Conrad Murray Trial

In a letter written to MJ's fans, Joe says, "We would like to urge fans that are planning to attend to please do so in peace, unity and love for Michael. There should be NO violence, NO slander, NO yelling, and NO bad-mouthing or name-calling of Murray or his supporters."

Joe continues, "By calling names, we are lowering ourselves to their level."

Dr. Conrad Murray's legal team claims it may not be ready for the preliminary hearing setting next month, because they still have not received the full criminal file on the Michael Jackson manslaughter case.

Miranda Sevcik, spokesperson for Murray's lawyer, Ed Chernoff, tells TMZ they have only received 3,500 pages of discovery. Sevcik cites a news report in which the D.A.'s office claims it has "hundreds of thousands of pages of material."

But a D.A. spokesperson told TMZ on Friday that the statement that there were "hundreds of thousands" of pages was their error ... and in fact there are only "thousands of pages" and the defense has received "the bulk of it."

Sevcik's response ... "It's odd. It seems like an awfully big miscalculation."

Sources close to Murray tell us a group of his friends, patients and fellow church members -- numbering in the "hundreds" -- will be outside the courthouse at Murray's next court hearing to show solidarity.

We're told the group will rent buses in Houston and Las Vegas -- where Dr. Murray has his medical practices -- and drive them to L.A. for the June 14 court date.

We're told the catalyst for the sojourn was that pesky banner that flew over the courthouse at the last court hearing, demanding justice for MJ.

We have some signage ideas for next month's rally:

Dr. Conrad Murray has more medical issues ...TMZ has learned. This time Nevada is after him.

We've learned the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners has contacted the Texas Medical Board, asking for info on how Texas was able to legally restrict his license so quickly.

TMZ broke the story .... the Texas Medical Board prohibited Murray last Friday from administering Propofol or other heavy sedatives. The restriction -- which Dr. Murray himself signed off on -- reflects his bail restrictions in California while he awaits trial in the death of Michael Jackson.

Dr. Conrad Murray is already planning his legal strategy in a Michael Jackson wrongful death case ... TMZ has learned.

Dr. Murray, we're told, has already hired a civil lawyer, Charles Peckham, who handles medical board cases and wrongful death lawsuits.

We've learned Peckham has already been in touch with Dr. Murray's malpractice insurance carrier, and it turns out to be a tricky situation.

Sources connected with Dr. Murray's defense tell TMZ Dr. Murray had a malpractice policy issued in Texas that covered his medical practices in Texas and Nevada.

Here's the rub. Dr. Murray did not have a medical practice in California, which is a prerequisite for his malpractice coverage. So Dr. Murray's position is that he first saw Michael Jackson as a Nevada patient and what he did for him in L.A. was merely an extension of the Nevada treatment.

We've learned the malpractice policy would only cover civil litigation, not criminal. In the event the doctor is sued for wrongful death -- and Joe Jackson promises that will happen soon -- Murray expects the policy would cover attorney's fees and any judgment.

TMZ has learned Dr. Conrad Murray's legal defense is that Michael Jackson gave himself the fatal dose of Propofol.

Multiple sources familiar with the strategy tell TMZ the defense argument goes like this:

- At around 10:50 AM, Dr. Murray gave Jackson 25 mg of Propofol from a 20 ml bottle -- that's only about 1/8 of the bottle.

- The dose Dr. Murray administered would keep someone asleep for only 5 to 10 minutes, but the Propofol, along with the Ativan and Versed that was already in MJ's system, had a synergistic effect that put Jackson to sleep for a longer period of time.

- For the next hour, Dr. Murray stayed in the room and was on the phone for much of the time. Dr. Murray didn't leave the room to make the calls because MJ liked activity in the room, regularly sleeping with the lights on and cartoons blaring on the TV.

- At around noon, Dr. Murray left the room for approximately two minutes to go to the bathroom. While he was gone, the defense believes Jackson suddenly awakened and was frustrated he had spent nearly 9 hours trying in vain to sleep. The defense theory -- Jackson took the 20 ml bottle of Propofol and self-injected the remaining contents through the IV, causing a massive overdose that stopped his heart.

- Dr. Murray walked back in the room and saw Jackson with his eyes open and pupils dilated. Dr. Murray dropped the phone (he was speaking with his girlfriend) and began administering CPR.

The defense will argue Michael Jackson was a long-time Propofol addict -- something TMZ first reported shortly after the singer's death. As one source said, Jackson liked the sensation of Propofol being administered by IV, adding, "Michael liked to push it."

L.A. County Coroner's investigators took a picture in the room, showing an empty Propofol bottle on the floor, underneath the nightstand by Jackson's bed. The defense will argue Jackson grabbed the bottle from the nightstand, injected himself and then dropped the bottle.

Remember, law enforcement believes Dr. Murray hid bottles of Propofol before paramedics arrived. The defense will argue ... if Dr. Murray was really hiding Propofol, he would have removed the empty bottle under the nightstand that caused Jackson's death.

Ed Chernoff, Murray's attorney, could not be reached for comment.

According to California law, the plaintiff in a medical malpractice, wrongful death suit must give 90 days notice before filing the case in court.

Brian Oxman, Joe Jackson's lawyer, tells TMZ the suit will ask punitive damages, economic support, loss of companionship and loss of consortium (deprivation of family relationship). It will seek an unspecified amount of money damages.

Oxman says the case will be filed in L.A. County Superior Court. So far, only Joe has signed up, but Oxman says he will add any family member who wants in as a plaintiff.

UPDATE: Ed Chernoff, Dr. Murray's lawyer, just reacted to Oxman's move by saying, "That's like throwing a bucket of water on a man drowning in the ocean." Translation -- good luck collecting anything.

Joe Jackson is entitled to get copies of Michael Jackson's medical records ... according to the judge in the Michael Jackson estate case.

According to the judge's ruling, Joe Jackson is only entitled to records from UCLA made on the day Jackson died.

Joe Jackson wants the records for a possible wrongful death case.

UPDATE: Howard Weitzman, lawyer for the estate, tells TMZ, "The estate has no problem with the Court's ruling which substantially limits what Mr. Jackson was asking for."

One involuntary manslaughter charge later ... and Dr. Conrad Murray's patients in Las Vegas still can't wait to put their lives in his hands.

One of his patients -- Marietta Lewis -- claims Dr. Murray is responsible for saving her life, and she told us, "I made sure to call and have my name added to his patient wait list, so that when he comes back, I will still be under his care."

Well he's back ... Dr. Murray was photographed going into his Las Vegas office yesterday, just two days after he was freed on $75,000 bail.

We also spoke with Robert Day, who said he called Dr. Murray's office on Monday -- the day he pled not guilty in the Michael Jackson death case -- to schedule an appointment for today.

Luckily for them, Propofol injections are not an option -- because as part of the terms of Dr. Murray's freedom, he isn't allowed to administer anyone with powerful anesthetics.

Joe Jackson is trying to force UCLA to hand over all of their medical records on Michael Jackson -- because daddy is looking to sue whoever is responsible for killing his son ... according to documents obtained by TMZ.

TMZ has obtained documents that Joe filed Friday in L.A. County Superior Court -- in which he claims, "The UCLA records will permit [Joe] to determine with medical experts and then present to this court, how much support [Joe] needs to pay for the prosecution of his wrongful death action against those responsible for his son's death."

Michael was transported to UCLA on June 25, 2009 -- where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Joe says in the documents that Michael was already dead when he arrived at UCLA so there is no physician-patient privilege for a dead man.

Joe Jackson filed the papers in the Michael Jackson estate case -- responding to the Estate's opposition to Joe's motion for Michael's medical records. Joe claims the estate has refused to file a wrongful death lawsuit on his behalf and it is costing him money.

According to his legal docs, Joe thinks the medical records will show what really happened to Michael, and that will help Joe determine how much he'd be able to collect from those responsible for Michael's death.

UPDATE: Howard Weitzman, lawyer for Michael Jackson's estate, tells TMZ, "The estate continues to believe Joe Jackson's claims are not well taken and he should not have access to Michael's medical records."

Our sources tell TMZ that members of the D.A.'s office -- including Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley -- have already met about filing a criminal case against Dr. Murray.

Members of the LAPD still have not met with the D.A. to present the case, however, our sources say the deputy D.A. assigned to the case -- David Walgren -- has worked closely with LAPD detectives on the case, is intimately familiar with the investigation, has all the LAPD investigative notes and has already briefed Cooley and others in the office.

We're told Dr. Murray could be charged with involuntary manslaughter as early as next week.

Joe's lawyer, Brian Oxman, sent 2 subpoenas to the UCLA Medical Center -- the hospital where Michael Jackson was pronounced dead on June 25. Oxman is asking for a number of documents, including medical records, autopsy reports, autopsy photos, medications and prognosis assessments.

Joe Jackson tells TMZ his entire family is behind the subpoenas -- Katherine, the brothers and sisters, along with him. He says they all believe the medical records will show what was in Jackson's body when he passed and they believe the information will expose foul play.

We've obtained a letter sent to Oxman by estate lawyer Howard Weitzman, in which Weitzman calls the subpoenas "clearly improper." Weitzman claims the subpoenas violate Jackson's right of privacy and the physician/patient privilege. Weitzman also says the subpoenas are irrelevant to Joe Jackson's only legal claim -- a financial allowance.

Last night outside of Boa Steakhouse, Michael Jackson's sister blasted the doc -- who just returned to work yesterday -- saying "Dr. Murray murdered my brother and it was wrong."

As we previously reported, most of his patients are actually excited to have him back.

According to the affidavit, during the search of Dr. Murray's home and office, cops recovered a sales receipt from Applied Pharmacy. The receipt showed that on May 12, 2009, Dr. Murray purchased 4 100 ml vials of Propofol. He also purchased 3 vials of benzos. One of the drugs Murray purchased -- Flumazenil -- is actually an antidote to a benzo, used to counteract the effects of benzos.

The receipt for the drugs totaled $853, with a $65 FedEx fee to overnight the drugs.

The affidavit states that cops were on the hunt for Visa and FedEx information linking Dr. Murray to the sale of Propofol by Applied Pharmacy.

The affidavit says at the scene of Michael Jackson's death at his home, Propofol was recovered "in Dr. Murray's doctor's bag and on the bedside table." The Propofol was in 20 ml and 100 ml bottles.

According to the affidavit, Dr. Murray told cops he was not the first doc to introduce Jackson to Propofol. Dr. Murray stated Dr. Arnold Klein and Dr. Allan Metzger had given Jackson medicine that was not working.

And there's this ... according to the docs, "Detectives interviewed Grace Owanda (sic), Jackson's children's nanny. Owanda stated that Jackson was currently being treated by Dr. [Arnold] Klein and the last physician to treat Jackson was Dr. Larry Koplin."

As we first reported, Dr. Conrad Murray may sue AEG for $300,000 -- the money he claims he's entitled to under a contract he signed with AEG to provide MJ with medical services. But sources connected with AEG tell TMZ the contract was never signed.

We're told a contract was drafted but it required three signatures -- AEG, Michael Jackson and Dr. Conrad Murray. Sources say Dr. Murray signed the contract and sent it to AEG but neither AEG nor MJ ever signed it.

The contract, we're told, also said it expressly hinged on Jackson signing.

Sources say AEG is drawing a hard line. They will not pay Murray a penny.