Michael Jackson doctor describes frantic last efforts to save singer

2009-06-29T20:33:00.000-07:00

A lawyer representing Dr Carlton Murray, the singer's personal doctor, said he spent 25 minutes trying to revive the star.

Edward Chernoff said his client had cried out for help as he battled to resuscitate Jackson in the rented Los Angeles mansion.

He claims no-one responded to the calls, forcing him to leave Jackson in bed to get more help.
The Houston-based criminal lawyer was with Dr Murray during his three hours of questioning by detectives from the Los Angeles police murder and robbery squad.
Mr Chernoff said Dr Murray, 51, was a witness and not a suspect and would be "exonerated" once the autopsy results were known.

He insisted suggestions the doctor had given Jackson a shot of the painkiller Demerol were untrue and went further to say he had never prescribed the drug for him.
Mr Chernoff told US TV breakfast shows that Dr Murray walked into Jackson's bedroom to find him unconscious but with a faint pulse and his body was still warm.
Mr Chernoff told ABC-TV Good Morning America that the doctor carried out CPR for between 20 and 25 minutes.

"He checked continuously to see if there was any blood flow. There was. It was effective," said Mr Chernoff. "When he realised it was not bringing him round called out for help."
The lawyer said that when no-one responded, Dr Murray left Jackson in his second floor bedroom and ran downstairs where he saw the chef and a security guard.

"No one was coming. He tried to call 911, he picked up his cell phone but he did not the physical address of where he was," he said. "Finally at some point he ran downstairs to seek help and he ran into the chef in the kitchen and yelled for security."
The lawyer said the phones in the house were not working "for privacy reason" and eventually a member of the security staff dialled 911.

Mr Chernoff went on to defend Dr Murray over the correct use of CPR after the 911 emergency operator pointed out that Jackson should be on the floor while it was administered.
"The bed was very firm. He braced MJ back with his hand, under his back and compressed his chest with the other one," he said.

Chernoff also dismissed claims by some members of the Jackson family that he failed to talk to them at the hospital where the singer was pronounced dead.
"He spoke to La Toya, Jermaine and Katherine," said Mr Chernoff. "He spoke to the children after their father had died. He said the children needed to be told about their father's death. He was available to the family to answer their questions."

Michael Joseph Jackson

2009-06-29T20:06:00.000-07:00

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, entertainer and businessman. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he made his debut on the professional music scene in 1968 as a member of The Jackson 5. He then began a solo career in 1971 while still a member of the group and was referred to as the "King of Pop"[1] in subsequent years. Jackson's 1982 album Thriller remains the world's best-selling album of all time,[2] and four of his other solo studio albums are among the world's best-selling records: Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995).

In the early 1980s, he became a dominant figure in popular music and the first African American entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV. The popularity of his music videos airing on MTV, such as "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and "Thriller" — widely credited with transforming the music video from a promotional tool into an art form — helped bring the relatively new channel to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made Jackson an enduring staple on MTV in the 1990s.

With stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced many hip hop, pop and contemporary R&B artists across several generations.

Jackson donated and raised millions of dollars for beneficial causes through his foundations, charity singles, and support of 39 charities. Other aspects of his personal life, including his often changing appearances and eccentric behavior, generated significant controversy which damaged his public image. Though he was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993, the criminal investigation was closed due to lack of evidence and Jackson was not charged.