'No evidence' Jackson took fatal dose

A coroner who conducted the autopsy on Michael Jackson says there is no evidence supporting the theory by lawyers for Dr Conrad Murray that the star gave himself a fatal dose of the anaesthetic propofol.

Dr Christopher Rogers also told a jury in Los Angeles that the singer was healthier than most people his age and his heart did not show the usual signs of fatty buildup generally seen in men the same age.

Dr Rogers explained how coroner’s officials determined the 50-year-old singer died in June 2009 from acute propofol intoxication.

The determination led to prosecutors charging Murray with involuntary manslaughter.

The cardiologist has pleaded not guilty.

Dr Rogers rejected the key claim by defence lawyers for Murray that Jackson gave himself the drug when Murray briefly left the room.

A more likely scenario was that Murray misjudged how much of the propofol he gave Jackson, Dr Rogers told jurors.

The coroner said he considered a number of factors in ruling the death a homicide, including Murray’s statements to police and the lack of sophisticated medical equipment in Jackson’s bedroom. The singer had been receiving the anaesthetic as a sleep aid.

“I think it would be easy under the circumstances for the doctor to estimate wrong and give too much propofol,” Dr Rogers said.

Prosecutors were expected to call a leading expert on propofol as a witness later.

Jackson’s autopsy had revealed no obvious signs of trauma or immediate cause of death.

The coroner’s testimony came after jurors heard the end of Murray’s recorded interview with police two days after Jackson’s death in 2009, in which he first disclosed he had been giving Jackson propofol to help him sleep.

The interview helped transform the investigation into Jackson’s death from a simple death inquiry into a homicide case.

A police detective who helped conduct the interview told jurors that Murray seemed surprised when he learned that three bags of medical items had not yet been recovered from the star’s bedroom.

Murray told the detectives he always put the medications and equipment he used on Jackson away “because he wanted me not to have anything hanging around.”

Detective Scott Smith testified that Murray had a startled expression when he learned detectives had not yet recovered the bags.

“He seemed very surprised,” Det Smith said.

The police interview played for the jury also included Murray’s description of telling Jackson’s mother and children that the entertainer had died.

“After they cried and cried and cried, then his daughter uttered a lot of words of unhappiness,” Murray told detectives, saying Paris Jackson was afraid of being alone after her father’s death.

“’I know you tried your best, but I’m really sad,”’ he continued, recounting her words. “’I will wake up in the morning, and I won’t be able to see my daddy.”’

Jackson’s mother, Katherine, dabbed her eyes with a tissue as the recording played.