More than two years after Michael Jackson's sudden death, the singer's personal physician is to stand trial on Tuesday. Dr Conrad Murray, 58, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter. If convicted, the maximum sentence is four years in prison.
It was a hot midsummer day in Los Angeles on 25 June, 2009. Hollywood was mourning the loss of the actress Farrah Fawcett, as fans and celebrities paid tribute to the TV star, who had died from cancer, aged 62.
But that day will be remembered for another, altogether unexpected death and for the extraordinary outpouring of grief it provoked.
Pop star Michael Jackson, a month shy of his 51st birthday, was rushed to hospital and pronounced dead, his brother Jermaine confirming the news to stunned fans in a hastily-arranged press conference.
Jackson had recently stepped back into the limelight. He was rehearsing at the Staples Centre arena in Los Angeles for This Is It, his hugely anticipated concert series, which was due to start at the O2 in London on 13 July.
The night before his death, he worked until after midnight. The next day, shortly after noon, he was discovered unconscious in his bedroom by his physician Dr Conrad Murray.
What happened in the time between those two events remains a mystery.
At a preliminary hearing, several witnesses gave detailed accounts of the frenzied activity at Jackson's home after the singer was found to be unresponsive.
The singer's death, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner, was a homicide caused by "acute Propofol intoxication." Propofol is a sedative that is normally used in hospitals to induce or maintain anaesthesia during surgical procedures.
But it will be up to a jury to decide whether the actions of Dr Murray, during the frantic efforts to revive the singer and in the hours before, caused his death.
"We're finally going to get a full airing of all the facts," says Steven Cron, a legal analyst.
"In order to be guilty of a crime one has to be grossly negligent, not just minimally negligent, and that's what they're trying to prove," says Mr Cron.
Dr Murray has strongly defended himself against the charge of involuntary manslaughter. He has insisted that nothing he did should have killed Jackson.
"I think the forensic evidence is going to be really important," says Mr Cron.
"There were only two people in the room and one of them is no longer with us. The other is accused."
9/27/11
Dr Conrad Murray faces jury over Michael Jackson death
9:37 PM
deinalove
