LA County prosecutors are expected to file their case today against DR Murray
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LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles County prosecutors are expected to file their case today against Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, who plans to surrender soon after, according to officials on both sides.
Spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons released a statement Friday saying prosecutors would file the case on Monday and would not release any more details until then.
The cardiologist is expected to be charged with involuntary manslaughter in the pop star's death. Murray's defense team released a statement Monday saying they are prepared to surrender him at an airport-area courthouse at 1:30 p.m. Monday.
Murray has been trying to surrender to authorities for a week now, however, a feud involving the Los Angeles Police Department delayed any action.
Police apparently wanted Murray to be arrested and handcuffed before appearing in court and the defense was negotiating to avoid the so-called photo opportunity.
Murray's lawyer, Ed Chernoff, wanted his client to surrender to a police station and post the standard $25,000 bail for an involuntary manslaughter charge. The bond would allow him to remain free pending a formal arraignment, Chernoff said.
But authorities wanted Murray to agree not to post bail at the police station so he could be taken into custody, transported to a courthouse by police and brought before a judge, the lawyer said.
"I told them there is no way that I'm going to let me client sit in jail so you can have your show and parade him into court in handcuffs," Chernoff told the Los Angeles Times on Friday. "That's when they pulled the plug."
The dispute caused negotiations to break down and likely caused the delay in the case.
Chernoff was waiting for news in a Los Angeles-area hotel, while Murray was at his girlfriend's house in Santa Monica.
Jackson, 50, hired Murray to be his personal physician as he prepared for a strenuous series of comeback performances in London. He died in Los Angeles after Murray administered the powerful general anesthetic propofol and two other sedatives to get the chronic insomniac to sleep, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office, which ruled the death a homicide.
Murray has denied any criminal wrongdoing.
The success of a criminal case against Murray could hinge largely on the timeline of events that occurred inside Jackson's rented home.
According to court papers, Murray told investigators that on the morning of Jackson's death, he tried to induce sleep without using propofol, administering a variety of drugs at various times throughout the morning instead. When those medications failed, Jackson repeatedly demanded the propofol and Murray administered 25 milligrams of the drug, causing Jackson to fall asleep, according to the court document.
Murray contends that he left Jackson for about two minutes to go to the bathroom, and when he returned, the pop star was not breathing.
But investigators stated in court papers that cell phone records indicate the doctor may have been on the phone for about 45 minutes between the time he says he administered the drugs and when paramedics were called.
Murray insists he has told the truth and did not give Jackson anything that should have caused his death.
Involuntary manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison.
