Key witness against Murray is missing *UPDATE

Interesting, just got this off maxjax...

Key witness against Michael Jackson's doctor is missing

By Alan Duke, CNNSeptember 15, 2011 -- Updated 1806 GMT (0206 HKT)

Los Angeles (CNN) -- A man who testified earlier that he shipped large amounts of the surgical anesthetic propofol to Dr. Conrad Murray in the weeks before Michael Jackson's death apparently moved out of the United States and cannot be located for this month's trial, prosecutors told the judge Thursday.

The coroner ruled that Jackson died on June 25, 2009, as the result of an overdose of propofol combined with other drugs.

The judge scheduled two additional hearings for next week to decide if the prosecution can use the missing witness' previous testimony and to get a head start on the last phase of jury selection in the involuntary manslaughter trial of the pop star's doctor.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor said the hearings will help keep Murray's trial on track for face-to-face questioning of potential jurors September 23.

Prosecutors want to use the previous testimony of Tim Lopez, given at Murray's preliminary hearing last January, because they've been unable to contact him since he moved to Thailand. Pastor said prosecutors must show Monday that they have done everything possible to reach Lopez.

Lopez, the owner of a wholesale pharmacy in Las Vegas, testified that he shipped a total of 15 liters of propofol to Murray in the three months before Jackson's death.

A hearing Monday morning will also consider the prosecution's request to exclude the testimony of Jackson's makeup artist. The defense wants Karen Faye to repeat statements given in interviews about what she described as Jackson's ill health in the weeks before his death, as he was rehearsing for his comeback concerts.

The prosecution told the judge in a hearing Thursday that much of what Faye has said in the past is based on what she heard others say, not her own recollections.

The judge will also consider if the defense can call a Texas medical examiner to testify about his inspection of the Los Angeles County coroner's facilities and practices. Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said Thursday that the man's testimony is not relevant to the Murray case.

The judge again raised questions about the prosecution's plan to present testing done on university students in Chile who voluntarily swallowed propofol, the drug the coroner said was partly responsible for Jackson's death. They must overcome defense objections that the study was never published or reviewed by other scientists.

The prosecution wants to argue that the experiments disprove the defense theory that Jackson died after he drank the drug, not from an injection given by Dr. Murray.

Pastor also scheduled a hearing for next Wednesday afternoon to begin the process of deciding which potential jurors should be dismissed "for cause." Both sides will be able to challenge jurors based on their answers given to 113 questions posed to them in writing last week.

Defense lawyer Nareg Gourjian said he received the defense copy of the 30-page questionnaire responses only Wednesday. Lawyers for both sides have only until next week to study the 145 jurors' answers to determine if the potential jurors can put aside biases and what they've heard about the singer's death to reach a fair verdict.

Lawyers will question them about their answers when they return to court September 23. The attorneys are seeking 18 Los Angeles County residents qualified to sit in judgment of Murray.

Prosecutors contend Murray, who served as Jackson's personal and full-time physician at the time, used a makeshift IV drip to administer propofol intended to help Jackson sleep, a practice they argue violated standards of care and led to the pop icon's death.

If convicted on the involuntary manslaughter charge, Murray could face up to four years in prison.

Opening statements for the trial, which will be televised, are scheduled for September 27. The judge told the jury pool he expects their service will be over on or about October 28.

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/09/15/california.conrad.murray.trial/index.html

that is interesting

And so it starts... It's almost hard to believe, isn't it?

It's not here yet! I don't trust it, lol.. They have been dangling this case like a carrot in front of a donkey! I swear if Dr. Murray ends up dying during this trial ima be PISSED! Well, not really.. I totally expect cardiac arrest or somethin and the trial will never happen. I mean if MJ is still alive and it looks too grim like they will lose, then yeah.. Murray can fake his death too.

ahahahahaha!!!!! I doubt fake his death but fake an illness yep. And while he is sick he will make a deal. He could also skip the country.

I fully expect him to leave the US when this is over... IF MJ is still alive.

I doubt Murray would try to fake his death...especially if MJ is still alive. That would be like icing on a cake. Unless his faked death has been planned all along. I mean really...at this point, nothing would surprise me. I can see the headlines now. DR. MURRAY DIES DURING TRIAL. CAUSE OF DEATH: QUESTIONABLE! Then he and MJ could lounge around on Marlon Brando's mysterious island, drink mai tai's all day, and laugh at the rest of the world for falling for the whole thing. Five or six years down the road, all of a sudden Prince and Paris are off to some unknown university where the press can't find them. Probably the University of Marlon Brando's Island. Then, one day, Blanket finds himself so lost and lonesome without Prince and Paris that he joins them at this unknown university. Ta Da! The family is back together again, MJ's estate is still raking in enough money to keep them living in luxury for the rest of their days, and every evening at sunset they all go stand at the edge of that big ocean and flip the bird at the rest of the world. Aaahh, ain't life grand.

And what's the deal with Dr. Doolittle? If they know he moved to Thailand, why can't they find him? It's not like Thailand is a big country. And I feel sure he doesn't exactly fit in with the general population. Had he already been subpoenaed (?) to the trial?

And what about this?...

"The judge will also consider if the defense can call a Texas medical examiner to testify about his inspection of the Los Angeles County coroner's facilities and practices. Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said Thursday that the man's testimony is not relevant to the Murray case."

I'm not sure that this would be relevant to Murray but, considering Murray was not the one to pronounce MJ dead, I think it would be relevant to his death in general. If nothing else, it would be interesting to hear. Maybe it would at least explain why the body was strapped going into the helicopter and not strapped coming out.

AND SO THE SHOW BEGINS............

Could be because they could have tripped or moved in a way that the body could have fallen off the stretcher that'a lawsuit right there.. The were taken off in the heli cause we saw them do it.. No matter cause I don't thin that was his body in there anyway

http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/09/19/california.conrad.murray.hearing/

Missing witness in Michael Jackson doctor case found
By Alan Duke, CNN
September 19, 2011 12:45 p.m. EDT

If convicted of an involuntary manslaughter charge, Dr. Conrad Murray could face up to four years in prison.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: Prosecutors say they found the pharmacist who sold the propofol that killed Jackson
NEW: Dr. Conrad Murray's lawyers drop plans to call a Texas medical examiner
Opening statements in Murray's trial are set for next week
RELATED TOPICS
Conrad Murray
Michael Jackson
Trials
Manslaughter
Joy Behar will interview Jermaine Jackson, who will talk about his new book, "You Are Not Alone," and more Monday night at 10 ET on HLN.
Los Angeles (CNN) -- The missing witness in the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's doctor was found over the weekend and will be available to testify, the prosecutor told the court Monday.
Pharmacist Tim Lopez testified at Dr. Conrad Murray's preliminary hearing in January that he shipped more than 15 liters of the surgical anesthetic propofol to the apartment of Murray's girlfriend over the three months before Jackson's death.
The Los Angeles County coroner ruled that Jackson died on June 25, 2009, as the result of an overdose of propofol combined with other drugs.
Deputy District Attorney David Walgren told the court last week that it is believed Lopez, the owner of a wholesale pharmacy in Las Vegas, has moved to Thailand.
A hearing had been set for Monday so Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor could decide if prosecutors could rely on the transcript of his previous testimony. The resolution of that and several other issues made for a short hearing.
"Well, I'd like to believe that I was responsible in some measure, but we have excellent counsel," Pastor said Monday.
The defense announced it was dropping from its witness list a Texas medical examiner who toured the Los Angeles county coroner's lab. Prosecutors had objected to his testimony, calling it irrelevant.
Pastor delayed consideration of the prosecution's request to exclude the testimony of Jackson's makeup artist. The defense wants Karen Faye to repeat statements given in interviews about what she described as Jackson's ill health in the weeks before his death, as he was rehearsing for his comeback concerts.
The prosecution told the judge in a hearing Thursday that much of what Faye has said in the past was based on what she heard others say, not her own recollections.
If convicted on the involuntary manslaughter charge, Murray could face up to four years in prison.
The next hearing is set for Wednesday afternoon, when lawyers for each side will offer their "for cause" challenges of prospective jurors, based on their answers to written questions.
Lawyers will conduct face-to-face questioning of potential jurors on Friday as they choose 18 Los Angeles citizens to hear the case.
Opening statements for the trial, which will be televised, are scheduled for September 27. The judge told members of the jury pool he expects their service will be over on or about October 28.

The thing about Karen Faye is that she talks too much. She did say those things about Michaels health and it was not based on what others had said. She was saying it as if it was first hand knowledge. She still says it. She has actually gone back and forth. She has said both things...that he was healthy and looked great and then that he was not healthy and did not look good. She also alluded to him being on something. I believe it was something like why do you think he was wearing sunglasses inside and on the stage? Then she went on with the whole I'm scared for my life and this and that. I dont know. I will say, she is very very very adamant that he is dead and that she saw him with her own eyes and did his make up for the family viewing at forest lawn before the memorial. Its kinda hard to believe her though she has, I wont say lied, but has been inconsistent maybe?

Maybe a bit but the one thing that hasn't wavered is MJ being gone : (

Yep:(

Well, if Murray ends up having a cardiac arrest, he can give himself a CPR... Surely, he'll survive then!

LMFAO!! WEll, it could be one handed, on a bed.. No chance of survival SMH