Conrad Murray's Lawyer Speaks Out-Denied Murray tried to hide destroy evidence by delaying call to 911

The attorney for Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, today aggressively contested media reports -- based on a leaked witness report -- that Murray attempted to hide evidence and delayed calling 911 as Jackson lay dying and said investigators rushed to implicate Murray in the star's death.



"It's just a bold-faced lie," Ed Chernoff said in an exclusive interview with "Good Morning America" that aired today. "[The] doctor called 911 as soon as he could� Let me just say, unequivocally, he did not � he was not cleaning up any bottles� The scene was not consistent with anyone trying to clean something up."

Chernoff said Murray did not immediately call 911 because there was no house phone in the room where Jackson was and he could not leave his patient to make the call.

Murray stands accused of administering the lethal dose of a powerful sedative that killed the pop superstar. He pleaded not guilty to manslaughter in February.

Chernoff said his client isn't responsible for the star's death, and that police rushed to blame someone.

"Let's say that this extremely famous, worldwide personality like Michael Jackson was found dead under unusual circumstances such as this. And the police came out and said, 'We've investigated and we just, we can't really put the blame on anybody at this point.' What do you think would happen then?" Chernoff said. "I think there was a tremendous amount of pressure to find somebody to blame. I think that was Dr. Murray� I think, my personal opinion, a conclusion was made and the investigation was conducted in order to back it up."

When asked about Chernoff's claim that police bowed to public pressure and blamed Conrad the Los Angeles Police Department told ABC News its investigation is continuing.

Murray appeared in court Monday for a preliminary hearing in which a California judge could have stripped him of his license to practice medicine, but did not.

"Well I mean the doctor had a good day," Chernoff said. "I think that was stressing him out more than anything else, was his ability to keep going, taking care of patients..."

Murray told investigators he gave Jackson the drugs Propofol, Lidocaine, Ativan and Versed during the early hours of June 25, 2009, according to an unsealed affidavit.

He also told detectives that he left the room after he gave Jackson a final dose of Propofol, before he returned to the room to find that Jackson had stopped breathing, according to the affidavit. Jackson was pronounced dead later that day at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Chernoff did not offer an alternative chain of events, but said such a scenario doesn't equate to responsibility.

"If the prosecution's theory is that Dr. Murray injected a bunch of drugs into Michael Jackson, walked out of the room and he died as a result, that's absolutely false," he said. "Dr. Murray is not guilty of causing the death of Michael Jackson. Period."

Chernoff said Murray could not have been aware of everything Jackson was doing on his own over the months he was treating the star.

"Dr. Murray is just now learning what he was -- what he may have been doing," Chernoff said. "Dr. Murray cannot tell you what Michael Jackson was doing in the background. I reckon he had plenty of time to do things."

In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Michael Jackson's sister, Janet Jackson, placed blame for her brother's death squarely on Conrad's shoulders.

"He was the one that was administrating," Janet Jackson said in November. "I think he is responsible."

After saying Murray's financial troubles could impact his case as far as the use of expert witnesses and specialists and citing the deluge of negative publicity his client's received, Chernoff said he still does not feel like the underdog in the case.

"We walk into the courtroom and people are yelling, calling him a murderer. They don't know anything about the facts," Chernoff said. "If we get a fair jury -- people in there who are not preconditioned, who do not have a preconceived notion about guilt, and Dr. Murray will walk out. Because he's not guilty."

A manslaughter conviction in California caries a potential sentence of two to four years in prison.

Michael Jackson's Doctor Appears in Court -Jackson doctor's case assigned to LA trial judge-Michael Jackson's Doc Can Keep License -- for Now

Dr. Conrad Murray and late Micheal Jackson.

The involuntary manslaughter case against Michael Jackson's cardiologist was assigned to a trial judge Monday in a brief proceeding that drew fans and family members of the late pop star.




Dr. Conrad Murray


In this Monday, Feb. 8, 2010 file photo, Michael Jackson's physician, Conrad Murray, right, arrives for his arraignment at the Airport Branch Courthouse in Los Angeles, where he is expected to face involuntary manslaughter charges in Jackson's death.


Dr. Conrad Murray, his attorneys and prosecutors assembled before Supervising Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza, who in moments assigned the case to Judge Michael Pastor and sent them to his courtroom.

Pastor scheduled a June 14 court date to take up remaining procedural issues including the setting of a date for a preliminary hearing and Murray's fight to keep his California medical license.

The state attorney general, representing the state medical board, has moved to revoke Murray's license pending trial.

Earlier, about 50 Jackson fans waved signs and chanted outside the courthouse.

The fans sang "We Are the World," wore T-shirts emblazoned with Jackson's picture and the slogan, "Justice 4 Michael," and carried placards demanding stronger charges against Murray.

Fans in a courthouse hallway called out "Hi Janet" as Jackson's sister Janet arrived. The late pop star's parents, Joe and Katherine, and brother Jermaine also attended.

Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter, which carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison.

Normally, such a procedural hearing would draw few spectators.

But with Jackson's death as the backdrop, crowds of fans and media were expected, and Jackson family members have committed to attending all court proceedings against Murray.

Sandi Gibbons, spokeswoman for the district attorney's office, said the Jackson family notified court officials that up to 15 courtroom seats would be needed.

"It's basically a housekeeping hearing, but it will be the housekeeping hearing heard around the world," said Loyola University law professor Laurie Levenson. "There is no detail too minute for the international media."

Murray's attorneys contend the license issue is critical to his ability to pay for his defense.

The doctor has a history of serious financial problems and his attorneys, Ed Chernoff and Joseph Low, said in a recent court filing that the effect of losing his license would be devastating to Murray.

"He is, without fear of overstatement, hanging on by a thread," the attorneys wrote. "His ability to pay for his own defense depends almost entirely on his ability to continue to treat patients."

Murray, 57, a cardiologist, has clinics in Las Vegas and Houston and also has a license to practice in California. Should his California license be lifted, his lawyers suggest there would be a "domino effect" with other states moving to do the same.

Already, Nevada authorities have filed a formal complaint against Murray saying he twice failed to mention delinquent child support payments on applications to renew his medical license. Miranda Sevcik, spokeswoman for Murray and Chernoff, says Murray's legal team hopes to resolve the complaint in a way that allows the doctor to keep his license.

As a condition of his $75,000 bail, Murray has been ordered not to administer any anesthetic.

Jackson was 50 and about to launch a series of comeback shows in London when he died last June after being rushed to a hospital from his Beverly Hills home. Murray, who signed on in May at $150,000 a month to keep Jackson healthy through the comeback tour, told police he had been treating him for insomnia.

The legendary pop star was found to have died from acute intoxication with the hospital anesthetic propofol and other sedatives as a contributing factor.

Chernoff has said that nothing Murray gave the singer should have killed him.