Jackson Camp Says Concert Promoter Hired Doctor

Source: LA Times

The cardiologist being sought for questioning in the investigation of Michael Jackson's death was hired by a concert promoter to accompany the entertainer to London for his comeback concert series, a Jackson advisor said today.

Dr. Conrad Murray, a physician with offices in Nevada and Texas, was with Jackson when he went into cardiac arrest Thursday; police, who talked to Murray briefly at UCLA Medical Center, are trying to track him down for further interviews.

Dr. Tohme Tohme, a Jackson advisor, said that Los Angeles-based concert promoter AEG Live retained Murray and that the physician arrived in town less than two weeks ago.

....

Murray was hit with hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal judgments last year and has a history of money problems.

In 2008, three judgments were filed against Murray or his company, Global Cardiovascular Associates in Clark County, Nev., totaling more than $435,000, and two other cases are pending from companies that claim Murray owes them a total of $355,000. The three judgments include $71,332 for school loans, $135,302 to Popular Leasing USA and $228,420 to Citicorp Vendor Finance.

Read more: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/06/michael-jacksons-death-concert-promoter-hired-doctor.html

If not, that could be a problem.

This is getting more and more weird . . . .

He's also licensed in NV and TX.

**I take that back, it's not clear if he's licensed in CA**

of another esteemed profession. He will make his reappearance at his convenience and with at least one attorney in tow, and will say nothing of any value.

Celebrity deaths are something completely different from those of average people.

on Jackson. And why, if Jackson was, as is said, addicted to Oxycontin was a Demerol injection given.

Now, all of that is speculative, but the sudden unavailability of the good doctor is a bit troublesome. Someone's ass is getting a fresh covering, I'll warrant.

The 911 caller said that Jackson was in his bed and the doctor was doing CPR. You can hear the 911 responder tell the caller to put him on the floor.

his whole life was flashing in front of his eyes, and he wasn't thinking very clearly.

He so totally fucked it up. All he had to do was to sign off on the death at the house, and that would have been the end of it. No autopsy, nothing.

But, his panic - or lack of experience - really fucked him up.

He was smart enough to take off, though.

God, I hope his lawyers got cash up front ........................

his whole CAREER was flashing before his eyes.

although I wouldn't be surprised if an image of his fellow prisoners also flashed........

:toast:

such as CPR. I used to teach it at a hospital and doctors were impossible because they thought they already knew everything. 90% of them walked out of the class or performed it miserably. Nurses, laundry workers, food services and all were great, they liked taking the 4 hour class.

It doesn't surprise me that a doctor screwed up CPR, even a cardiologist.

Every Cardiologist that I ever worked with knows his drugs and WHAT NOT to give people! THIS is really pretty simple once the Tox report comes in. This guy knows what he gave the King of Pop and he ought to fess up like right now before the labs come in. Yep this guy WAITED to call 911 because he was doing something ILLEGAL... Like Oxycodone, Demerol and Gawd forbid this guy is COMPLETE TOAST if he was giving Mike DIPRIVAN as I heard some idiot Hollywood type state on Hardball today. Diprivan is like instant sedation.... Ya know like for people on Ventilators in the ICU! Not something you get from the drug store! This guy is obviously a KlownDoc given all of his judgments etc.... and who ever heard of some Doc practicing Cardiology in 2 states... Does fly back and forth for hospital rounds every day? This deal was a waste and Mike shares some blame... By a number of accounts the guy was a Danger to himself w/ his drug abuse and as we've seen that danger has come home to roost in a PERMANENT way. Heard he was working on a new song... Might have been great who knows... He was brilliant, one of a kind!

- but felt he had to attempt to perform CPR to cover his own butt.

would say "Sure, you're only a 50 year old who's addicted to pain meds, go ahead with the 50 concert tour" who also had enough brains to graduate from medical school and practice good medicine.

:toast:

They see a celebrity and expect that he was in charge. It doesn't happen that way. The handlers around him and around others in such a situation can. get. you. dead.

the wrong people in it with you, you're not safe.

was that concert promoter took out on MJ... probably just before he hired Dr. Mal Practice there.

:(

When I married Doug, his blood pressure should have killed him 5X, he had undiagnosed psych stuff and out of control diabetes. But, he had a booker, an accountant and an attorney and a bunch of people always happy to do his coke or be comped anywhere.

It can be an very ugly business.

This all seems a little too convenient. :tinfoilhat:

I seriously wonder why it doesn't happen more often. :(

And, really, who's to say it isn't, but we just don't hear about it unless it ends in a tragic spectacle, like this or, Elvis, or Anna Nicole?

You cant' get EVERYONE to do anything for you,
but you can always get what you want.

There are PLENTY of doctors out there who are
behind the eight ball money-wise. Those with
IRS problems and lawsuit judgments against them
who work for CASH or TRADE. Many times they move
from state to state under the umbrella of another
medical group, sometimes they become "private
doctors".

Michael was a lot of things, but he was NEVER
reported to be stupid.

He probably demanded the drugs, and he found
someone to give them to him.

None. Nada. Zero.

That shit is *always* excluded.

even a scumbag doctor is unlikely to get more than a hand slap from the medical board. They really protect their own. So long as the ruling is something like accidental death and not murder or suicide, the insurance will pay.

If MJ was as messed up as he appears to be, including having a serious drug addiction and the need for a live-in cardiologist, how in the hell did he pass his physical exam (which I assume was done at the behest of the insurance company) with "flying colors"?

aren't that hard to pass. Mostly it's a cursory exam and a blood check for risk factors like high cholesterol. Tox screens as well, but since he had prescriptions for pain killers, even a positive finding might have been dismissed. Also, the recent rapid weight loss might have been after the physical.

I doubt they put him on a treadmill for a stress test. He didn't have a history of heart problems.

My ex girlfriend used to do insurance physicals all the time. Creeped me out a little to come home and find the centrifuge spinning down blood on the balcony (she didn't have a lab, so the blood was spun and separated and mailed off to labs for analysis). You would be astounded at how much crap (fats) would be in the test tube after spinning for an hour or so. Just gross.

All I'm saying is that there's some significant fraud involved here. I just can't see any insurance company worth staying in business paying out tens of millions to the tour promoter, who was obviously worried about Jackson's ability to follow through, over this.

Maybe they'll ask for a government bailout instead.

and, no, he didn't have a history of heart problems. At least none that have been reported by the press.

My guess is that the "live in" doctor was brought in more because of his (the doctors) financial issues and, therefore, relaxed attitude toward things like over prescribed pain meds, not because he was a cardiologist.

But it seems to me that the four-hour physical was done at the behest of the insurance company (I'm not talking about his life insurance company; yes, those physicals are a joke), because no one believed Jackson was in any shape to go on a tour. We were told he passed this physical with flying colors, when he was an undeniable mess. Tens of millions are at stake here. Someone is not telling the truth.

I guess we'll be hearing more about it in the coming months.

And, given the money involved, a lot of lawyers are going to be very busy.

and Jackson insisted he accompany him on the tour.

http://www.khou.com/video/news-index.html?nvid=375296

I still think he was Jackson's dope supplier though.

Just ask Karen Carpenter. Her official cause of death was heartbeat irregularities.

however, the reports are that his weight loss was all very recent and rapid, like right after the deal was made to do the concert tour. My guess is that he started working out, not eating right, and taking more pain meds when he started to rehearse or get into "shape" to do the tour. And, most likely, the insurance exam was prior to all of this happening.

on whether the promoter checked the doc out to a reasonable extent before choosing him.

Promotion company hires aging former star, at big dollars, for high profile tour. Turns out aging star can no longer perform. Promotion company has big insurance policy on aging star . . . bidda bing bidda bang bidda boom.

Well, you know what Uncle Joe Stalin had to say about concert promotion - "No person, no problem."

He didn't even KNOW Michael!

OMG!

He's gonna wish he was.

In addition to the recent judgments, Murray filed for bankruptcy in 1992 in Riverside County. Five tax liens were filed against him between 1993 and 2003, in amounts totaling more than $44,600, according to county records.

If he had ever paid the IRS back, he would
have had to pay off on several malpractice
lawsuits, so he worked under the radar.

The IRS debt was the only thing holding
the judgments against him at bay.

The 911 went out after 12 PM, but not before those who were involved in the London Concert Tour were contacted and asked to bring any footage they had into the rehearsal w/no explanation.

He must have died during the night and they found him dead much earlier, and then they went into protection mode. The 911 call went out after business had been taken care of. I've no doubt they have great insurance. Have no idea who this doctor is, but he clearly isn't top notch from what you've posted here.

Just really sad. Who ever really cared about Michael - the human?

He would have been in full rigor mortis.

EMTs as "cold."

You don't get cold right away. I think you have it right, condoleeza.............

"Who ever really cared about Michael - the human?"


I just saw him on the news about 45" ago saying that he told everyone that if Michael ever--and I'm pretty sure this is the word he used--"transpired," he would speak publicly about it. He is saying he tried to warn everyone--the family, the business organization surrounding him.

Can't remember his name but I am sure you will see more of him.



Cher

I think I caught the tail end of an interview with one of his lawyers who was extremely upset and sounded as though he knew there were shenanigans involved. IIRC, his last name was Oxman.

-JB

Medics described his body as cold. If his body didn't show bruising from CPR then I doubt CPR was ever done, thus no point to put him on the floor. which a cardiologist should have automatically done. I have no proof about any of this, just am speculating, as I work in the industry. All I know is that odd calls went out to some crew in the morning. They had wrapped after midnight and the callsheets were for noon on Friday. People were asked to bring in any footage they might have and those calls went out by 10 AM. Doesn't take a genius to put 2 & 2 together.

tmz.com just printed a letter Murray sent to his patients in Vegas informing them that he was leaving his medical practice for a once in a lifetime opportunity. This whole thing stinks of quackery.

is that MJ's "enablers" found him a quack doctor in serious financial difficulty whose purpose was to keep MJ pumped up on prescription drugs, keep his mouth shut, and collect a big fat check for the privilege. It didn't matter that he was a cardiologist, he could have been anything so long as he accepted his "assignment."

so that he could write prescriptions.

Yep, service the star, keep the product moving, shake that money tree.

And then the money tree fell over.

I think we haven't yet seen 1/100th of what's going to come out.

And Liza Minnelli looks like The Joker. BAD, BAD facelift....................

the reptiles are really going to come out of the ground now.

But no one cared enough to confront him and do something to get him help. In the end, Tom Snedden, the DA who brought the criminal charges against Jacko, might turn out to be the one person who, strangely enough, might have offered him a chance at a normal life.

There's an old Portuguese saying: "God writes straight on a crooked line."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQWszrZHBPI


Meanwhile:

London insurers face $24 mln Jackson hit-report

<snip>

"Michael Jackson's death is expected to inflict a loss of about $24 million on insurers operating in the London market, trade publication the Insurance Insider reported on Friday.

The Insider said AEG Live, the promoter of a run of 50 concerts Jackson had been due to give at London's O2 arena starting on July 13, had been able to buy cancellation insurance for just three shows, limiting the market's overall exposure.

Separately, one of the participants, Lloyd's of London syndicate Talbot Underwriting reported it had maximum net exposure of less than $3 million, according to a statement issued by its parent company, Bermuda-based insurer Validus Holdings (VR.N).

The company added that Talbot was not the lead insurer of the risk in the Lloyd's market.

"It looks like this might not be that significant an event," said Rakshit Ranjan, an insurance analyst at stockbroker Noble.

Earlier, a spokesman for the Lloyd's of London market said some of its members had provided insurance for the Jackson concerts, but any losses were "not likely to be significant."

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN2622979220090626

Out of a fifty-show tour, they could only get cancellation insurance on THREE of them? Six percent coverage?

Seems like Mr. Jackson had a reputation.............................

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/06/standing-outside-of-parker-center-during-a-press-conference-lapd-deputy-chief-charlie-beck-said-the-impounding-of-the-car-bel.html

Interesting.

but that AEG paid the doctor's bills." (updated at that same link.)

I thought I read (or heard on news) initially that Jackson's father knew of him in Las Vegas and may have referred or found him for Jackson?

or AIG?

They can have a nice talk about being in deep shit.

A friend confirmed on MSNBC, per poster

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5928293#5935595

He was acting more in the capacity of a drug-depensor rather than a cardiologist. Might explain why he left Dodge. :shrug:

<snip>

"Michael Jackson's planned 50-show run at the O2 Arena in London would have been the highest-grossing single concert engagement. Now it's a major problem for the promoter AEG Live.

More than $85 million worth of tickets have already been sold for the series of performances, which have the now sadly ironic title "This Is It." As much as $30 million has already been spent on production, according to sources close to the situation. So what's at stake for AEG, the world's second-largest concert promoter, can't be overstated.

Concert business executives have estimated that AEG paid Jackson an advance of as much as $10 million. That, plus the production costs, would mean AEG stands to lose as much as $40 million if nonappearance insurance isn't substantial enough to cover this contingency. For AEG, "it's either horrible or really horrible," a concert business executive says.

The shows, which were to begin July 13, would have been Jackson's first solo shows in 12 years. AEG Live, which was producing and promoting them, footed the bill for what the company said was a $20 million production. Other sources say the costs before opening night were closer to $30 million. The total gross from primary ticket sales would've been about $90 million.

Premium and VIP packages and secondary-market sales would have boosted the gross to more than $100 million. Merchandise sales could have brought in another $15 million.

AEG's yearly financial results may now depend on Jackson's cause of death. One entertainment insurance industry insider says that if Jackson died from a drug overdose or a pre-existing condition, the producer could be on the hook for any loss-which would include any money already sunk into the production, as well as the considerable cost of refunding consumers for the 750,000 tickets already purchased. If Jackson signed a contract saying he would return his advance in the event he didn't perform, the company could end up in court with a long line of other Jackson creditors."

more


More on AEG Live owner Philip Anschutz:

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Philip_F._Anschutz

I wonder if the greediest executive in America hired some quack to pump MJ with drugs and ended up accidently killing him?

Imagine MJ died about 2 wks ago due to handler giving him accicental OD, and was kept frozen until a fall guy doc could be found, paid off and given a way to leave the country. Sorry if that's irreverent to MJ and family, but I could see handlers taking advantage of a doc in need of $.

NOooooooooooooooooooooo.

according to http://www.tmz.com/

"One question investigators will have for Michael Jackson's personal physician -- did he botch early CPR efforts on the King of Pop?

On the 911 tape obtained by TMZ, one of Jackson's staffers tells the dispatcher that Jackson is "on the bed" and that a "doctor is here." The doctor is Dr. Conrad Murray.

Several EMTs tell us it's odd that a veteran cardiologist like Murray would attempt CPR while Jackson was on a bed.

Common CPR practices call for the patient to be on a hard surface -- because it is difficult to compress the chest on a soft surface. The 911 operator told the staffer to "get him on the floor."

Cops have yet to officially interview Dr. Murray, but this will almost certainly come up."

This guy is far from a quack. It's very bizzare to watch the speculation here. This guy was my Heart doctor for a bit and is currently my fathers and has been for at least 5 years. He may not be good with money but he is an awesome cardiologist. I wasnt there obviously so I have no way of knowing what he did. I do know however that this guy was/is a wonderfull man and his treatment of my father and I was top notch.

Pharmacists and everyone else in sight.

both large and small and there was always a doctor in the house. It was the same doctor actually. I don't know if he was on the payroll. I'm guessing he wasn't volunteering his time. His nickname was Buzz.