Dr. Robert Waldman is a specialist in addiction medicine and testified today that Michael Jackson was “probably” addicted to Demerol. The defence witness claimed that MJ was hooked on the narcotic supplied to him by his dermatologist.
Dr. Robert Waldman claimed medical records kept by Beverly Hills skin expert Arnold Klein reveal he injected the singer with doses of the painkiller during visits made by Jackson to his offices for Botox treatment.
Testifying as an expert for Murray’s defence team, Waldman said: “I believe there’s evidence he was dependent on Demerol.”
When a defence lawyer enquired: “What about addicted?”
Waldman replied: “Possibly … on what’s known about his public behaviour, he was probably addicted to opioids.”
Klein’s medical records reveal Jackson had on occasion received as much as 375 milligrams of Demerol over the course of 90 minutes, but according to Waldman a typical dose should be 50 milligrams and the higher measurement would have left the ‘Billie Jean’ singer “sleepy, lethargic, possibly difficult to arouse, possibly unresponsive.”
Waldman also claimed the treatments – Botox and wrinkle filler Restylane – Klein was providing the music legend would not need a painkiller the strength of Demerol, although he admitted he was not an expert in the field of dermatology.
Murray’s defence team are presenting a case that Jackson became hooked on Demerol a few months before his death on June 29, 2009, and suffered from chronic insomnia as a result of drug withdrawal.
It was his insomnia the defence claim that led Jackson to inject himself with a fatal dose of the surgical anaesthetic Propofol to get to sleep on the night of his passing.
During the prosecution’s cross-examination of Waldman, it was claimed the expert’s conclusions were irrelevant to the involuntary manslaughter case being presented.
Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said: “You understand there is no Demerol in the toxicology findings (from Jackson’s autopsy).”
To which Waldman replied: “Correct.”
The defence team had wanted to call Klein – a long-time friend and physician to Jackson – to the witness stand but Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor barred them from questioning the dermatologist on objection from the prosecution.
Judge Pastor would only allow 36 pages of his medical records to be presented to the jury.
The prosecution’s case is that Murray – who was being paid $150,000-a-month to treat Jackson as he rehearsed for ‘This Is It’ London concert residency – administered a high dose of Propofol to Jackson and then left him alone.
Murray – who denies involuntary manslaughter – faces up to four years in prison if he is found guilty.