Relations within Dr. Conrad Murray’s defence team are allegedly “very tense”.
Murray was Michael Jackson’s personal physician at the time of his death in 2009 and has been charged with his involuntary manslaughter. He is currently on trial in Los Angeles and denies the allegations.
Murray’s attorneys are due to present the defence case this week, but it’s been claimed his lawyers are struggling to get along.
Ed Chernoff is the doctor’s lead attorney and is said to have misgivings about how lawyer Michael Flanagan questioned previous witnesses. Chernoff is from Texas and had been staying with Flanagan during the trial, but has now reportedly moved to a hotel.
“Ed didn't like the way Michael was handling the prosecution witnesses. Ed felt that Michael was too abrasive and caustic with his questioning, and that Michael allowed witnesses to clarify points that only helped the prosecution's case. Things were getting very tense, and he's moved into a hotel in Santa Monica,” a source told RadarOnline.com.
Jackson died of acute Propofol intoxication. The anaesthetic is usually used to put surgery patients to sleep in hospital, and he used it to help ease his insomnia. Murray denies giving him the fatal dose.
Last week, anaesthesiologist Dr. Steven Shafer took to the stand. He wrote the packaging insert for Propofol and suggested Jackson’s death was caused by Murray’s “egregious violations” of medical practice. He called Murray “clueless” and insisted the defence team’s claim Jackson administered the drug to himself was “unlikely”.
Chernoff then questioned Shafer, which reportedly caused a stir in court as Flanagan had spent many months preparing to do so.
“Michael was thoroughly prepared, and ready to attempt to poke holes into what Dr. Shafer had already told the jury on direct examination,” the insider told the site.
“When Ed told Michael that he would be handling Dr. Shafer, he felt like the rug was pulled out from under him… Ed and Michael are barely talking to each other right now. Michael has essentially been frozen out for the time being.”
Meanwhile, Janet Jackson has announced she is rescheduling shows in Australia so she can attend the trial. She was due to take to the stage on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday in Melbourne, but has decided to put on a single show in November instead.
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