I'm no medical expert, but even I can see that the cocktail of powerful sedatives Michael Jackson's physician administered to his patient over the 24 hours before the star stopped breathing last month ought to have been considered a potentially lethal brew. On Monday, the Lost Angeles Country coroner ruled Mr. Jackson's death a homicide and the doctor, Las Vegas cardiologist Conrad Murray, is now the target of a manslaughter investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department.
What was the good doctor thinking when he acceded to Mr. Jackson's "repeated demands/requests" for a shot of the drug propofol, an intravenously administered hypnotic agent whose use as a general anaesthetic normally is restricted to hospital settings, on top of tabs of Valium and injections of Lorazepam and Midazolam given only hours before? As a self-indulgent world celebrity, Mr. Jackson may have believed he had a right to take any drug he pleased if it would help overcome his chronic insomnia, but his doctor should have known better. Clearly, in this case just saying no would have been the best medicine.
Did the physician play along against his better judgment for fear of losing such a rich and famous client? Or was he merely incompetent -- or worse, criminally negligent? These are the sorts of questions Los Angeles authorities will have to sort out before deciding whether to bring charges against Mr. Murray. But from all that is known about the case so far, at least one thing seems clear: Whatever the outcome of the investigation, it's likely neither Mr. Jackson's family, friends and fans nor Dr. Murray and his defenders will end up completely satisfied that justice has been served.
