GOSSIP HOTLINE

Dueling theories prolong the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor: On Friday (October 28), jurors heard from defense witness Dr. Paul White, who believes evidence shows that Jackson may have administered a fatal dose of anesthesia to himself, while Dr. Conrad Murray wasn't looking. The prosecution is set to cross examine White on Monday (October 31). (ABOVE: Defense witness Dr. Paul White displays IV equipment during his testimony, Friday.) LOS ANGELES — An anesthesia expert testifying for the doctor charged in Michael Jackson's death told jurors Friday (October 28) he believes evidence shows the pop superstar possibly gave himself a fatal injection of an anesthetic while Dr. Conrad Murray wasn't looking. Dr. Paul White said the self-injection theory is the only one supported by Murray's statement to police and by evidence found at Jackson's rented mansion. White said he saw no evidence supporting the prosecution theory that Jackson's doctor, Murray, was infusing the singer with propofol using an IV. (Er, expect the fact that Murray said he'd been giving propofol via IV every single night for two months? And conveniently had an IV set-up in the bedroom on the morning of MJ's death? But oh no, June 25 was the one time he decided, "Nah, I'll deviate from my norm and just bolus him instead." Sorry for the rant, but . . . WTF.) The researcher said he believes Jackson somehow gave himself a 25-milligram dose of the drug between 11:30 a.m. and noon on June 25, 2009, when Murray found the singer unresponsive. White — the defense's strongest witness and likely its last — will undergo cross-examination Monday. His testimony is expected to be vigorously challenged by prosecutors, who spent four weeks laying out their case that Murray is a greedy, inept and reckless doctor who was giving Jackson propofol as a sleep aid in the singer's bedroom. Propofol is not intended as a sleep aid and, medical groups say, should be administered only in a hospital or surgical setting with advanced monitoring equipment. White's testimony directly contradicts the theory by his colleague and collaborator, Dr. Steven Shafer, who testified for the prosecution. Shafer told jurors that the only plausible scenario for Jackson's death was that Murray had left a large intravenous drip of the anesthetic propofol running into the singer's bloodstream for three hours, even after Jackson had stopped breathing. This, Shafer said, was the only way to explain the high levels of the drug found in the Jackson's body. Shafer ruled out the self-administration theory during his October 20 testimony, saying that it was a "crazy scenario." But White noted there were no IV bags or lines found in Jackson's bedroom that showed propofol residue throughout the entire line. He also said the levels of propofol found in Jackson's urine did not support the IV theory. (Key phrase being "entire line." Propofol was found in the lower portion of the tubing. As for the upper tubing, I'll just say this: Several witnesses said they saw Murray stuffing a bunch of medical things into a black trash bag on the morning of June 25, 2009. That trash bag was never found by police investigators.) However, White offered no defense to what several medical experts called by prosecutors have told jurors — that even if Jackson gave himself the drug, Murray was still responsible for the singer's death for leaving him unattended. On Friday, defense attorney J. Michael Flanagan produced a certificate from Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas showing Murray was certified to administer moderate anesthesia, referred to as "conscious sedation." However, the document showed several requirements including that the physician "monitor the patient carefully" and "provide adequate oxygenation and ventilation for a patient that stops breathing." Medical witnesses noted that Murray left his patient alone under anesthesia and did not have adequate equipment to revive him when he found him not breathing. The coroner attributed Jackson's June 25, 2009, death to "acute propofol intoxication." Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter. If convicted, he faces a maximum of four years in prison and the loss of his medical license. (ABOVE: Dr. Conrad Murray listens as defense attorney Flanagan questions witness Dr. Paul White, Friday) White's testimony was expected to end Murray's defense case after 16 witnesses. Cross-examination was delayed until Monday to give prosecutors more time to review a new analysis prepared by the defense based on recently conducted tests of samples taken during Jackson's autopsy. White told jurors he saw no evidence that Murray left Jackson on an IV drip of propofol when he left the room and returned to find the singer unresponsive. He said the singer would have had to lie completely still to keep from disturbing the bottle under that scenario, and he has never heard of anyone using an IV saline bag to suspend a bottle of propofol for a drip. (Bet he also never heard of a non-board certified cardiologist administering propofol in a home setting, every single night for two months, in order to induce "sleep." Stranger things have happened, Dr. White, lol.) White noted all bottles of the drug come with a tab on the side, which can be used to hang them from an IV stand. One of Jackson's bodyguards reported seeing a bottle of propofol in a saline bag when he came to the singer's bedroom after Murray summoned for help. A coroner's investigator said she found an empty propofol bottle inside an IV bag among several bags of items containing medical equipment and several drugs in Jackson's closet, but she did not photograph the bottle in the bag. White said under Shafer's IV administration scenario, the propofol bottle would have had to run dry right at the moment of Jackson's death. Michael Jackson's fingerprints were not on any syringes, drug vials or other medical evidence taken from his mansion after his death, according to lab results. Technicians found only a single fingerprint, matching Murray's index finger, on a vial of the anesthetic removed from an intravenous stand at Jackson's bedside. The defense has yet to vehemently attack the fingerprint evidence, which was mentioned in court on October 6. White helped bolster another defense theory while on the witness stand Friday. White told jurors that a minuscule residue of the sedative lorazepam in Jackson's stomach convinced him the singer took some pills from a prescription bottle (found in a different bedroom than the one the singer died in). He suggested the combination of lorazepam, another sedative, plus the propofol could have killed Jackson. "My guess is that rather than taking eight at once, Mr. Jackson may well have taken three or four pills at various, different times" between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m., White said. "But I'm just speculating." Murray previously said in his interview with police that he had been by Jackson's side, monitoring him, during this critical time-period -- indicating he would have see Jackson take any medications. Murray stated that he only left the room for a two minute bathroom break shortly before noon. After White's breif testimony finished, Judge Pastor apologetically reminded the jurors that he had originally estimated they would get the case by the weekend. The latest in a series of delays sent the trial into a sixth week. After cross-examination of White, likely testimony by Shafer in rebuttal and closing arguments by both sides, the jury could start deliberating as soon as Wednesday. Jackson's father, Joe Jackson, his brother Randy Jackson and his sister Janet Jackson were joined in their spectator row Friday by family friends Cathy and Rick Hilton, the parents of socialite-heiress Paris Hilton. Sources - 1, 2, 3 _______________________________________________________ Click the links below to read about the trial so far: DAY 1 summary -- Prosecution & defense give opening statements DAY 2 summary -- MJ's personal assistant & security chief testify DAY 3 summary -- MJ's bodyguard & personal chef testify about frantic morning of his death DAY 4 summary -- Paramedics testify that Murray lied & was seen hiding potential evidence DAY 5 summary -- Fierce female doctors testify that Murray lied, never mentioned propofol DAY 6 summary -- Murray's "girlfriends" testify re: propofol shipments & critical phone calls DAY 7 summary -- Court hears the full, four-minute MJ audiotape DAY 8 summary -- The coroner investigator and toxicologist take the stand DAY 9 summary -- Court hears the the first half of Murray's two-hour police interview DAY 10 summary -- MJ's autopsy photo is shown & coroner deals a major blow to the defense DAY 11 summary -- Murray's med. peers blast him in court & the defense drops critical theory DAY 12 summary -- A UCLA sleep expert calls Murray's actions "unethical, disturbing" DAY 13 summary -- Propofol expert Dr. Shafer lists 17 "egregious" violations Murray committed DAY 14 summary -- Dr. Shafer dismisses defense theories & demonstrates how he thinks MJ died DAY 15 summary -- The defense challenges Dr. Shafer on cross examination DAY 16 summary -- The prosecution rests. Defense calls former MJ doctor and nurse to stand DAY 17 summary -- Former MJ nurse resumes testimony & defense calls CEO of AEG Live DAY 18 summary -- 5 of Murray's former patients testify as "character witnesses" DAY 19 summary -- An addiction specialist & defense expert Dr. Paul White take the stand The trial begins airing live at 11:45 EST every weekday. You can watch along online, commercial free, HERE. _______________________________________________________ This one was a bit delayed . . . due to my power crapping out, lol. XP