Pursued by the furies of Team Jacko

PROFILE: CONRAD MURRAY: From an impoverished Caribbean background, he worked his way up to become a top cardiologist in the US. Now Michael Jackson's physician is on trial for manslaughter. Can he resuscitate his reputation, asks BRIAN BOYD

A MICHAEL JACKSON lookalike runs up to Dr Conrad Murray and shouts “Murderer!” at him, to cheers from the Jackson fans who have set up camp outside Los Angeles County Courthouse for the duration of Murray’s trial for the involuntary manslaughter of the pop superstar, which is expected to last four weeks.

Some of the hard-core “Team Jackson” fans, who have travelled from around the world to stage a vigil outside the court, are as eccentric as the singer was himself. Their placards read “Hugs Not Drugs” and “He’s Bad” (over a picture of Murray).

But, to everyone’s surprise, there is also a daily “Team Murray” presence outside the court. Much fewer in number than the Jackson supporters, they are conservatively dressed and don’t partake in the pantomime-like cheers and boos that emanate from Team Jackson whenever a member of one of the legal teams arrives. Team Murray hold up placards that read “Justice For Dr Murray” and “Dr Murray Must Be Exonerated”.

“Even in death Michael Jackson can draw a crowd,” say the Jackson supporters, but in life, and facing charges of involuntary manslaughter, Murray can draw a supportive crowd too.

The reason why some people are backing Murray lies in his record as a doctor before he first met Jackson, in 2006. As part of a US medical system that is often accused of asking for a patient’s credit-card details before giving treatment, Murray was known, during his private-practice days in Houston, Texas, for offering his services free, or at a considerably reduced rate, to poor people, especially those who, like him, were immigrants.

An American website, vitals.com, which allows patients to rate their doctors, carries glowing reviews of Murray. He is awarded four out of four stars by people who describe him as “the best cardiologist”, “one of the most caring doctors I have ever met” and “an amazing man”. But the reviews take a dramatic turn after June 25th, 2009, the day Jackson died, with numerous block-capital posts of “KILLER” and assorted vulgar abuse.

MURRAY, WHO IS 58, is from the Caribbean island of Grenada. During his childhood, his father was absent and his mother had to go to the neighbouring island of Trinidad and Tobago to seek work, so he was brought up by his grandparents.

As a teenager Murray took two jobs to fund his initial medical training. At the age of 27 he moved to the US – where he first met his father, also a doctor – and completed his studies. A very hardworking student, he graduated with great distinction in his first degree and then spent the following decade training further, acquiring a lengthy list of qualifications before setting up in private practice in Las Vegas in 1999.

Displaying the work ethic that had seen him rise from an impoverished Caribbean background to become a leading cardiologist, he expanded his business quickly, setting up a second practice in Texas. But there were severe financial problems, and he was declared bankrupt with debts of more than $400,000 (€290,000).

Last year, in a family court in Las Vegas, Murray had to agree to a child-support plan, having fallen behind with payments to the mother of his 12-year-old son. Murray’s lawyer said that an immediate payment of $5,000 (€3,700) by Murray had come from an anonymous benefactor. It is believed that whatever money Murray has – if there is any – is going into legal costs for his current trial.

Murray met Michael Jackson when he treated one of the singer’s children for a minor ailment in Las Vegas in 2006. The two struck up a friendship and remained in touch when Jackson returned home to California.

When the singer announced his plans for a series of live shows at London’s 02 arena in the summer of 2009, he insisted to the promoter, AEG, that he needed his doctor to travel with him. Early court submissions show that Murray, when asked to become Jackson’s full-time personal doctor, requested a salary of $5 million (€3.7 million) but later agreed to work for $150,000 (€110,000) a month.

Murray was in Jackson’s employment for just six weeks before the singer’s death; his financial situation seems to have been perilous. He owed $600,000 (€440,000) for medical equipment and $100,000 (€73,000) in mortgage repayments. There were also rumours about children he is alleged to have fathered.

There is much speculation about why Jackson chose Murray as his physician, and some of it is likely to get an airing during the trial. However, stars of Jackson’s stature generally view a personal physician as an important part of their team. The emotional peaks and troughs of being in the entertainment industry, performing to thousands of people and operating at times on reserves of adrenalin, can make for an attritional existence. Performers need to be up, and very quickly so, at certain times, and then to be down to get the rest and recuperation they require to continue.

Studies of rock stars have shown that the amount of adrenalin flowing through their bodies seconds before they appear on stage would be hazardous to the average person’s health.

Many performers use legal prescription drugs to help them deal with the physical and mental crash they feel after a performance. But these drugs are short cuts that harm the body. Nevertheless, it is well known in music circles that there are certain Dr Feelgoods who will prescribe powerful medication with no questions asked.

Murray’s job with Jackson, despite the generous remuneration, cannot have been easy. The singer was 51 when he was planning his comeback shows, and his body had been battered by a lifetime of exacting dance routines. Jackson had spoken about a previous addiction to painkillers. Mentally, he had been severely scarred by a series of child-abuse allegations, at least one of which he is reported to have paid a large sum to settle. Recordings played at Murray’s trial reveal a heavily medicated Jackson talking about how much he needed his comeback shows to be the best ever.

Jackson was under severe pressure, financially, physically and emotionally, not least from the demands of his own ego. His use of the powerful anaesthetic Propofol as a sleeping aid, and Murray’s role, if any, in its prescription, will be central to the trial. The Los Angeles coroner said that the cause of Jackson’s death had been “established as acute Propofol intoxication”.

Murray’s life has been in turmoil since the day of Jackson’s death. His lawyer told reporters that he had to be accompanied “24/7 by a bodyguard” and “is harassed no matter where he goes”.

Unable to practise because of the publicity about Jackson’s death, and under constant surveillance from the media, his only public comment has been in a YouTube video. He had to resort to using this video, he claims, because “I am afraid to return phone calls or use my e-mail”. In words that could have come straight out of Jackson’s mouth, he concludes: “As long as I keep God in my heart and you in my life, I will be fine . . . I have faith the truth will prevail.”

Murray’s defence will be that Jackson effectively killed himself by self-administering Propofol. Earlier this month he added a new defence attorney to his legal team, one who has previously successfully defended a nurse accused of involuntary manslaughter in a case involving Propofol.

If convicted, Murray could face up to four years in prison and the loss of his medical licence. If acquitted, he will probably still need a bodyguard and be harassed no matter where he goes.

His name will be linked forever with the death of an icon.

Curriculum vitae

Who is he?Conrad Robert Murray, Michael Jackson's physician.

Why is he in the news?Over the next few weeks a Los Angeles court will weigh charges of involuntary manslaughter against him.

Why can't his name be found in Wikipedia?Oddly, for someone in the global media glare, there is no entry for Conrad Murray. It is believed that Wikipedia permanently blocked the page because it kept getting hijacked by Michael Jackson fans calling the doctor a murderer. And more besides.

Future diagnosis?If acquitted, Murray plans to return to his native Grenada, where there are fewer Michael Jackson fans to scream abuse at him.