Michael Jackson's doctor faces court delay

Published on Friday 5 February 2010 20:59

MICHAEL Jackson's doctor wanted to have his day in court yesterday by surrendering before being charged over the singer's death, but US prosecutors last night announced that no case would be filed until next week.

Los Angeles district attorney's spokeswoman, Sandi Gibbons, released the plan less than two hours before Dr Conrad Murray and his lawyers were to arrive at an airport-area courthouse.

Ms Gibbons' statement did not mention Dr Murray, but said information on charges will be released after the case is filed on Monday. A news conference that had been scheduled yesterday by the doctor's defence team was cancelled an hour before it was to begin.

Dr Murray's lawyers have said they expect the Texas cardiologist to be charged with involuntary manslaughter for administering drugs to Jackson before his death on 25 June.

Lead defence lawyer Ed Chernoff spoke on Thursday with prosecutor David Walgren and was told to be at the courthouse yesterday, only for the county sheriff's department to say hours later that it was called off, according to defence team spokeswoman Miranda Sevcik.

In the seven months since Jackson's sudden death at the age of 50, Dr Murray has largely stayed out of view. His lawyers have spoken very little, and prosecutors and investigators have been tight lipped.

The doctor became the focus of the investigation into Jackson's death shortly after he called paramedics to report that the singer was not breathing.

Dr Murray told police he gave Jackson a powerful anaesthetic and other sedatives that were blamed for his death.

The doctor maintains that nothing he gave Jackson should have killed him, but sees a charge as inevitable, Ms Sevcik said.