Jacksons vs AEG - Day 74 – August 21 2013 – Summary
No Jackson family members are in court today.
Jeffrey Adams video deposition
Adams was a security guard for Michael Jackson who introduced him to Conrad Murray in 2007. He later worked for Murray. J. Adams worked with Murray from the day after Jackson died until the day he was convicted of the singer’s involuntary manslaughter (AP)
Adams said he completed third year of college at Long Beach State University in 1993. He worked school security for 8 years. After 1999 Adams moved to Las Vegas, worked at Burlington Coat Factory as loss prevention, looking at cameras, shoplifters for about 4 years. He also worked atNeiman Marcus during same time, left in 2007. After Adams said he worked as personal security for an attorney in Las Vegas (ABC7)
Adams testified he traveled with Dr. Conrad Murray everywhere. "I wasn't paid as his security, but I was his security," he said. "It was just understood that I'd be. There was no contract or anything of that nature or a job." "I started with Dr. Murray the day after Michael Jackson passed," Adams explained. (ABC7)
Adams' relationship with the singer was a bit confusing. He said he worked security at special events for Jackson, but also said he "didn't officially work for Michael, I orchestrated his staff." (LATimes)
Q: At a point, didn't you work for MJ?
A: I didn't officially work for MJ, I orchestrated his staff. I didn't actually officially work 4 him (ABC7)
Adams had his own security company called "Knockout Security," started in 2004. He said he met Dr. Murray in early 90s through mutual friend
Q: What was your impression of Dr. Murray when you first met him?
A: Tall, cardiologist. She told me he was a cardiologist. That's about it.
From the time Adams met Dr. Murray to when he moved to Las Vegas, he saw the doctor 3-4 times at barbecues in Los Angeles. Adams became a patient of Dr. Murray in Las Vegas, and so did Adams' father.
Q: Are you still his patient?
A: Oh, he's locked up now. No, not now. (ABC7)
Adams: The day after MJ passed I called Dr. Murray. He was in California. And I asked him was it true what I was hearing. He said yes. Adams: And I asked him if he was ok and needed me, and he said yes. And at that time my father told me to go to him. Adams said Dr. Murray told him he needed help because MJ had passed. "I told him he had taken care of my father for me and that I'd be by his side in this situation until it was completed," Adams recalled. "We went to eat together, we went to movies together, we went to criminal proceedings, meetings lawyers, we took walks together... Adams also travelled with Dr. Murray to Las Vegas, Houston, San Diego, Philadelphia, Boston, Miami. Adams said Dr. Murray's pastor in Houston was also his patient, as well as a number of other pastors and people he went to church with. Adams stayed in Dr. Murray's office when he was in Vegas and Houston seeing patients. Adams learned through TV reports that MJ had died. He called Murray, who was in Santa Monica. He traveled to LA next morning. "I made statements, you know, but he never discussed with me how Michael passed," Adams recalled. "He never clarified anything with me." We lived together, we had an apartment together, we did everything together," Adams said. Adams went everywhere with Dr. Murray from the day after MJ's death to Murray's criminal conviction. The last time Adams spoke with Dr. Murray was the day he was convicted. Adams said Dr. Murray never described what kind of treatment he was engaged in with MJ. (ABC7)
Adams testified that he met Murray in the 1990s through a mutual friend and remained his patient until Murray was convicted for involuntary manslaughter in the Jackson case. He testified that when Jackson died on June 25, 2009, he called Murray and asked if the doctor needed him. “I told him that he had taken care of my father for me and that I would be by his side in this situation until it was completed,” Adams said. He said he arrived in Southern California the next day and lived with Murray until his conviction, providing security and traveling with him to Philadelphia, Las Vegas, Houston, San Diego, Boston and Miami. He said Murray would see patients in Las Vegas and Houston. Murray never discussed the details of Jackson's death with him, Adams said. (LATimes)
Jeffrey Adams testified he was "positive" the first time Jackson and Murray met was in February 2007. (LATimes) Adams orchestrated security for MJ in December of 2006. He said his friend, Basheier Muhammad, who was MJ security, called him offering work He said he was positive that was the first time the two met. "Mr. Muhammad called me one evening in 2007, I want to say maybe February.. He did periodic work for MJ. "I introduced Dr. Murray to Michael Jackson," Adams said. It was in early 2007, as he recalled. "He said that MJ's children were sick and needed to go to the hospital and that MJ didn't want to take them to public hospital," he said. Adams explained it was due to the fact that they didn't have anything to cover their faces. Adams: And I told him I could reach out to my doctor, Dr. Murray, and see of he would be willing to come over and take a look at them. Adams said MJ wanted resume of Murray, if he could be trusted. "I said he's been my doctor, he's my friend, he definitely can be trusted." Adams: I told Murray I needed a huge favor from him, had a high profile client, couldn't give name but once he got there he'd know who was. Adams asked if Murray could check out MJ's children since they couldn't go to regular hospital. Dr. Murray told Adams that he would go at least to assess the situation. The doctor went that night, Adams wasn't there. Adams asked Mr. Muhammad next day if Murray showed up. He said yes, but never discussed anything further. "Other than Michael thanking me for bringing him over to see the children, that was the only conversation we had," Adams testified. Adams said MJ told him "I want to thank you very much, he was a very professional doctor, and I appreciate it." Adams said he wasn't going to ask for a resume because Murray was doing a favor. (ABC7)
The security guard didn’t recall the exact date he introduced Jackson to Murray, but meeting came about through another MJ security guard. That guard called J. Adams and asked him if he knew a doctor who could treat Jackson’s children. Adams recommended Murray. J. Adams knew Murray because he had treated him and his father. He asked Murray to do a house call at Jackson’s home, and the doc agreed. Jackson thanked J. Adams for introducing him to Murray, but they otherwise didn’t discuss the doctor or his treatments. (AP)
Adams said that one of Jackson's security staff members, Bashier Muhammad, called him and told him that Jackson's children were sick and he didn't want to take them to the hospital "due to the fact that they ... weren’t made up or didn’t have anything to cover their faces.” Murray was Adams' doctor and had also treated Adams' father. Muhammad asked if the doctor could be trusted. “I said he’s been my doctor," Adams testified. "He’s my friend. He definitely can be trusted.” Adams said he called the doctor within 10 minutes. “I told Dr. Murray that I needed a huge favor from him, that I had a high-profile client that I was working with -- I couldn’t give him that name, but that once he got there he would know who he was -- would he mind going over there" and examine his children, Adams testified. Adams declined a request from Muhammad to provide Murray's resume: "We were doing him a favor," Adams said. Muhammad told him the next day that Murray had visited Jackson's Las Vegas home. "Everything's fine," Muhammad told Adams. Adams said he did not know how many times Murray treated Jackson or his children. (LATimes)
Adams testified he would come over at the house and see Dr. Murray there sometimes after that. But he doesn't know how the relationship went
Q: Did you ever feel that Dr. Murray tried to hide his interactions with MJ?
A: No. (ABC7)
Jeff Adams knew Murray was at Jackson's house because he would sometimes see his car there. Likewise, Jeff Adams, said when he worked for Murray, they never discussed Murray’s treatments on Jackson. (AP)
Adams said he only saw Mr. Jackson and Randy Jackson come to the house one time while he was there. (ABC7) Adams was also asked about which Jackson relatives he saw visit MJ while he lived in Las Vegas. He only saw Randy and Joe Jackson. (AP)
"It was discussed what happened, what was he going to do from there" Adams recalled. He doesn't remember if Murray told cause of MJ's death. Dr. Murray told Adams he would need a lawyer. Adams was with the doctor in his unofficial position during the criminal trial. (ABC7)
Jeffrey Adams had known Murray for years and the cardiologist had treated his father's heart ailment in 2007. He testified that he called Dr. Murray to offer his help after he saw on television that Jackson had died."I told him he had taken care of my father for me and I would be at his side until this situation was complete," Adams testified.Murray told him that night "he was going to need a lawyer," he said.He and Murray "did everything together" from June 26, 2009 --a day after Jackson's death -- until November 7, 2011 -- the day Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, he said.Jeffrey Adams said he served as Murray's bodyguard for more than two years without pay.Despite his close relationship to Murray, Adams said he has not spoken to the doctor since he was put in handcuffs in the courtroom and taken to jail. (CNN)
Dr. Stephen Gordon, plastic surgeon from Las Vegas, video deposition
He said his records are electronically saved. He located the "Michael Jefferson" file. He said MJ chose to use this name to protect privacy. Dr. Gordon saw MJ professionally 3 times, never socially, spoke on phone maybe twice. (ABC7)
Dr. Gordon detailed his education background and experience. He is board certified in general surgery and plastic surgery. Doctor said he teaches plastic surgery to medical students and physicians' assistants students from Touro University. That started 3 yrs ago. Dr. Gordon does cosmetic surgery in his office, which is elective surgery intended to improve the appearance of a person. Dr. Gordon said he probably does more breast surgery than anything else, followed by body contour and facial rejuvenation. The doctor has an accredited surgery center her performs the procedures called Surgery Unit at ACCSC, A Complete Cosmetic Surgery Center. (ABC7)
He said if the surgery is major, the patient is always under general anesthesia. Only for minor things it's local anesthesia. Botox is generally done under local or no anesthesia, Dr. Gordon said. Filler usually has a local anesthetic component of some sort. Dr. Gordon: They have to get an UV started first. Then they're usually given some type of hypnotic that puts them to sleep, Diprivan. Dr. Gordon said he does not tell the anesthesiologist how much drug to give. (ABC7)
Gordon never saw Jackson socially. He met the singer after receiving a call directly from him, seeking an appointment. (AP) Dr. Gordon said Michael Jackson called him and the answering service transferred the call to his cell phone. This was in 2002. "At first I thought it was somebody playing a prank," Dr. Gordon said. "I really thought it was one of my friends just fooling around." "It was very pleasant sort of flattering experience," Dr. Gordon said. The doctor said he didn't believe it was Michael Jackson on the phone. Dr. Gordon testified he asked MJ which hotel he was staying. He said Four Seasons. The doctor called the hotel back. MJ told him to ask for Michael Jefferson. "I got the impression he was going to be interviewing me, as much as I might be interviewing him" (ABC7) Gordon said he initially thought it was someone messing with him, but Jackson gave him a callback number and he was convinced. "It was a very pleasant sort of flattering experience," Gordon said.The doctor said Jackson told him he really wanted to see him. (AP) Jackson appeared to be capable of dealing with doctors on his own, Gordon said. "He gave me the impression that he was used to telling doctors what he wanted them to do." Jackson personally called him in 2002 when he was looking for a doctor in Las Vegas to give him collagen and Botox treatments, he said. "At first I thought it was somebody playing a prank, one of my friends fooling around," Gordon said. He realized it really was the pop star when he called him back at his hotel -- asking for him under his alias "Michael Jefferson," he said. (CNN)
The doctor said MJ wanted to come after hours, when the office was closed and nobody was around, which doctor thought was a reasonable idea. Dr. Gordon said MJ came with 2 or 3 people entourage. He said his ex-wife and anesthesiologist, Dr. Virgil, were in the office. He said Dr. Virgil was there because MJ gave an indication he may wanted something done. The doctor testified he doesn't recall exactly what MJ wanted done, but it was some adjustment of some sort on his face. (ABC7)
On October 2, 2002, Dr. Gordon did first procedure, collagen injection of upper nasolabial folds. The Botox injection in Michael Jackson's lower eyelid area was for crow's feet, the doctor testified. First page of record was an agreement as to what will be done and what the itemizes charges for that service will be, including anesthesia . Collagen was administered under general anesthesia. Gordon said MJ expressed needle phobia, didn't want 2 see needles sticking on his face "It didn't seem an unreasonable request," Dr. Gordon said. Once MJ got into building, the entourage left. "He just wanted to have a little bit of collagen, nothing dramatic," Dr. Gordon explained. He said MJ requested to go under general anesthesia, was vey specific as to what he wanted. Putnam: How long was he there? Dr. Gordon: Couple of hours, probably. Prescription was under the name of Michael Jefferson. Dr Gordon said they were homeopathic medications: Arnica Montana, Bromelain, Vitamin A. "The patient desired correction of an unattractive area in his nasolabial folds bilaterally," the chart said. Dr Gordon wrote on the chart that he examined the patient, MJ, and he was found to be in good health, no obvious contraindication to surgery. Propofol was used in the induction of anesthesia in 2002, isoflurane, nitrous oxide and oxygen. Doctor also used Lidocaine to numb the skin. Under allergies, there are a few medications listed. Demerol and morphine cause nausea, it says. Dr. Gordon said the chart shows anesthesiologist doing his job from 9:00 to 9:20. (ABC7) Jackson went to his office on Oct. 2, 2002 for the first procedure, which was done after hours. MJ got some collagen injections. The injections were both in Jackson's face, some near his nose and he got Botox on at least one of his lower eyelids. He got anesthesia. Gordon said having a patient get anesthesia for those types of procedures wasn't typical. "He expressed a significant needle phobia." It was a short procedure _ about 10 minutes and Gordon said it wasn't a notable visit and nothing out of the ordinary happened. (AP)
Gordon’s medical records indicated Jackson returned two days later, but the doctor didn’t have any notes of what was done. (AP) Dr. Gordon said MJ visited 2-3 days later. He wasn't really happy with the collagen injection. He said he had a very small injected again. Surgery was on Oct. 2, 2002 and next appointment was Oct. 4, 2002. Dr. Gordon said he does not remember this visit. "It wouldn't surprise me if he came back 2 days later and wasn't happy with something," he explained. Dr. Habashi was the anesthesiologist. The surgery was from 8:25 to 8:55, longer than the first one. "This was in his record, and it's got his name on it." Dr. Gordon: These might be longer than they really were only because there may have been conversation in the operating room for all I know. Propofol was used again as anesthesia. Dr. Gordon said he knew he'd have trouble explaining it. "I can't even tell you exactly what we did." "The only thing that makes me think this is MJ is because it has his name on it," Dr. Gordon said. There's anesthesia record but not surgery record. Dr. Gordon said he knew this would be difficult to explain. The doctor said this record could be for another person. "I'm a little embarrassed to admit that, but it could be another patient," he said. Kathryn Cahan said in court the parties stipulated there was no procedure done that day. (ABC7) The anesthesiologist had notes that a 45-minute procedure was done, but the doctor doesn’t remember what happened. Gordon said it’s possible the procedure was a touch-up from the previous one, or the anesthesiology chart was for another patient. “I knew I’d have a little trouble explaining this to you,” Gordon told AEG Live defense lawyer Marvin Putnam on the video. While Gordon’s records were unclear, the attorneys agreed to read a note to the jury that a procedure did happen on Oct. 2, 2002. (AP)
Dr Gordon said he remembered trying to speak w MJ after surgery, but it was difficult to get hold of him post-op. "He'd come then disappear" (ABC7)
"I thought he was healthy," he opined. "He was pretty robust. He was taller than I thought he would be. And he seemed physically healthy." "Michael was a little bit of a whiner, having an IV started and about, you know, having Propofol injection," Dr. Gordon recalled. Dr. Gordon: He made the remark that it burned. And he actually referred to Propofol as milk, which I thought was a little unusual. "He just seemed to be more familiar with Propofol than other people," Dr. Gordon recalled. "He knew it was white and looked like milk." Dr Gordon doesn't know if MJ asked whether Propofol, "milk", was going to be used. He didn't recall MJ asking for medication after 1st visit (ABC7) The doctor also said Jackson appeared more familiar with anesthesia than other patients, and referred to propofol as “milk.” “Most people really don’t relate to it like that,” Gordon said. He noted he just overheard the conversation with the anesthesiologist. (AP)
The physician said his first encounter with Michael Jackson was in 2002 when he administered collagen and Botox injections for the star. “Did he specifically ask for the general anesthetic?” Gordon is asked. “Yes,” he replied. Gordon testified Jackson was unusually familiar with the anesthetic propofol, which his office used for general anesthesia.“He made the remark that it burned, and he actually referred to propfol as milk,” Gordon said. “He gave me the impression he was used to telling doctors what he wanted them to do.” (CBS)
On Mar 25, 2003 Dr Gordon's office sent MJ's bill-paying-people copy of investment analysis. Doctor sent it twice since no payment was made. Dr. Gordon: Normally, we're paid in advance. We took his word that he would honor his financial responsibilities. (ABC7) Gordon testified that he had trouble getting paid for the October procedures. He described Jackson as a “phantom” and difficult to reach. (AP)
"Well, he gave me the impression that he was used to telling doctors what he wanted them to do," Dr. Gordon said. Q: And how did he give you that impression? A: Well, just his specificity about what he wanted and where he wanted it and how much he wanted, how he wanted it done. (ABC7)
Dr. Gordon testified MJ was familiar with Propofol and that's what he wanted to go to sleep. (ABc7)
In July 2003, Jackson returned for another procedure. This time he asked Gordon to cut a “foreign body” out of his abdomen. (AP) Next MJ visit was on July 30, 2003. It was a procedure to explant foreign body from abdomen area. Dr. Gordon: MJ had claimed he had fallen and had sustained an injury to his abdominal area. Dr Gordon: He believed that there was still some glass or some other foreign body in his abdomen. He said it was painful, wanted removed. The surgery was under general anesthesia to cut out the whole thing and sewed the margins back together. Q: Did you remove anything from Mr. Jackson's abdomen? A: I didn't remove any foreign body that I could recognize. Dr. Gordon: There wasn't any glass, there wasn't any metal, there wasn't any wood. There wasn't anything that was inorganic. "So as far as I could tell, it was a negative exploration," Dr. Gordon said. "It didn't show any material thing." Dr. Gordon said he saw a small scar of some sort on MJ's abdomen. He performed this exploratory procedure and Botox on MJ. "I cut around what was supposed to have a foreign body in it, which was presumed to be wound packing, which, again, I saw no evidence of." (ABC7) Gordon removed scar tissue, but said he didn’t find anything inorganic in Jackson’s abdomen. MJ had a wound, but it had healed. (AP)
"He was getting ready to go and he said he wanted me to give me as shot of Demerol for the road" Dr Gordon said. "Michael I don't do that" MJ wanted 300 mg of Demerol. The doctor said no, didn't hear from MJ for 4 years. Demerol is a painkiller after surgery. "That's not something I prescribe," Dr. Gordon said. If patient is at the hospital, doctor said ok. Putnam: And he asked for a shot? Dr. Gordon: Yes, he asked for a shot. He said the normal dose of Demerol s 100 mg. MJ was asking for 300 mg, the doctor explained. "That's just too much," Dr. Gordon said. His impression was that favors like that has been done before. (ABC7) The doctor said as Jackson was leaving, he asked for a shot of Demerol “for the road.” Gordon said he was surprised by the request. Gordon said he wasn’t going to give it to Jackson, but asked him how much he wanted. 300mg the singer replied. Gordon said that a high dose and he refused to give it to Jackson. The singer didn’t argue, but did say he could handle it. “I got the impression that he had favors like this done for him before,” Gordon said of Jackson’s request for Demerol. (AP)
Dr. Gordon had a preoperative procedure. MJ wanted him to explore "I remember him saying he he had injury," Dr. Gordon said. "He said he could feel it it and it hurt," the doctor said. Dr. Gordon said reading the report it seemed someone did something to him. "I cut and looked at it and couldn't see anything," Dr. Gordon said. Dr. Gordon prescribed some pain medication, but not Demerol. He didn't see MJ for 4 years, until 2007. (ABC7)
The doctor said MJ reached out to see him but he was out of town and referred him to someone else. This was between 2003-2007. Dr. Gordon said it may have been a hand injury. Dr. Gordon referred him to Dr. Stephen Weiland. (ABC7)
He didn’t see the singer again for another four years. The next time he came to the office, Conrad Murray was with him. Murray presented himself and Jackson’s doctor and “spokesperson to some extent,” Gordon said. Gordon found the visit odd. He said Jackson acted like he hadn’t been there before, and he had never had a patient bring their own doctor to a visit. Murray had driving Jackson to the office and sat through the procedure. Jackson received a cosmetic injection, but didn’t get propofol. Gordon said he didn’t give Jackson any pain medication after that visit. His impression was Murray was taking care of MJ’s needs, he said. “There was nothing usual or customary about what he was doing, at all,” Gordon said of the 2007 visit. He never heard from Jackson again. (AP)
Dr. Gordon spoke with Conrad Murray. He said MJ was doing a show or something and wanted some more fillers on his face. "He wasn't too secretive abut being a cardiologist or anything," Dr. Gordon said about Dr. Murray. "He presented himself as being Mr.Jackson's personal physician and spokesperson to some extent" Dr. Gordon testified. It was on May 14, 2007. Dr. Murray arrived with MJ at Dr. Gordon's office. "He walked in with MJ, introduced himself and were there for Juvederm," he said. Dr. Gordon said he found very odd that MJ acted like he hadn't been at his office before, but it was not his first time. "He certainly tried to be the spokesperson for MJ. I never had a doctor feel like they needed to... this was a little different." Dr. Murray wrote a personal check to Dr. Gordon for MJ's procedure. Murray was present during the procedure. He said it was unusual. Dr. Gordon said he had never seen a personal physician pay for the treatment of a patient. Dr. Gordon: Because they had a very close relationship and Conrad made it very clear that he was taking care of his needs. Dr Gordon said he had a feeling that Murray was trying to wear two different hats, being MJ's personal physician and continuing his practice "They might have been there for quite a while that day, fussing with the appearance," Dr. Gordon said. 'He required a fair amount of codling," Dr. Gordon said. "At least he wanted to do under local anesthesia, which was a progress." Dr. Gordon said he wasn't sure if MJ didn't remember being there before or pretending to not remember. He said there wasn't really a doctor/patient because Dr. Murray was kind of the intermediary. The doctor said MJ looked healthy in 2007, didn't change much in his appearance. He never contacted MJ after that. (ABC7)
Dr. Gordon wanted to make more difficult to someone else, other than himself, to get their hands on MJ's records, used different last name. Dr. Gordon has an accredited surgery center. He never asked how many plastic surgeries MJ have had. He said he uses tricks so the patients don't get apprehensive with the procedure. (ABC7)
Dr. Gordon: He expressed he definitely wanted to do under general anesthesia since he didn't want to put up with many needle sticks. It was Dr. Gordon's decision to use general anesthesia. He did not think it was inappropriate. Dr. Gordon doesn't recall whether MJ inquired with drug was going to be used to put him under. (ABC7)
There were 3 contacts between 03-07. Every time was hard to find a vein in MJ, Dr. Gordon said. "Just absence of usable veins." It usually implies vein damage, he said. He doesn't remember seeing track marks on MJ's arms. He said it's unusual not to find vein in males. (ABC7)
In the July 30th, 2003 procedure, Dr. Gordon said he removed scar tissue and whatever else was there subcutaneous. The anesthesiologist used Fentanyl since MJ reported getting nauseated with morphine and Demerol. Regarding MJ requesting a shot of Demerol for the road, Dr. Gordon said MJ told him 'That's ok, I've done this before, it's fine'. "He said 300 mg was not excessive for him," Dr. Gordon testified. "He wasn't sufficiently nauseated that kept him from asking for it." (ABC7)
The check to Dr. Gordon that Murray wrote was for $1,300. Dr. Gordon was kind of skeptical of Dr. Murray. "He just seemed odd. There was nothing usual and customary what he was doing." Dr. Gordon said he never heard of cardiologist Dr. Conrad Murray before, and he knows several other cardiologists in Las Vegas. "He'd have me believe he had successful invasive cardiology practice in Las Vegas and Houston," Dr. Gordon said. "But if it he was that successful, why would he be someone personal physician?" Dr. Gordon questioned. "It seemed something he was telling me wasn't true" Dr Gordon said. "It's fair to say the whole situation was very odd and didn't add up." "I felt that a successful cardiologist doesn't go around being somebody's personal physician and speaking for them," Dr. Gordon testified. (ABC7)
"He presented himself as being Mr. Jackson's personal physician and spokesperson to some extent" when Murray accompanied Jackson on an appointment to have cosmetic filler put in his face on May 14, 2007, Gordon said. Gordon had treated Jackson several times four years earlier, but not when Murray was with him -- and he even wrote a $1,300 check to pay for the procedure, he said. "The whole situation seemed very odd and it didn't add up and that caused me not to fully trust the person," Gordon testified. "I felt like a successful cardiologist doesn't go around being somebody's private physician and speaking for them, in my experience." (CNN)
Dr. David Adams video deposition
Dr. Adams is a anesthesiologist in Las Vegas. He works independently with surgeons or medical providers. (ABC7)
Dr. Adams administered propofol to Jackson on four occasions during dental procedures. He said MJ never specifically requested the drug. The doctor said he and Jackson never specifically discussed propofol. Dr. Adams said Jackson appeared thin, but healthy. (AP)
Putnam: Did you ever administer Propofol to MJ?
Dr. Adams: Yes
P: How many times?
Dr. A: Four (ABC7)
Dr. Adams met MJ through Carlos Letilier, who's an oral surgeon in Vegas. Dr. Mark Tadrissi said he had a VIP patient coming in for a few procedures and if he was interested in doing anesthesia. This was in June of 2008. Dr. Adams scheduled a physical exam and the procedure happened a week later, he said. "I realized the magnitude of who I was working with, I wanted to make sure he was healthy and there wouldn't be any problems" Dr Adams said. Dr. Tradissi scheduled the physical with MJ. "They were cosmetic implants, dental implants, had a root canal," Dr. Adams said. "I never discuss really the drugs I'm going to use with the doctor," Dr. Adams said. Propofol is still the drug of choice. Dr. Adams said MJ was going to have a procedure and didn't want to know about it or feel anything. Dr. Tradissi introduced MJ to him. "He said he had them (anesthesia) before and he didn't have any problems." "He seemed thin, pale, but otherwise no medical problems," Dr. Adams said. "I don't believe they weighed him." The entourage and bodyguards were never in the room when MJ was being examined. It was just Dr. Adams and MJ. He checked his chest, lungs and looked inside the mouth. Q: How did he look? "Thin but muscular, healthy" he said. "Just pale." MJ had an abnormally large tongue, which concerned Dr. Adams because they were going to perform work on his mouth with an unprotected airway. Dr. Adams said he explained all the risks to MJ. The artist said he wasn't taking any medication, only vitamins. Dr. Adams checked to see if there was a crash cart in the room, basic emergency equipment in case something goes wrong. (ABC7)
Temperature was steady at 97 F and stable all the way thru. 100 by 60 blood pressure. Procedure took about 2 hours. Dr. Adams gave MJ Propofol. "I want to get this procedure done as soon as possible because of the unprotected airway." "I'm not trying to put him to sleep, I just want him not to remember," Dr Adams said. Dr Tradissi gave him anesthetic like Lidocaine as well. Dr. Adams said the amounts of Propofol he gave was the lowest he gives to patients. (ABC7)
Dr. Adams said he didn't bill MJ for any of the 4 procedures. He said if MJ referred Dr. Adams to other people would be more valuable. He said he also didn't know what to say when asked for how much it would cost. He normally bills the insurance company about $400/hour. (ABC7) Dr. Adams didn’t charge Jackson for his services, but told the singer that he wanted him to refer other patients to him. (AP)
The first time Dr. Adams gave met Jackson, he said he noticed the singer had a large tongue. He was worried that could be a problem. Sure enough, Jackson’s tongue blocked his airway during each of the four procedures, Dr. Adams said. He was able to quickly remedy it. Moving Michael Jackson’s chin would open up his airway and restore his breathing, Dr. Adams said. (AP)
There wasn't anything unusual about the first procedure, Dr. Adams said. When Dr Adams administered Propofol, MJ's tongue blocked the airway. They had to position MJ in a different way in the dentist chair to unblock the airway. Other than that, there were no other issues he said. The second procedure was a month later, also at Dr. Tradissi. Dr. Adams said it was pretty much the same procedure as before. Dr. Adams said he's done about 4,000 anesthesias, including colonoscopy. In about 500 times the tongue blocks the airway. Dr. Adams said MJ was perfectly happy with what had happened. First procedure was to take impression of dental. Second procedure was 6/3/08. Third procedure was on 6/18/08. Dr. Odabashian performed root canal. About 2 hours after the first procedure, MJ called to let Dr. Adams know he was ok. He said he was surprise MJ himself called. MJ said he was going to buy the house the sultan used to live. Dr. Adams said MJ was very pleasant, polite, personable and very quiet. The 4th procedure Dr. Adams performed was with oral surgeon Carlos Letilier. It was for screwing the 2 implants into MJ's jaw. (ABC7)
Dr. Adams: In the previous 3 procedures, Michael asked me not to give him narcotics. He just said he had had a problem w/ them in the past. Dr. Adams: So if you looks at my records, you won't see any narcotics. I didn't give him any, as requested. Dr. Adams: After it was over, he asked for something for the pain, and I remember saying are you sure? Dr. Adams: And we had mentioned Toradol, which is a nonnarcotic pain reliever, and he requested something stronger. The doctor said MJ told him Toradol wasn't going to work. Dr. Adams ended up giving MJ Versed an morphine for the pain. (ABC7)
Dr. Adams said he never discussed with MJ the use of Propofol and never discussed about the other doctors MJ had. (ABC7)
Dr. Adams recounted meeting Conrad Murray. The cardiologist called him on a Sunday afternoon in March, asked him to come to his office. Dr. Adams was getting ready for church when Murray called, and he went to the cardiologist’s office thinking Jackson needed medical care. (AP) Dr. Adams met Murray in late March, early April 2009. "After MJ died, I kind of went back through my mind and looked at what I was doing" Dr. Adams: I was up getting ready to go to church. Q: And why did you go anyway? A: If you're having heart attack or heart problem, I'm a doctor. This is MJ. I mean, if he says he needs something I'm going to go. This was at Dr. Murray's office. "Michael and Dr. Murray got out of the car, I got out of my car, we introduced ourselves to each other." Dr. Adams: I told Michael how ridiculous he looked because he had a scarf and he was all dressed in black and it was 1000 degrees outside. Dr. Adams: Usually he had a very relaxed look, maybe even pajamas, but this time he had on a suit coat, a scarf, a hat. (ABC7) Jackson accompanied Murray to meet with Dr. Adams. Despite being extremely hot, Jackson was wearing a suit coat and scarf, he recalled. (AP) Dr. Adams: We started talking and I believe Michael started talking about this tour. Michael explained why he was doing the tour. "He says the only reason I'm doing this tour is because I want to prove to my kids that I'm the best entertainer in the world," he recalled. "And I'm not doing it for any other reason," MJ told him. Dr. Adams said he was wondering why MJ wanted to talk to him. "I'm waiting for him to hold his chest or tell me he's short of breath or he's got chest pain," Dr. Adams said. (ABC7)
Instead, Dr. Adams said Jackson talked to him for about 90 minutes about his life, his practice, and other topics. Murray had left the room. (AP) Dr. Adams: I'm sitting in a cardiologist's office with Michael Jackson on a Sunday afternoon, and I'm just sitting," Dr. Adams testified. "He asked me to go on tour with him," Dr. Adams said. He explained Dr. Murray excused himself and MJ talked to him like an interview. "And he was telling me a little bit about him and how he felt and his family and different entertainers, we talked about an hour and a half" Dr. Adams said MJ told him he wanted to build a children's hospital. He talked about his family, kids, everything. "We talked about Steven Spielberg, Bono, the tour. He didn't have good things to say about those people either." (ABC7) Dr. Adams said he was anxious to find out what was going on, but Jackson and Murray conferred in another room. Adams finally told them he had to leave, and they asked him to hold on. Jackson and Murray came back into the room after a few more minutes. (AP) Dr. Adams described how Murray returned and was in the back of the office for 15 minutes talking to MJ. "I go back to the office, MJ and Murray walk back in and Murray really looked like he had just lost his best friend," Dr. Adams said. (ABC7) Murray looked upset by that point. Jackson asked Adams to accompany him on the “This Is It” tour, which took Dr. Adams by surprise. (AP) That's when MJ tells Adams he'd like him to go on tour with him. "And do what? I don't sing, I really can't dance so to do what?" he told MJ. "I'd like for you to help me get rest," Dr. Adams said Michael told him. "Every once in a while I need an IV, and he said I just need you to help me get my rest.". Dr. Adams: I'm thinking the guy's having a heart attack and they're asking me about going on tour. I couldn't even begin to fathom that. Dr. Adams said he had no idea what MJ meant by helping him get his rest. He said he told them he didn't have license to practice in England. (ABC7) The anesthesiologist said he couldn’t understand why he would be needed. Neither Jackson nor Murray ever mentioned propofol. Dr. Adams said Jackson would only tell him he wanted him to help him rest. Adams said Jackson didn’t want an immediate answer. (AP)
Adams, who administered propofol to Jackson during cosmetic dental procedures in Las Vegas four times in 2008, said Jackson and Murray never told him what his duties would be if he took a job with the tour. "I said 'I don't sing and I really can't dance, so to do what?" Adams testified. "He says 'Well, you know, I'm entertaining, I'm jumping around, I'm doing this. Every once in a while I need an IV," Adams testified. "And he says 'I just need you to help me get my rest.' They were pretty vague, but on hindsight I know what they were talking about." Jackson and Murray, however, never mentioned that administering propofol or treating his insomnia would be one of his responsibilities on tour, the anesthesiologist testified. Jackson never asked him to do anything medically inappropriate, Adams said. Adams hinted that there was jealously on Murray's part when Jackson courted him for a tour job. "Murray really looked like he had just lost his best friend" when Jackson was discussing it, Adams said. "Oh, he was truly upset." (CNN)
Dr. David Adams is a Las Vegas anesthesiologist who had put Michael Jackson under four times for dental procedures. There were no complications, and the two had engaged in small talk.Then on a Sunday in late March 2009, as he was getting ready to go to church, Adams received a call from someone he had never heard of, cardiologist Conrad Murray, Jackson’s personal physician.Murray asked that he meet them in his office on East Flamingo Road. Adams arrived first, Murray drove up soon after, with the singer sitting in the back seat.Jackson was dressed in black, with a scarf, “and it was about a thousand degrees outside,” Adams said. He told the singer how ridiculous he looked. They walked into Murray’s office and Jackson started talking about his planned comeback concerts in London. “He says, 'The only reason I’m doing this tour is because I want to prove to my kids that I’m the best entertainer in the world,' ” Adams recalled. Jackson and Murray went to the back of the office for 15 minutes.When they returned, “Murray really looked like he had just lost his best friend,” Adams said.Jackson said he wanted Adams to go on tour with him. The anesthesiologist thought it was an odd request, since he couldn’t sing or dance.Then, he testified, Jackson said, “I would like for you to help me get my rest.” That didn’t make sense to Adams. When Jackson told him that after all the action in his show he sometimes needed an IV, Adams told him that was Murray’s purview. Neither Jackson nor Murray mentioned propofol or that the singer had difficulty sleeping, Adams testified.Jackson said he wanted Adams to come to London with him but that they might take the show to other countries. He asked him how much money it would take for Adams to shut down his practice for a year.“I still wasn’t under the impression I was going to be practicing medicine,” Adams said, adding that he wondered if his job would be to sing Jackson to sleep. “It was sort of mind-boggling that someone would be asking me to go anywhere.”After the 2½- to 3-hour meeting, Adams went home to think about the proposition. He said he had three short conversations with Murray and told him he needed $100,000 a month for three years.
He sent a text to Murray, “What’s going on? I’m on board.”He said he never heard from either of them again. (LAtimes)
The doctor said Murray was truly upset with MJ's request. MJ asked that Dr. Adams didn't give an answer right away, think about it. "I never discussed Propofol with Dr. Murray or Michael Jackson," Dr. Adams testified. Dr. Adams said they didn't know how long the tour was going to last, they thought it might go to other countries after London. "I told them I needed enough money to shut my practice down and make it feasible," Dr. Adams recalled. "I think it was $100,000 a month." Dr. Adams asked for a 3 year contract, because he couldn't do it for just a year and then try to reopen his practice. He said he text Dr. Murray back asking what was going on and there was no response and no further communications at that point.(ABC7) The anesthesiologist agreed to think about it, and traded calls and texts with Murray. He was willing to go on the tour. Dr. Adams wanted $100,000 a month, and a three-year contract to accompany Jackson on the tour. He said he never heard back. (AP)
Adams said that after he offered to take the job for $100,000 a month guaranteed for three years, Murray stopped communicating with him. "I texted basically, you know, 'what's going on, I'm on board," Adams said. "And no response." (CNN)
The day MJ died, he texted Murray, never heard back.(ABC7) On the day Jackson died, Dr. Adams said he texted Murray his condolences. He never heard anything back from the cardiologist. (AP) Adams was in a Las Vegas operating room on June 25, 2009, when he learned Jackson had died. "I texted Murray 'I'm sorry to hear what happened. Take care,'" he said. Murray never responded, he said. (CNN)
Q: Did MJ ever ask you to do anything you thought was medically inappropriate?
A: Never (ABC7)
Dr. Adams said he never saw needle marks on MJ's arms. "Very difficult veins to stick to," he said. "Very muscular arms, very small veins." Sometimes Dr. Adams had to try 2-3 times to get an IV started, he said. (ABC7)
And that concluded his video deposition.