Dr. Murray; Scapegoat in Michael Jackson Death?

Dr. Murray, personal physician to Michael Jackson, has contended that he only administered 2.5ml of Propofol on the night of Michael Jackson's death. According to TMZ, anesthesiologist Dr. John Dombrowski, says that such a small does wouldn't have put Michael Jackson to sleep and it certainly wasn't enough to kill him.

How, then, does one explain Jackson's death by lethal doses of Propofol? According to Dr. Dombrowski the amount of Propofol found in Jackson's body is equivalent to amounts that must be monitored when used during surgery.

The prosecution is pushing the story of a cover-up by Dr. Murray based on a secret cache of Propofol found in Jackson's bedroom. In a secret compartment a 100ml bottle of Propofol was found with a large tear in the rubber stopper. The tear, speculates the prosecution was caused by the use of a spike to attach the bottle of Propofol to the IV tube, negating Dr. Murray's allegation that he administered Propofol via injection.

Propofol, according to TMZ, shouldn't be administered at those doses without a flow regulator, thereby implying Dr. Murray's negligence and guilt.

This is all based on speculation and circumstantial evidence that Dr. Murray admitted having left the room for a moment to go to the bathroom was irresponsible. He should have tended to Michael Jackson, especially if he was administering life threatening doses of Propofol.

But what if Dr. Murray did only administer a small amount of Propofol? If it is true that such a small amount would not even put Michael Jackson to sleep, then who is to say that Michael, addicted to drugs did not retrieve the larger bottle of Propofol himself or have someone do it for him?

No one seems to be addressing Michael's condition prior to his death, except that he was in excruciating pain from constant practice for his upcoming tour. If he was lucid, he may have gotten hold of the meds. We would be foolish to think that people who are addicted will not do what it takes to get the relief they want and need.

Because Michael Jackson was a super-star the prosecution is working to redeem him. There is no redemption for a drug addict who died from an overdose. Once we start transferring the blame to doctors, friends, and other enablers we, the state, become enablers.

I'm not saying that as a sworn physician Dr. Murray isn't responsible for the amount of medication accessible to Michael Jackson. We saw the same thing in the case of Anna Nicole Smith. Yes, they contributed to the death of super-stars, but their crime was ethical. They didn't take the drug.

Alcoholics die from blood poisoning, but we do not and should not hold the liquor store or manufacturer responsible for an irresponsible choice that leads to death. I draw the same allegory in the case of Dr. Murray and Michael Jackson.

If Jackson wanted it, a man of his caliber was going to get it whether Dr. Murray administered it or not. I don't think a circumstantial case against Dr. Murray holds water. We now have his word against the word of an autopsy, but we still cannot see the missing link.

Who administered the extra Propofol? Surely Murray alone cannot be responsible, and are we naive enough to believe that staff, body guards, and others in the Jackson compound wouldn't implicate Dr. Murray to cover up for their own involvement?

Drugs, money, and death in a lethal combination bring out the evil in people. I believe Dr. Murray is being made the scapegoat for a posse of responsible parties, just like in the case of Anna Nicole Smith.

Sources:

Cover-Up in Michael Jackson Death?, tmz.com, March 1, 2010

Personal opinion