Jackson Recording Presented to Jury in Conrad Murray Trial
Jurors in the involuntary manslaughter case of Dr. Conrad Murray heard a revealing audio clip today made six weeks before Michael Jackson's death. In the recording, the singer is heard slurring his words and sounding heavily sedated as he describes his upcoming tour.
On the recording, Jackson openly talks about his aspirations for his upcoming "This Is It" concert series.
"We have to be phenomenal," Jackson says on the recording. "When people leave this show, when people leave my show, I want them to say, 'I've never seen nothing like this in my life. Go. Go. I've never seen nothing like this. Go. It's amazing. He's the greatest entertainer in the world."
The recording was created on May 10, 2009 on Murray's iPhone and obtained by authorities on June 28, 2009.
Jackson's barely recognizable voice is heard describing his plans to use proceeds from the concert series to fund a "Michael Jackson's Children Hospital."
"Gonna have a movie theater, game room," the singer says. "Children ar depressed. The -- in those hospitals, no game room, no movie theater. They're sick because they're depressed. Their mind is depressing them. I want to give them that. I care about them, them angels. God wants me to do it. God wants me to do it. I'm gonna do it, Conrad."
Jackson goes on to say, "...I'm gonna do that for them. That will be remembered more than my performances...I love [the children]. I love them because I didn't have a childhood. I had no childhood. I feel their pain. I feel their hurt. I can deal with it. 'Heal the World,' 'We are the World,' 'Will You be There,' 'The Lost Children,' these are the songs I've written because I hurt, you know, I hurt."
A portion of the recording was played during opening statements last week. Deputy District Attorney David Walgran argued during the prosecution's opening statement that the recording serves as evidence of Murray's treatment of the singer and indicates that Jackson was regularly under heavy sedation.
After a long pause at the end of the recording, Murray is heard asking the singer, "You okay?"
Jackson replies, "I'm asleep."
Stephen Marx, the computer forensic examiner who recovered the recording from Murray's iPhone, took the stand as a prosecution witness today.
In his testimony, Marx also told the jury he found a voicemail on June 20, 2009, from the same phone left for Murray by Jackson's manager Frank Dileo. In the message, Dileo says, "I'm sure you're aware he had an episode last night. he's sick...I think you need to get a blood test on him. He [have] got to see what he's doing."
Marx also testified that Murray sent an e-mail at 11:17 a.m. on June 25, 2009, the morning of Jackson's death, to an insurance company. In the message, Murray denies media reports that Jackson had medical problems.
"As far as the statements of his health [published] by the press, let me say they're all fallacious to the best of my knowledge," Murray wrote. The e-mail was sent just over one hour before paramedics were summoned to Jackson's home.
Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter relating to Jackson's death from acute propofol intoxication. He faces up to four years in prison if the jury convicts him of the felony charge.
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