Doctor in Michael Jackson case avoids being arrested in child support case by making payment

Doctor in Jackson case avoids jail in support case

LAS VEGAS — The physician being investigated in Michael Jackson’s death reached an agreement Monday in a separate child support case that will keep him out of jail.

Prosecutors sought an arrest warrant for Dr. Conrad Murray after he failed to appear for previous hearings in the case. He is accused of owing more than $14,000 to a California woman and her son dating back to October 2008.

With Murray in court, his lawyer Christopher Aaron paid $700 cash and promised to pay another $303 as part of the deal approved by Clark County District Court Judge Gerald Hardcastle.

Aaron has said Murray, a cardiologist, has been unable to pay because he had to close his medical practice and move due to threats following Jackson’s death June 25.

“He’s radioactive,” Aaron told The Associated Press. “He’s unemployed and unemployable.”

In Oct. 27 court filings, Clark County Deputy District Attorney Gerard Costantian asked the court to find Murray in contempt and send him to jail unless he could demonstrate an inability to pay.

The Los Angeles County coroner has ruled Jackson’s death a homicide, caused primarily by propofol and another sedative.

Murray told investigators he administered propofol as a sleep aid, along with multiple sedatives, in the hours before Jackson died.

Murray has not been charged with a crime but is the focus of the Los Angeles police investigation, according to documents made public with search warrants served as his home and offices.

Miranda Sevcik, a spokeswoman for Murray, said he continues to maintain he neither prescribed nor administered anything to Jackson that should have killed him.

Murray, who is licensed in Nevada, Texas and California, had been hired to a lucrative $150,000-per-month contract to be the pop star’s personal physician during a world tour.

At the time, the financially troubled physician owed at least $780,000 for settlements against his business, outstanding mortgage payments on his large Las Vegas house, delinquent student loans, credit cards and child support.

Another judge in Las Vegas is due Wednesday to consider unsealing search warrant documents stemming from a police raid Aug. 11 at a Las Vegas pharmacy from which authorities say Murray legally purchased propofol.

Meanwhile, Janet Jackson said she blamed Murray for her brother Michael’s death.

She told ABC News in an interview to air Wednesday that Murray should no longer be allowed to practice medicine.

“He was the one that was administering,” Jackson said. “I think he is responsible.”