Newsmaker

Michael Jackson's doctor to surrender

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-02-03 15:29

BEIJING: Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson' personal physician, is expected to surrender to authorities in Los Angeles if charges are filed against him in the pop singer's death, according to his lead attorney Ed Chernoff, media reported Thursday.

Michael Jackson's doctor to surrender
Dr. Conrad Murray, personal physician for Michael Jackson, is shown in this undated publicity photograph released to Reuters August 18, 2009.[Photo/Agencies]

"Dr. Murray is more than ready to surrender and answer to any charges," said Ed Chernoff. "I don't have any specific information that leads me to believe he is going to be charged this week," said lawyer Ed Chernoff, "But if he is, we've made it clear he's available to turn himself in."

He added that prosecutors have not announced any charges, and Murray has not been told how or where he should surrender.

Chernoff said Murray was visiting L.A. on personal matters. The arrival of Murray and Chernoff from Houston set off a new round of speculation that authorities, who have been mulling a manslaughter case against the doctor since last summer, were about to file charges.

Murray was with Jackson the morning he died and admitted to investigators that he gave the 50-year-old pop singer sedatives and the powerful anesthetic drug propofol, which medical experts say should only be given in a hospital by trained personnel.

An autopsy classified Jackson's death as a homicide and said the cause was "acute propofol intoxication" in combination with the use of sedatives.