Well think of the Casey Anthony trial (if you are familiar) I don't know if she is guilty or not the trial is on going, but I bet you anything if they convict her, we will never know why she killed her daughter. You hear it all the time that "why" is the big question when crimes are committed. I think motive is very important to a case because of course if a crime was committed there was a motive, but I don't think it's necessary. Intent on the other hand is extremely important, because it would prove it wasn't an accident.
I agree with you elusive that this case is unique, but I think we should be discussing it, for Michael. Even if we all talk round and round, there are a lot of us, and you never know what someone might discover. I guess it also depends for a lot of fans if you think Michael was actually murdered. If fans believe it was an accident than Murray's charge is 100% correct, but I for one don't think it was an accident, I don't have any great theories like some other people on here, but in my gut, things just don't add up and when someone admits to an accident and tells all, it should all make sense. Maybe I will feel different when the trial starts.
So is there motive or intent with Murray?
Good points. I've been watching the Anthony trial, too. The evidence there is almost
entirely circumstantial, as is motive. (Casey is not going to testify, and it's doubtful that Murray will, either.) It's been speculated that motive was that Caylee was "
interfering with Casey's social life!" In a trial, there is a body of evidence, of actual material and statements, phone records, documents, and so on. But mostly,
a trial is story-telling, i.e. presenting different narratives about what happened. The defense in the Anthony case is trying to spin the story that Caylee died in a pool, and for some reason, her grandfather hid her body in the woods! The prosecution's story is that Casey intentionally killed her daughter with chloroform. My POINT is, there are two competing sides, with different narratives, with evidence used to back up each story. Barring an eye-witness, that's all most trials have.
In the "
Needle in the Haystack" situation, clearly the fact that the apparatus and medication were
outside, by a trashcan, shows that the propofol couldn't have been self-injected.
The prosecution in the Anthony case actually
has LESS to go on than in the Murray case, and for a higher charge.
The defense narrative in the Murray case is likely to be in terms of
speculations (doubtful that Murray will testify). They will speculate that Michael was a drug-crazed diva (character assassination) and somehow FORCED Murray to give him the propofol. OR, they will say that Murray left the room and Michael self-injected. OR, that Michael had some underlying medical condition that he didn't tell Murray about, and that made him more fragile when given the propofol. The prosecution doesn't have to go with just ONE of these.
They are trying to establish "reasonable doubt."
The prosecution will probably tell the story that Murray was a bumbling fool who made a series of errors in judgment.
BUT, if the charges were Murder One or higher,
different stories will be told. It's not necessary to firmly establish motive, but
suggest it. So at that higher charge, they most likely would have spun a story such as:
An unsigned contract was in Murray's car. Michael had not signed it, nor had AEG. Only Murray had signed the contract, and time was short. Murray had a history of violence (domestic abuse arrest). So, Michael told him he wouldn't sign the contract; Murray was stressed for money, and he SNAPPED, attacked Michael and killed him with the propofol. Different narrative, for the higher charge. RAGE would be "motive."
OR, with a higher charge, the prosecution could have gone with the Jackson's (some of them) narrative, that Murray was the "fall guy" for a more sinister plot, i.e. he was an assassin. That would be "premeditated," and VERY serious, and also very hard to prove without concrete evidence.
So basically what I'm trying to say is that trials are about STORIES that are "likely," and then attorneys use evidence to flesh out the stories. And ultimately, the jury decides. In the Anthony trial there is no evidence that directly links Casey to her daughter's murder, but the bits and pieces of evidence add up to the concept that she intentionally killed her daughter, and then concealed the evidence and the body. It's a risky charge, given that the stakes are, she could WALK. Or, not. WILL she "walk?" Probably not. She's guilty as sin.
It remains my position that the prosecution in the Murray case should have/could have gone for a higher charge. Clearly, there was admission of some sort of guilt, because Murray tried to hide the evidence. Murray was under a lot of financial pressure. It's unclear WHO hired Murray, actually. Murray LIED to police, multiple times. He had a history of violence (domestic abuse arrest). And there is much more. The current charges will be easier to prove, and get a conviction, but the punishment will be, IMHO, too light. It's all about who you believe, and how much risk the prosecution is willing to take? And how you connect the dots? (There is
MUCH less concrete evidence in the Anthony trial, but the prosecution is going for the highest charge.)