Ms. Janice Brenman is a former prosecutor who was in private practice in Los Angeles from 2001 to 2012 representing nearly 8,000 individuals in over 42 states. She also did 9th Circuit Federal Appeals from 2007 to 2012. She has commented in major legal publications on the subject of legal reform and celebrity influence on the legal system...
Read moreConrad Murray Trial: Recapping Key Events (Weeks 1, 2, and 3)
The Conrad Murray trial has been filled moments of drama, shock, tenseness, sadness and admonition. During week one, members of Michael Jackson’s inner circle (including director/producer/choreographer Kenny Ortega, security staff, and personal chef) testified to his medical care not being Murray’s top priority… Paramedics and an ER physician confirmed Jackson could have been saved had they been summoned sooner, and had Murray not been preoccupied with gathering potential evidence and dispensing false information (such as the existence of propofol in MJ’s system). Jurors also learned how Jackson’s children witnessed their lifeless father in bed. During cross examination of the litany of witnesses, the defense team seemed to be pinning their hopes on salvaging Murray’s reputation, and dismantling the sympathy for Jackson by portraying him as an addict who self-administered the lethal propofol dose. Week two commenced with medical personnel testifying MJ was clinically dead by the time he arrived at UCLA Medical Center, despite efforts at resuscitation. Murray told an emergency room physician he administered 4 milligrams of the sedative Lorazepam which caused cardiac arrest. Testimony followed from AT&T and Sprint Nextel employees regarding data residing on Murray’s iPhone. Tuesday revealed 4 women who were in contact with Murray around Read More …
Defendant Conrad Murray: iPhones and Propofol
Opening statements began this week in the long anticipated manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson’s personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray. The drama-filled day’s zenith included a few moments taken from an iPhone audio recording of a conversation between Murray and Jackson just weeks before the singer died. Jackson’s slurred voice belied his soaring ambition as he said “I want them to say, ‘I’ve never seen nothing like this in my life. He’s the greatest entertainer of all time.’” His philanthropic nature seemed to shine, as he pledged to take the profits from what would have been his swan song tour, “This Is It” and starting a hospital for children bearing his namesake. Once the recording concluded, Deputy District Attorney David Walgren explained, “That is what Conrad Murray is seeing and observing on May 10, 2009, and what does he do with that knowledge and information? On May 12, he orders another shipment of Propofol and Midazolam.” Following the phone call and a photo of Jackson on a gurney juxtaposed against the pop star in rehearsal just 24 hours prior, defense attorney Ed Chernoff told jurors how Jackson, of his own accord, swallowed enough lorazepam pills the morning of his death to Read More …