A latimes.com report,

The California medical board has reprimanded Michael Jackson’s personal physician for failing to notify Nevada medical board officials that he had fallen behind in his child support payments, echoing a previous reprimand issued against the doctor by the Nevada board last year.

Dr. Conrad Murray failed to notify the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners that his child support payments were in arrears as required when he renewed his medical license in 2007 and 2009, according to the California board’s public letter of reprimand, filed Friday and made public Monday.

The letter noted that Murray’s actions constituted a violation of California law concerning “unprofessional conduct,” grounds for a reprimand.

A public reprimand is a lesser form of discipline doctors can negotiate for minor violations to avoid formal charges.

Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter charges in connection with Jackson’s death.

Jackson died June 25, 2009, of an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol, which Murray has acknowledged using to treat his insomnia. Murray’s lawyers have suggested that Jackson injected or drank a fatal amount of the drug when the physician wasn’t looking. Prosecutors contend that Murray violated the standards of medical care by administering the drug improperly and concealing his actions after the singer died.

Murray is still licensed in California, Nevada and Texas, although he faces discipline and restrictions.

Murray’s California medical license, issued in 1991, was suspended by a Los Angeles County judge in January until the end of his criminal case. Texas officials restricted his medical license in April, and Nevada officials did so in June, to bar him from administering propofol and other heavy sedative medications.

Murray’s Houston-based attorney, Charles Peckham, said he and Murray agreed to the letter of reprimand after negotiations with lawyers representing the medical board.

Instead of arguing the point before the medical board, “we agreed to disagree and agreed to a paper reprimand,” Peckham said.

Peckham said Murray’s licenses in Nevada and Texas are still active

Murray’s trial is scheduled to begin March 24 in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

This link comes from latimesblogs

A judge threatened Monday to hit Dr. Conrad Murray’s lawyers with $1,500-a-day fines for failing to share evidence with prosecutors before the physician’s trial next month in the death of Michael Jackson.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor told lawyers for the pop icon’s personal physician that he would impose the fines or other sanctions Wednesday unless they met their legal obligation to turn over witness statements and expert reports to prosecutors.

“I am extremely distressed about the state of this case and whether in fact the defense is ready for trial,” Pastor said.

Murray is set to go on trial March 24, but prosecutors have repeatedly asked the judge to delay the case, saying the defense is not ready for trial because it has not shared materials concerning its witnesses.

Murray has refused to waive his right to a speedy trial, as most defendants do, to preserve his right to practice medicine. Pastor stripped him of his California medical license, but authorities in Texas and Nevada, where he practices, have agreed to await the conclusion of the trial to make their decisions, his lawyers said.

Phyl thanks for the link. We are trying to make this story sink in!

A lawyer who worked for celebrity attorney Mark Geragos during his representation of Michael Jackson said Tuesday he wants to join the defense team representing Jackson’s doctor on an involuntary manslaughter charge.

The move by attorney Nareg Gourjian raised the possibility of a conflict of interest.

Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor said that loyalty to a former client, even one who is dead, is part of the rules that must be obeyed by all attorneys.

Geragos represented Jackson on child molestation allegations from 2003 to 2005 but left the case before the trial in which Jackson was acquitted. Gourjian, who appeared in court with Murray’s lawyers, said he was a new attorney when he was hired by Geragos and did little on the Jackson case. Geragos’ associate, attorney Pat Harris, brought the situation to the judge’s attention. “Our position is there may be a conflict. We feel it is our duty to disclose it,” Harris said. “We have the highest respect for Mr. Gourjian as an attorney.”

Judge Pastor said he wants to hear from Geragos and an attorney for the Jackson estate on whether Gourjian’s possible involvement in the Murray case would be a breach of loyalty to Jackson under California’s Rules of Professional Conduct for attorneys.

The judge set a hearing for Feb. 24 on the issue.

Attorneys Ed Chernoff and J. Michael Flanagan, who represent Murray, proposed that Gourjian be allowed to substitute into the case, replacing attorney Joseph Low, who withdrew last week. Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said he had just heard about the plan.

“It does raise substantial concerns for the people, and it needs to be fully aired out,” Walgren said. “We need to know more details.”

Meanwhile, Walgren complained that defense lawyers had not provided any statements or evidence they plan to present at trial from a proposed list of 91 witnesses. Chernoff said the lawyers don’t have any statements or reports yet and were continuing to interview experts who might testify. Walgren said the prosecution has turned over thousands of pages of discovery related to its list of 107 possible witnesses. The trial is expected to last six weeks. The judge suggested that given the current state of affairs, the defense might not be ready by the March 24 start date. Chernoff, however, who requested the early opening for jury selection, said he would be ready.

Phyl keeps us up-to-date with what happening over at TMZ. They report…

Michael Jackson wasn’t the first patient to die while in Dr. Murray’s care — in fact, TMZ has learned MJ investigators spoke with the son of a former Murray patient who BLAMES the doc for killing his dad in a botched surgery.

Months after MJ’s death, LAPD detectives spoke with Gerard White — whose father died 6 days after Dr. Murray operated on his heart in Las Vegas back in 2007.

White told investigators Murray not only botched the surgery and ripped a hole in his dad’s heart — but he failed to recognize obvious, tell-tale signs that his patient was fatally wounded.

Gerard told investigators he and his family contacted a lawyer to go after Dr. Murray — but they couldn’t find an attorney who would take the case because there wasn’t enough money to be made.

Gerard also said that after his father died, Murray did “exactly what he’s doing in the Jackson case” … because he never attempted to speak with his family members about the situation.

Murray’s rep tell TMZ Gerard’s story is “hearsay and totally unsubstantiated.”

The rep adds, “Murray has medical insurance for lawsuits. If an attorney thought Gerard White had a case he surely could have been paid.  The fact that White couldn’t find a lawyer to take the case tells me White’s claims most likely had no merit.”

The Conrad Murray trial is set to begin on March 28

Lawyers for Michael Jackson’s former live-in physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, will be in court in Los Angeles on Monday to discuss several key pretrial matters, including whether to televise what will no doubt be one of the nation’s most sensational trials ever.
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The reports are in, and a judge will be hearing arguments and ruling whether the Dr. Conrad Murray hearing will be televised. As fans know, it has taken a long time to adjust to the news of Michael Jackson’s passing, and his family and friends are hoping to see justice obtained.
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