Authorities Raid Home, Second Office of Michael Jackson's Doctor
Dr. Conrad Murray continues to be focus of investigation into pop star's death.
July 28, 2009— -- Suspicion surrounding the involvement of Michael Jackson's doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray, in the pop star's death intensified this morning, as several DEA agents and Los Angeles police detectives arrived at Murray's Las Vegas medical office and home armed with a search warrant.
Uniformed Metro Las Vegas officers accompanied the federal drug agents and LAPD investigators as they entered Global Cardiovascular Associates on Flamingo Road in Las Vegas.
A locksmith has arrived at Murray's house, an ABC News producer on the scene reports.
The scenes are similar to a raid on Murray's other medical office in Houston, TX last week. A storage shed there used by Murray was also searched.
Officials said the search warrant obtained for last week's raid was based on the preliminary results of Jackson's autopsy, which showed the cause of death to be connected to the anesthetic drug Propofol. Murray reportedly administered Propofol to Jackson on the day he died. The warrant stated that authorities were looking for "implements and instruments used in the commission of a crime and for property or items constituting evidence of the offense of manslaughter that tend to show that Dr. Conrad Murray committed the said criminal offense."
Today's search is another sign that Murray continues to be the focus of the investigation into Jackson's sudden death. He has been interviewed twice by investigators but has not responded to questions of possibly administering Propofol, a drug normally only used in hospital operating rooms, to Jackson.
In a statement issued before last week's raid, Murray's attorney Ed Chernoff said Murray was cooperating with the investigation.
"The coroner wants to clear up the cause of death, we share that goal," Chernoff said. He has said that Murray "should not be a target of criminal charges."
Murray is the cardiologist and "personal physician" who was by Jackson's side on the day of his death.Murray's attorney Edward Chernoff previously told Good Morning America that it took Murray a while to find anyone in Jackson's rented mansion to help him call 911 after he failed to revive the superstar.
"We can't tell you exactly when 911 was called," attorney Edward Chernoff told "Good Morning America" last week.
Dr. Murray and Michael Jackson
Chernoff said that once Murray realized that CPR was not bringing Jackson back, Murray, he said, tried to dial 911 on his cell phone but did not have the exact address of Jackson's home. And with none of the phones in the home working "for privacy reasons," Murray ran around the house till he found Jackson's chef, who alerted security.
It was the security person, Chernoff said, who eventually dialed 911. CPR, he said, was done for 25 to 30 minutes before emergency officials arrived.
Rev. Jesse Jackson Says Michael's Family Suspicious of Dr. Conrad Murray
Jackson's parents and siblings are questioning Murray's role in Jackson's final hours, according to the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a longtime friend of the family. Rev. Jackson previously told ABC News that the family is suspicious.
The fact that the doctor had left the scene, was not available to sign the death certificate or answer the family's questions about their son's final moments did not sit right at all with the Jacksons, according to Rev. Jackson.
"When did the doctor come? What did he do? Did he inject him? If so, with what?" said Rev. Jackson. "Was he on the scene twice? Before and then reaction to? Did he use the Demerol? It's a very powerful drug. Was he injected once? Was he injected twice?"
After Jackson's death, police officers towed a silver BMW from outside Jackson's Los Angeles home, which police confirmed belonged to Jackson's "personal physician" and which they believed contains evidence crucial to the investigation.
Law enforcement sources, however, confirmed to ABC News, that the car towed from Jackson's home is registered to one Susan Mary Rush. Rush is the sister of Dr. Conrad Robert Murray.
"The car was impounded," said Amanda Betat, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department. "One reason it was impounded was because it may contain medication or evidence that could assist the coroner in determining the cause of death."
Megan Chuchmach contributed to this report.
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Chernoff said that once Murray realized that CPR was not bringing Jackson back, Murray, he said, tried to dial 911 on his cell phone but did not have the exact address of Jackson's home. And with none of the phones in the home working "for privacy reasons," Murray ran around the house till he found Jackson's chef, who alerted security.
It was the security person, Chernoff said, who eventually dialed 911. CPR, he said, was done for 25 to 30 minutes before emergency officials arrived.
Rev. Jesse Jackson Says Michael's Family Suspicious of Dr. Conrad Murray
Jackson's parents and siblings are questioning Murray's role in Jackson's final hours, according to the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a longtime friend of the family. Rev. Jackson previously told ABC News that the family is suspicious.
The fact that the doctor had left the scene, was not available to sign the death certificate or answer the family's questions about their son's final moments did not sit right at all with the Jacksons, according to Rev. Jackson.
"When did the doctor come? What did he do? Did he inject him? If so, with what?" said Rev. Jackson. "Was he on the scene twice? Before and then reaction to? Did he use the Demerol? It's a very powerful drug. Was he injected once? Was he injected twice?"
After Jackson's death, police officers towed a silver BMW from outside Jackson's Los Angeles home, which police confirmed belonged to Jackson's "personal physician" and which they believed contains evidence crucial to the investigation.
Law enforcement sources, however, confirmed to ABC News, that the car towed from Jackson's home is registered to one Susan Mary Rush. Rush is the sister of Dr. Conrad Robert Murray.
"The car was impounded," said Amanda Betat, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department. "One reason it was impounded was because it may contain medication or evidence that could assist the coroner in determining the cause of death."
Megan Chuchmach contributed to this report.