Paramedic Testifies in Murray Trial

The paramedic who was the first to arrive at Michael Jackson’s home in response to a 911 call has testified in the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, who has been charged with involuntary manslaughter for Jackson’s death on June 25th, 2009. The paramedic Richard Senneff testified that Dr. Murray had claimed Jackson suffered from no underlying medical troubles and was not on any serious medications.

Senneff said that Dr. Murray had told him that he had administered just a “little bit of Lorazepam” to Jackson to help him sleep. Jackson, it was later found, had died from an overdose of a major sedative propofol. Senneff also said that he felt Murray’s claim that the patient did not suffer from any underlying medical problem was odd, because he could see an oxygen tank and an IV stand in the room.

Senneff described Dr. Murray as “frantic” at the time of the arrival of paramedics, and answered his query on the patient’s underlying medical condition only after repeated asking. The paramedic also asked Dr. Murray for how long the patient had not been breathing. Murray replied, “It just happened right when I called you.”

The paramedics arrived at Jackson’s home within four minutes after the 911 call was received. According to Senneff, there should have been a good chance to save the patient if Dr. Murray would have indeed called 911 as soon as Jackson stopped breathing. However, Senneff testified that after running a few quick tests and observing the patient, it was clear that Jackson had not been breathing for a considerably longer time.

When asked about his observations on Michael Jackson’s condition, Senneff said that when he first moved the patient, he found his skin very cool to the touch. Jackson’s eyes were open and dry, and the pupils were dilated. The EKG test showed a flatline. Senneff also recalled that paramedics had not been able to locate a vein in the patient’s arm, which indicated that his blood was not in circulation.