Med Firm Says Conrad Murray Owes It $147K

LOS ANGELES (CN) - A medical imaging company claims Dr. Conrad Murray owes it $147,000, and sued Murray, MSNBC and other media companies, demanding they pay the debt before paying Murray any money for the documentary "Michael Jackson and the Doctor: A Fatal Friendship," which includes an interview with Murray, to be aired Friday night.

Digirad Imaging Solutions claims Murray, who was convicted Monday of involuntary manslaughter for the June 25, 2009 death of Michael Jackson, owes it $147,085, with interest accruing at $40.28 per day.

Jackson's body was full of a welter of drugs when he died. The singer-songwriter-dancer King of Pop was Murray's only patient at the time. Murray was convicted of injecting Jackson with propofol, an anesthetic that Jackson allegedly called his "milk."

Murray is being held without bail pending sentencing on Nov. 29. He could face up to 4 years in prison, but is not expected to serve that long, even if he is sentenced to it, because of overcrowding in California prisons.

Digirad claims that MSNBC and its codefendants are being used as "mere subterfuges employed by defendant Conrad Robert Murray to escape liability for his debts and obligations, including the judgment, while at the same time allowing defendant Conrad Robert Murray to enjoy and retain the benefits of ownership and possession of his equitable and beneficial interest in the assets held by those entities, including, without limitation, money paid or to be paid to defendants Conrad Robert Murray or Does 51 through 100, inclusive, for the benefit, or on account, of defendant Conrad Robert Murray in connection with, or arising out of, the documentary and/or the interview, or rights thereto or proceeds therefrom".

Named as defendants are MSNBC Cable LLC, NBCUniversal Media LLC, October Films LLC, October Films, What's It All About? Productions, Zodiak Media Group Ltd., Zodiak Media Group PLC, and Conrad Robert Murray.

Digirad wants its $147,000, plus costs and fees.

It is represented in Superior Court by Timothy Aires, of Newport Beach.

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