It's making me nuts to hear so many people say that Michael Jackson was an addict, and therefore responsible for his own death.
People. Michael Jackson doctor-shopped till he found someone--Conrad Murray--who agreed to give him GENERAL ANESTHESIA every night in his own bed. Every other medical practitioner he asked turned down this outrageous request. Why? Because propofol is NOT. EVER. GIVEN. outside of the O.R. or ICUs. It's unheard of. It's beyond comprehension.
Propofol is not a sleep aid. You are not "sleeping" when you are given this drug. YOU ARE
UNCONSCIOUS. You need to be heavily monitored--vital signs, oxygenation, airway, EKG, etc.--NONE of which Dr, Murray had, other than a rinky-dink pulse ox machine anyone can buy online--because you can stop breathing at any moment.
You need emergency equipment: a breathing tube, emergency paddles, medications like epinephrine, etc. Again, none of which Dr. Murray had at hand. The fact that he was found doing CPR with Michael still on the bed instead of pulling him to the floor convinces me he wouldn't have known what to do with the paddles if he had them.
Before undergoing anesthesia, you're aren't allowed to eat after midnight because you can vomit while unconscious and aspirate it into your lungs. You also have to sign a release, saying you understand the dangers. This is called
informed consent. Michael should have read and signed this paper
every single night.
Dr. Murray rendered Michael
unconscious every night for
weeks, He did not keep ONE SINGLE NOTE that entire time. Can you imagine visiting your own doctor even for a routine checkup and he doesn't write one single thing down--ever?
Then, one morning, Michael stops breathing while under this general anesthetic (i.e.
unconscious) while Dr. Murray was out of the room for God knows how long. What would
you do if you found someone unresponsive? The same thing any FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHILD has already been taught to do: Call 911. NOT waste valuable time on the phone blabbing to a bunch of other people, one of whom did call 911...
not Dr. Murray. He then proceeded to throw out as much stuff as he could (aided by someone who testified in court) and never bothered to mention "propofol" to the emergency room doctors.
This doctor is so grossly and criminally negligent on so many levels, there aren't enough words to describe it.
To those who insist MJ miraculously regained consciousness long enough to administer his own fatal overdose...even if this is true (which defies logic, IMO) what difference does it make? Dr, Murray was ultimately responsible. He brought the drugs to
him. Addict or not, Michael did not deserve to die in this awful manner, with his children nearby.
This is not the first time someone's been prosecuted for supplying an addict with drugs. Remember John Belushi?
"Cathy Smith stupidly gave an interview to the National Enquirer admitting that she shot Belushi up. She was re-arrested, and had to serve 18 months in prison for this little escapade."
THE DEATH OF JOHN BELUSHIMichael did not insert that needle into his own (leg) vein. Like Belushi, he had help--
not from a fellow addict, but by a licensed physician who once took a vow to
DO NO HARM.
RIP, Michael. You were loved.
