Michael Jackson Doc Conrad Murray Never Got Paid Prior to Singer's Death
Sources familiar with deal say doctor at Jackson's deathbed never got paid.
Aug. 25, 2009— -- Conrad Murray, the doctor at the center of the Michael Jackson death investigation, claims he never received any payment during the time he served as the singer's personal physician, according to a source familiar with the arrangement.
Murray, who dispensed a cocktail of potent sedatives, including the anesthetic propofol, to Jackson early the morning of the day he died, was hand-selected by Jackson to serve as his doctor and was to accompany the singer to London for a series of scheduled concerts.
Though Murray and concert promoter AEG were in talks over his salary, negotiations were not completed prior to Jackson's death on June 25, said a spokesman for the company.
"Conrad Murray was Michael Jackson's personal physician for three years," said the AEG spokesman. "Michael Jackson requested Murray be put on as part of the show. Murray, however, had yet to be hired. Discussions were along the way for a completed contract. Murray had signed the contract, however, neither Michael Jackson nor AEG had signed the contract."
"Murray was never hired and never paid by AEG," he said.
Jackson had a reputation for not paying his sometimes extravagant debts. He had on several occasions been sued for failure to pay people the money he owed them or for reneging on contracts.
In 2008, he settled with a Bahraini prince for $7 million after breaching a signed contract to produce a record.
Analyses of Jackson's finances show the singer was in debt and cash poor.
Meanwhile, law enforcement officials said today they expect to soon make public Jackson's complete autopsy and toxicology reports.
Details of Jackson's death outlined in a unsealed search warrant make it seem almost certain that Murray, will be charged in the pop icon's death, according to a noted defense attorney who has been following the case.
"I have no doubt he's going to be indicted," attorney Roy Black told "Good Morning America" today.
Black pointed to the two months of intense investigation -- the search warrants, the interviews, the raids in two states -- as evidence investigators will look to Murray as causing Jackson's June 25 death from a drug overdose.
