Michael Jackson doctor to be charged Monday

LOS ANGELES - The doctor who acknowledged giving Michael Jackson the anesthetic that is blamed for his death is to be charged Monday, the Los Angeles District Attorney said Friday.

Widespread reports have indicated that Conrad Murray, 57, will be charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with Jackson’s June 25 death from an overdose of propofol.

But the statement to reporters from District Attorney spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said that information on the charges would only be released once charges have been filed.

Her statement brought a little clarity to the closely watched case in which Murray had been expected to surrender to police Friday. But his lawyer accused police Friday of attempting to orchestrate a “show and parade” over his client’s expected arraignment.

Lawyer Ed Chernoff told the Los Angeles Times that negotiations with authorities over his client’s surrender had broken down after police insisted he be taken into custody and handcuffed prior to his expected court appearance Friday afternoon.

“I told them there is no way that I’m going to let my client sit in jail so you can have your show and parade him into court in handcuffs,” Chernoff said. “That’s when they pulled the plug.”

The arraignment of Murray is expected to set in motion what is certain to be one of the most closely watched trials in the US since Jackson himself was in the dock on child sex charges in 2005.

Murray has acknowledged giving Jackson the hospital anesthetic propofol as a sleeping aid shortly before he suffered a massive cardiac arrest that led to his death. Jackson died aged 50 on June 25, 2009, shortly before he was due to begin a widely anticipated

series of comeback concerts.