(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Anaesthesiologist Dr. Paul White believes that Michael Jackson killed himself by "self-injecting" Propofol.
White appeared on the stand Friday as the defence's final witness in the involuntary manslaughter case against Dr. Conrad Murray for Jackson's death. The singer passed away in June 2009 and autopsy officials cited acute Propofol poisoning as his cause of death.
The prosecution argued that Murray put Jackson on an intravenous Propofol drip the day of his demise which resulted in the singer's fatal overdose.
White, who is a Propofol expert, challenged the prosecution's assertion, stating that there was no evidence on the scene or in police interviews that Murray hooked up Jackson to an IV.
White suggested that according to the evidence Jackson could not have died from the amounts of Propofol Murray stated he had given the singer that day.
He noted that the 25mg Propofol dosage Murray said he administered was barely enough to reduce anxiety and induce sleepiness in a patient.
White challenged last week's prosecution witness anaesthesiologist Dr. Steven Shafer's conclusion that Murray gave Jackson at least nine 4mg injection of Lorazepam throughout the morning of the King of Pop's death. White said those amounts were "enormous" and would have put anyone to sleep or even killed them swiftly. Jackson would have died earlier than he did if that were the case.
White said that the most realistic scenario would be that Jackson took at least eight pills of the sedative Lorazepam the night of June 24. The anaesthesiologist then suggested that Jackson gave himself a fatal injection of Propofol around 11:30AM on June 25.
"With the administration of the additional 25mg. that we're speculating was self-injected by Mr. Jackson, the level increases rapidly and at the time of death would be almost identical to the level found in the urine at autopsy," White testified.
The witness demonstrated how to self-inject Propofol in the courtroom saying that it was simple to do.
The prosecution will cross-examine White on Monday. The final stages of proceedings will begin next week.
If Murray is convicted he can face up to four years in prison and the revocation of his medical licence. (C) Cover Media