ÿþ<html> <head> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1"> <title>OnlineColumnist®.com: Putin Punishes Georgia</title> <meta name="generator" content="Adobe GoLive 4"> <style type="text/css"> .style3 { height: 68px; } .MsoNormal {} h1 {margin-bottom:.0001pt; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; font-weight:normal; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; } .style4 { font-size: large; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial; } .style6 { height: 69px; } h2 {margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; } .style7 { font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold; } </style> </head> <body bgcolor="white" vlink="black"> <center> &nbsp;<table cool width="624" height="2719" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" gridx="16" showgridx gridy="16" showgridy> <tr> <td width="133" height="118" rowspan="2" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0"> <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"><img height="110" width="62" src="images/discobolos.logo.transp.gif" border="0"></a></td> <td width="7" height="118" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="482" colspan="2" valign="top" align="left" xpos="140" class="style6"><img height="75" width="450" src="images/banner.GIF"></td> <td width="1" height="118" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="1" class="style6"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="79"></td> </tr> <tr height="39"> <td width="182" height="39"></td> <td width="300" height="39" valign="top" align="left" xpos="322"><a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"><img height="14" width="267" src="images/divisionofNEW.GIF" border="0"></a></td> <td width="1" height="39"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="39"></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="624" colspan="6" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0" class="style3"> <table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="black" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td> <table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#99ffcc" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4"> <tr> <td align="center"> <div align="left"> <a href="index.html"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> HOME</strong></font></a><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> &#8226; <a href="articlesindex.html">ARTICLES</a> &#8226; <a href="books.html">BOOKS</a> &#8226; <a href="teflon.html"> THE </a><a href="teflon.html">TEFLON</a><a href="teflon.html"> REPORT</a> &#8226; <a href="mailto:letters@onlinecolumnist.com"> REACTIONS</a> &#8226; <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html">ABOUT DISCOBOLOS</a></strong></font></div> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr height="2"> <td width="133" height="2"></td> <td width="489" height="2576" colspan="3" rowspan="2" align="left" xpos="133" content valign="top" csheight="2573"> <p class="style4">Michael Jackson&#39;s One-Year Memorial</p> <p><b><font face="Arial,Geneva,Helvetica">by John M. Curt</font></b><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b>is<a href="books.html"><br> </a></b></font><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b> (310) 204-8700</b></font></p> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><i>Copyright June 25, 2010<br>All Rights Reserved. </i></font>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <p class="MsoNormal"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="style7">M</span>ichael Jackson s untimely death June 25, 2009 and burial at Forest Lawn July 7 hasn t answered nagging questions about the circumstances under which he died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Press reports point to Jackson s frail health, past sexual proclivities and history of substance abuse, all become convenient excuses to ignore one of the most egregious acts of malpractice by a licensed physician on record.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>When Jackon s doctor, Conrad Murray, appeared before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor June 14, the judge refused to revoke his license.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>August 24, 2009 the Los Angeles Coroner concluded that Jackson died from a Diprivan or propofol overdose administered by his $100,000 a month personal physician.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>While the coroner also found traces of other drugs in Jackson s system, they still concluded that propofol was the culprit that stopped Jackson s breathing.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Following the coroner s report, the Los Angeles County District Attorney charged Murray with a single count of involuntary manslaughter Feb. 8, 2010, the equivalent charge had Murray accidentally run Jackson down in a crosswalk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>In the early morning of June 25, 2009, Jackson had just returned from a triumphant rehearsal at Staples Center of his upcoming British Tour, showing his trademark energy and precision expected of the world s top pop performer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> While the facts remain murky, sometime early in the morning of June 25, Murray hooked Jackson up to an intravenous device and administered the lethal propofol to treat the singer s insomnia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Without proper training or monitoring equipment, Murray poked Jackson s vein and administered what amounted to a lethal injection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Medical standards for using propofol, a fast-acting anesthetic, require heart-lung monitoring equipment.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Murray took no such precautions only to find Jackson not breathing sometime in the morning of June 25.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Instead of immediately calling 911, Murray insisted on performing CPR for up to one hour before asking for help and calling 911.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>If you follow the timeline, Murray found Jackson around 10:00 a.m., administered CPR to around 11:00 a.m., called Fire Dept. paramedics who arrived at Jackson s rented Holmby Hills home at 12:24 p.m. where they worked on him until for another 40 minutes or so until transferring him to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center at 1:14 p.m. where a team of doctors and nurses worked on him until pronouncing him dead at 2:26 p.m. Concerned about liability, it s conceivable, based on the best evidence, that Jackson was dead when Murray first found him somewhere, if you can believe him, around 10:00 a.m., though it was probably much earlier.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Adding insult to injury, Murray s attorney, Ed Chermoff, argued successfully to Judge Pastor that if his medical license were revoked, the 56-year-old physician couldn t pay his legal bills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Representatives from the Los Angeles District Attorney and California Medical Board dropped the ball, letting Murray continue to practice medicine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Whether he accepts responsibility or not, he administered a reckless procedure for which he had no certification resulting in Michael s death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>His attorney can point fingers at Michael s history of whatever but he can t ignore that Jackson died because of Murray s direct actions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>His  intent is of no consequence to a gross act of negligence and malpractice causing Jackson s death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>What does the DA or Medical Board need to see before they act responsibly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>No, Murray didn t wield a knife or pull a trigger but he poked Jackson with a lethal needle.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Michael s family and friends are outraged by the DA and Medical Board s negligence in not terminating Murray s California medical license.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>His father, Joe Jackson filed a wrongful death suit in federal court, where, like the O.J. Simpson civil suit, the standard of proof is more forgiving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Joe Jackson and family seek unspecified damages for the wrongful death caused by Dr. Conrad Murray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Had the DA or Medical Board done their job, the Jackson s wouldn t have to take matter into their own hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Watching Murray get away with at least involuntary manslaughter or far worse makes the blood boil of all those crying out for justice on the anniversary of Michael s death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>There s no consolation when his killer remains at large and continues to practice medicine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>What more does the DA or Medical Board need to see to take appropriate legal action?</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>One year after Michael s death continues the emotional hemorrhage watching Dr. Conrad Murray face a slap on the wrist and continue practicing medicine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> A year has gone by but it is still just as emotional.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>It s very hard sometimes, Michael s mother Katherine told the British  Sun. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> I am happy that people are celebrating the anniversary because I know the world is missing and remembering him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>But every day I struggle I miss him immensely, reflecting the same mood as millions of Michael s fans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>No one expects a pound of flesh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>But justice screams our for an appropriate punishment to the man responsible for Michael s death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Conspiracy theories aside, appropriate justice requires the DA and Medical Board to take decisive action to protect the health and safety of California medical consumers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>No one with such abysmal judgment should be allowed to practice medicine.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <b>John M. Curtis </b>writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He&#x2019;s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of <a href="books.html">Dodging The Bullet</a> and <a href="books.html">Operation Charisma</a>.</p> </td> <td width="1" height="2576" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="1" height="2"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="2"></td> </tr> <tr height="2574"> <td width="133" height="2574" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0"><img height="172" width="111" src="images/johninframe3.jpg"></td> <td width="1" height="2574"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="2574"></td> </tr> <tr height="1" cntrlrow> <td width="133" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="133" height="1"></td> <td width="7" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="7" height="1"></td> <td width="182" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="182" height="1"></td> <td width="300" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="300" height="1"></td> <td width="1" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="1"></td> <td width="1" height="1"></td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2" width="597"> <tr> <td><font size="1" face="Arial,Geneva,Helvetica"> <hr noshade size="1"> </font><a href="index.html"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> Homecobolos> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">©1999-2005 <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"> Discobolos Consulting Services, Inc.</a><br> (310) 204-8300<br> All Rights Reserved. </font></td> </tr> </table> </center> </body> </html>