Jacko: I trust doc with my life
Star's fateful words hours before he died
FAITH: Jacko trusted medic Dr Conrad Murray
By James Desborough,
21/02/2010
DOOMED Michael Jackson boasted his doctor was the "best in the world",
telling
aides, "I trust this guy with my life" just two days before he was
killed by
drugs administered by his trusted medic.
We can reveal how Jacko heaped praise on cardiologist Dr Conrad Murray
as he
prepared for a dress rehearsal at the Staples Center in LA on June 23,
2009.
He also insisted the doctor was paid almost £2 million for his
round-the-clock
services during the This Is It concerts - threatening to pull out if his
demands were not meet.
Michael, 50, who died of a Propofol overdose on June 25, told aides: "My
doctor is the best in the world.
"I feel completely comfortable with him. I trust this guy with my life.
He's
an incredible guy and understands what I need. He is a friend to me and
my
family.
"He makes me feel good about myself, and young again. Without him I
wouldn't
be able to function. I need him to make my body - this machine - work
the
way it does."
Jacko's doctor goes out and about
Heart
In another outburst the Thriller star added: "He is my family doctor. He
helped Paris and Prince (Jacko's kids) when they had the flu and takes
care
of me. He has helped many people with heart issues, and saved lives. I
am so
happy he is with me. I know he is there for me."
One onlooker said: "It was like Michael was going out of his way to make
out
Murray was a Nobel Prize-winning medic. He made a point of talking up
Murray."
Murray has been charged with involuntary manslaughter over the singer's
death
and the new revelations will be used by his defence to demonstrate how
the
doctor was neither greedy nor a hanger-on.
Aides say Jacko threw a fit when concert bosses questioned his demands
that
Murray, 56, be given £95,900 a month to look after him during the shows
at
the O2 in London. Concert promoter Randy Phillips of AEG gave in and
agreed.
One aide said: "Randy couldn't see why so much money was being spent on a
staff member who could be on a tenth of the salary in the UK.
"Michael backed them into a corner - and Randy gave in - although he put
it on
Michael's ever-growing bill. I don't think Murray even asked for
millions,
that was Michael's idea. With that high salary Michael felt he could
demand
anything from the doctor."
Frank DiLeo, Jacko's manager, confirmed the wrangles, adding: "I said,
'Michael, for $5 million, I'll buy you a hospital'. He said this guy was
his
family doctor. It made sense to me, to a degree."
But the News of the World has been told Jacko lied to his financial
backers
about his friendship with Murray. One insider said: "Michael made out he
and
Murray had a relationship stemming back years. He told us that he was
his
family doctor, when he had no such thing." And Dr Tohme Tohme, who took
care
of the singer's business affairs for three years before his death, said:
"Michael never had a family doctor."
Meanwhile Jacko's dad Joe Jackson has won his fight with his son's
estate to
see Michael's medical records from the day he died. He says he needs
them
for a possible wrongful death lawsuit and to help his bid to get a
regular
allowance from Jacko's estate.
He reckons the files will "provide the necessary foundation for evidence
he
will present at the family allowance hearing (on May 26) about his
overall
ongoing financial needs during the course of estate administration."
Murray faces a preliminary trial in the next few months with a judge
deciding
if the case is strong enough to proceed.
Murray's spokesman insisted last night that Jacko and Murray were "good
friends".
Link: http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/734308/Jacko-I-trust-doc-with-my-life-Michael-Jackson-praised-Dr-Conrad-Murray-two-days-before-he-died.html