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Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
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Michael Jackson’s Father Sues Dr. Murray

LOS ANGELES (CN) - Michael Jackson's father sued Dr. Conrad Murray for the wrongful death of the King of Pop. Joseph Jackson claims Murray, his Texas- and Nevada-based medical offices, and a Nevada-based pharmacy provided the drugs that killed the entertainer, through substandard medical care and over-medication.

Sued along with Murray in Superior Court are Houston-based Acres Home Heart & Vascular Institute, of which Murray was an officer and director; GCA Holdings aka Global Cardio-Vascular Associates Holdings, a Las Vegas-based Nevada LLC of which Murray is the sole owner and member; and Applied Pharmacy Services LLC and Applied Pharmacy Service Inc., both of Nevada.

Murray was hired as Michael Jackson's personal physician to care for him as the entertainer prepared for a world tour. He died on June 25, 2009, of an overdose of Propofol, administered by Murray, according to the complaint.

Jackson's father claims that after Murray called 911 early on the morning of June 25, and "stated that a 50-year-old 'gentleman' was not breathing," and paramedics arrived at Jackson's bedside within 5 minutes, Murray "failed to inform the paramedics of defendants' administration of various drugs to Michael Jackson, including the drug Propofol, and other benzodiazepines. Defendants' conduct was below the standard of care."

Jackson's father claims that Murray told Dr. Richelle Cooper, the head of the UCLA Medical Center Emergency Department, to which Jackson was taken for unsuccessful attempts to revive him, that "he had administered only Lorazepam (Ativa), Diazepam (Valium,) and Flomax" to the entertainer. (Parentheses in complaint.)

"Defendant Murray said nothing about Propofol and nothing about Flumazenil (Romazicon), or the other drugs found in Michael Jackson's body at his autopsy," according to the complaint. "Defendants' conduct was below the standard of care. Defendants demonstrated a disregard for Michael Jackson's life by not disclosing the Propofol and the 'polypharmacy' Michael Jackson had received for months."

The complaint adds: "Defendant "Murray told police on June 27, 2009, two (2) days later, [that] he was afraid Michael Jackson was addicted to Propofol. He had a history of addiction, and defendant was trying to wean him off the drugs. Yet, he told Dr. Cooper two (2) days earlier that Michael Jackson had no drug use history."

On June 26, police seized from the entertainer's home "dozens of drug vials showing Michael Jackson's drug use," including Restoril, a sleeping pill, Ativan, and Xylocaine, the complaint states. "Yet, defendant Murray told Dr. Cooper, Michael Jackson had no history of drug use."

Jackson's father seeks damages for wrongful death and negligence. He is represented by Brian Oxman of Santa Fe Springs.

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