A Time Gap in Michael Jackson’s Death Could Prove Enlightening

In the ongoing investigation into the death of Michael Jackson, which just this week was ruled a homicide by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office, an important point has come out. The question that investigators are now asking is this: When did Dr. Conrad Murray learn that Jackson had ceased breathing? At present, there are two conflicting accounts regarding precisely that matter. Police documents indicate that Murray specifically told detectives that he had assisted Jackson go to sleep by administering various prescription drugs just a few minutes prior to the point at which he found that Jackson had stopped breathing, at 11 A.M. on June 25.

According to that report, Murray then allowed 90 minutes to elapse, much of the time on his cell phone, prior to calling for an ambulance. Murray’s lawyer, however, is now claiming that his client discovered that Jackson was not breathing at around noon that day. Oddly, the fact that the death of Jackson has been ruled a homicide does not necessarily mean that a crime was committed, though it will undoubtedly be the first bit of evidence in play if prosecutors decide to pursue Murray.

Edward Chernoff, Murray’s attorney, claims that at no point did Murray tell investigators that he discovered Jackson not breathing at 11:00 A.M. Said Chernoff, "Their theory is he came back and wasn’t breathing. That’s not what Dr. Murray told them. They are confusing the time Michael Jackson went to sleep with the time he stopped breathing." No additional details were forthcoming, but the drama will certainly continue to play out both in the courtroom and in the media.