Michael Jackson Wrongful Death Trial To Start

Conrad Murray

Dr. Conrad Murray, who was Michael Jackson's personal physician, is refusing to testify in the wrongful death lawsuit that the singer's mother filed against concert promoter AEG Live.

According to CNN, if called, he will plead the fifth so as not to incriminate himself, the doctor said in a statement sent to the Jackson family.

Murray has never been questioned under oath about Jackson's death, which occurred on his watch.

He did not testify at his trial, where he was found guilty of causing Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, by administering a deadly overdose of sedatives and the surgical anesthetic propofol in what he told police was an attempt to cure the singer's insomnia.

He is serving a four-year sentence but could be out in two.

The Jackson lawsuit contends that AEG Live is responsible for Jackson's death because it hired and supervised Dr. Murray, who was administering the surgical anesthetic propofol to Jackson each night for a month to induce sleep as he prepared for a series of concerts organized by AEG Live.

Jackson died two weeks before his "This Is It" comeback concerts, organized by AEG Live, were to have debuted in London in the summer of 2009.

E-mails the Jackson's plan to use in their case suggested that the promoter was worried about Jackson's missed rehearsals and they sought Murray's help in getting him ready.

Prince, Paris and Blanket Jackson and their grandmother contend that AEG Live's pressure on Murray to have Jackson ready for daily rehearsals despite his fragile health led to his death from the propofol overdose.

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