Michael Jackson's Odd Life of Beet Juice, Phone Phobia and Urinary Catheters

Oct. 10, 2011— -- Dr. Conrad Murray's manslaughter trial has given Michael Jackson fans a peek at the often eccentric details of the king of pop's life including skin bleaching cream that he has denied using, sleeping with a urinary catheter, and the presidential style preparations needed for a trip to the store.

Murray is on trial for involuntary manslaughter in the overdosing death of Jackson, who died at age 50 on June 25, 2009 of an overdose of the powerful anesthetic, propofol.

Testimony by people who were present at the house when Jackson died includes bodyguards, a cook and other aides who have described for the court elements of life in the Jackson mansion.

Urinary Catheters

Among the oddest routines was the revelation that Jackson wore a urninary catheter while sleeping.

"I recall seeing what appeared to be a plastic bag or some sort of medical device and it was on his penis," said bodyguard Alberto Alvarez who ran into Jackson's room when summoned on the day Jackson died.

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A coroner investigator also retrieved a jug of Jackson's urine from the scene.

A witness from a pharmaceutical and medical supply company testified that Murray's staff ordered numerous catheters and urine bags from them in the months before the singer died.

Emergency room attendantDr. Richelle Cooper told jurors that Murray said that the only regular medications that Jackson took were Valium and Flomax. Flomax is typically used to treat someone suffering from a kidney stone or an enlarged prostate.

Skin Bleaching Creams

The manager and pharmacist at a specialty pharmacy told jurors that Murray called him in the months before the singer's death to ask about making a cream to treat people suffering from vitiligo.

"He was looking for a specific dermatological agent that is used for whitening of the skin...He mentioned that a lot of his patients were African American and they could use the medication," said Tim Lopez of Applied Pharmacy Services.

Vitiligo is a condition where one's skin loses pigmentation. Jackson told Oprah Winfrey in 1993 that he suffered from the condition, but denied that he bleached his skin.

In a police interview, Murray said that he would often rub Jackson's body with cream to treat his vitiligo.

Travel Like a President

Protecting the notoriously reclusive Jackson's privacy meant that his security team had to case routes and locations before the singer would leave the house. If Jackson wanted to go shopping, his bodyguard would visit the stores beforehand.

"He would usually give me instructions as to what he wanted to buy or what he wanted to go shopping for. He would ask me to go look for certain stores...look for the stores that had the items that he would look for," Alvarez said.

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Even getting to rehearsal at the Staples Center for his "This Is It" tour required three cars and a lot of preparation, witnesses testified.

"We would have an advanced vehicle who would go before us, make sure...we take the proper route...make sure everything is set up, make sure there's a safe entrance," said Michael Amir Williams, Jackson's personal assistant. "Mr. Jackson would be in the principal vehicle with a trail vehicle behind it."

The advanced team would make certain a golf cart was ready to greet Jackson in the underground parking lot and that his dressing room was as he liked it, including having the thermostat set high.

"I would make sure that everything that he is accustomed to is in place," Alvarez said. "He liked a warm setting."