings, he envisioned the hospital would be big enough to house a million children, with a movie theater and game room.
"That will be remembered more than my performances," he says. "My performance will be up there helping my children and always be my dream. I love them. I love them because I didn't have a childhood ... I feel their pain. I feel their hurt. I can deal with it."
The full tape of the May 10, 2009, ramblings by Jackson was played for the first time Wednesday during the involuntary manslaughter trial of Dr. Conrad Murray. A portion of the recording was played last week during the prosecution's opening statement.
The more than four-minute audio recording was found on Murray's cell phone by forensic digital expert Stephen Marx. There was no indication why Murray made the recording.
With Murray murmuring agreement, Jackson referred to the children of the world as "angels" and said, "God wants me to do it. I'm gonna do it, Conrad."
Murray replied, "I know you would."
And, as he had done long ago with his Neverland ranch, he spoke of a place to raise children's spirits. "They're sick because they're depressed," he said.
The tape was played by prosecutors to show that Murray knew for weeks how Jackson was reacting to heavy sedatives the doctor was administering to help his patient sleep.
Toward the end of the recording, there is a period of silence before Murray asks, "You OK?"
Eight seconds pass then Jackson mumbles, "I am asleep."
Marx, an investigator with the Drug Enforcement Administration, testified Wednesday that he retrieved another recording from Murray's phone and other files that showed he was busy e-mailing, texting and handling messages about insurance for Jackson's concerts during the time the singer was believed to be under the influence of the powerful anesthetic propofol.
Authorities contend Murray gave Jackson a lethal dose of the drug and other sedatives in Jackson's bedroom on June 25, 2009. Murray's attorneys say Jackson gave himself the fatal dose.
Prosecutors claim the doctor was too distracted to give his patient adequate care and allowed him to die on his watch.
Murray has pleaded not guilty. He could face up to four years behind bars and the loss of his medical license if convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
One voicemail message left for Murray came from Jackson's late manager,
Frank Dileo.
"Dr. Murray, it's Frank Dileo," he was heard saying on the June 20, 2009, voicemail. "I'm Michael's manager. I'm the short guy with no hair.
"He had an episode last night. He's sick," Dileo says. "I think you need to get a blood test on him. We 've got to see what he's doing."
In the days ahead, the jury will hear from Murray himself, though it will be through a more than two-hour interview that police conducted with the doctor two days after Jackson's death.
The government's case against Murray so far has featured dramatic testimony about frantic efforts to revive Jackson.
Witnesses in the past two days included several of the doctor's mistresses and his current girlfriend, Nicole Alvarez, who prosecutors say received shipments of propofol at her apartment on Murray's behalf. She said she never knew what was being sent.
http://www.chron.com/news/article/Slurring-Jackson-aimed-to-build-hospital-for-kids-2203196.php
