Jackson lawyer 'ready to surrender' if charged

Lawyers for Michael Jackson’s doctor met to discuss his defence strategy if he is charged over the death of the pop star.

Dr Conrad Murray and his legal team had received no word from prosecutors early today about a decision from the district attorney, but lead lawyer Ed Chernoff said his client was ready to surrender to authorities if a charge is filed.

“We are prepared for whatever occurs,” Mr Chernoff said. “We have time to meet and strategise for possible scenarios, but in reality we’ve had eight months to do that.”

The arrival in Los Angeles of Dr Murray and Mr Chernoff in recent days from Houston, Texas, led to a new round of speculation that a charge could be announced this week.

District attorney’s spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said she had no word on when any developments were likely.

Mr Chernoff was waiting for news in a Los Angeles-area hotel, while Dr Murray was at a friend’s house in Santa Monica, where a crowd of paparazzi was waiting outside.

“There’s no joy in representing someone who shouldn’t be charged in the first place,” Mr Chernoff said. “There’s some truth to the proposition that the waiting is the hardest part.”

Two law enforcement officials have said prosecutors are going to charge Dr Murray with involuntary manslaughter, but gave no timetable on when that would happen.

Police have been investigating Dr Murray since Jackson’s death on June 25 last year. The doctor told detectives he had given the 50-year-old singer a powerful anaesthetic and other sedatives to get the chronic insomniac star to sleep.

Jackson died soon afterwards and investigators have been gathering evidence to try to show Dr Murray was negligent in administering the drugs.

Dr Murray maintains nothing he gave Jackson should have killed him.