Testimony To Resume In Jackson Doctors Trial

First Published: October 19, 2011 9:41 AM EDT Credit: Getty Images Caption Dr. Conrad Murray arrives at the Airport Courthouse for his arraignment, Los Angeles, February 8, 2010LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The trial of the doctor charged in Michael Jacksons death will resume Wednesday after days of delay, with jurors hearing from a leading expert on the powerful anesthetic that authorities contend killed the King of Pop. Dr. Steven Shafers return to the stand on behalf of the prosecution comes after testimony was halted for three and a half court days. Time off was initially given to accommodate the Columbia University professors schedule, but his father died and the delay was extended. Shafer is the prosecutions final witness in its case against Dr. Conrad Murray, who has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter. A judge canceled testimony Tuesday to give defense attorneys time to research new test results conducted by coroners officials on the level of the sedative lorazepam in Jacksons body. Murrays attorneys have claimed that lorazepam levels found in the singers stomach contents suggested he may have taken several pills in the hours before his death without his doctors knowledge. Murray has admitted giving Jackson doses of propofol in the pop superstars bedroom as a sleep aid. Murrays attorneys have said that the amount of propofol their client gave Jackson on the day of his June 2009 death was too small to cause the icons sudden death at age 50. Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said Monday that the new results from the coroners office show that levels of lorazepam in Jacksons body were lower than the defense claimed and were inconsistent with the theory Murrays attorneys had presented to jurors. Lead defense attorney Ed Chernoff said Tuesday that he was seeking additional testing from an independent lab to confirm or disprove the coroners results, but that it would take several days for the defense to get the answers it needs. Walgren agreed that he would not raise the issue of the new tests until after the defense team presents its case. Murrays attorneys will begin calling witnesses Friday. They plan to call 15 witnesses, who will include police detectives, character witnesses and Randy Phillips, the head of AEG Live, the promoter of Jacksons planned series of comeback concerts. Chernoff said many of the witnesses will be brief and the defense should rest its case by Wednesday. Murrays attorneys are also going to call one of Shafers colleagues, Dr. Paul White, as an expert to try to counter the prosecutions case. Prosecution witnesses have repeatedly faulted Murray for his care of Jackson, noting that his use of propofol as a sleep aid was outside the drugs intended use. They have also faulted Murray for not calling 911 sooner, for botching resuscitation efforts and for lying to paramedics and emergency room doctors about the drugs he had given Jackson. Two expert witnesses, cardiologist Dr. Alon Steinberg and sleep specialist Dr. Nader Kamangar, testified last week that Murrays actions were gross deviations from the standard of care. Shafer briefly began his testimony Thursday and explained to jurors how he had crafted the warnings and guidelines included with each bottle of propofol warnings that Walgren said in opening statements Murray had repeatedly ignored. Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.