Case against Michael Jackson's doctor goes to jury
(CBS/AP) LOS ANGELES - The case against Michael Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, was put in the hands of a California jury Thursday, with deliberations set to begin the next morning.
The seven-man, five-woman panel got the case after spirited, daylong closing arguments by a prosecutor and defense attorney.
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Video: Dr. Conrad Murray manslaughter trial begins
Deputy District Attorney David Walgren invoked Jackson's children early in his final statement, saying that the singer had them in mind in his final days and that was a driving force behind his planned series of comeback concerts.
Walgren said the case will never end for Jackson's three children and that fault lies with Murray. He said the Houston-based cardiologist caused Jackson's death and left the singer's children, Prince, Paris and Blanket, without a father.
Walgren urged jurors to convict Murray of involuntary manslaughter in connection with Jackson's death on June 25, 2009.
Defense attorney Ed Chernoff said prosecutors hadn't proven that Murray committed a crime by giving Jackson doses of the anesthetic propofol as a sleep aid in the singer's bedroom.
"They want you to convict Dr. Murray for the actions of Michael Jackson," Chernoff said.
Murray has pleaded not guilty and faces up to four years behind bars and the loss of his medical license if he's convicted.
The seven-man, five-woman jury has listened appeared to listen closely throughout the six-week trial, which featured 49 witnesses and some complex medical testimony. They also heard several audio recordings, including one of Jackson himself in which his speech was slow and slurred, as well as Murray's lengthy interview with police detectives.
Complete coverage of the Conrad Murray - Michael Jackson case on CBS News