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A key witness has testified that Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, requested a CPR machine for the singer's "This is It" tour before insisting that Jackson was in great health.
Kathy Jorrie, an attorney for the concert promoter AEG live, gave her testimony on the second day of Conrad Murray's manslaughter trial, which is increasingly focused on the singer's health in the weeks leading up to his death while he was preparing for the epic tour.
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Witness testimonies given on Monday have suggested there was a split in opinion on Jackson's condition among those close to him.
"Dr. Murray told me Michael Jackson was perfectly healthy, in excellent condition," Jorrie testified the doctor told her after she questioned his request.
According to The Associate Press, Jorrie said Murray told her not to worry about Jackson's condition.
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"He's great," the attorney recalled the doctor telling her in a conversation the day before Jackson's death.
Jorrie was responsible for Conrad Murray's contract, and approached the doctor about what she felt was an unusual request. She testified that she questioned the request for lifesaving equipment because she wanted to ensure that Jackson did not have an undisclosed heart condition.
She testfied that Murray told her he "needed to be sure that if something went wrong he would have a CPR machine."
Jorrie also testified that Murray asked for payment of $150,000 a month even while the concert was on hiatus. The contract was never signed and Murray has not been paid.
Jackson died on June 25, 2009, of "acute propofol intoxication" combined with sedative ingestion, a day after Murray assured Jorrie the pop star was in good health.
Tour director and Jackson friend Kenny Ortega testified that the singer appeared frail and weak in the time leading up to his death.
"My friend wasn't right," Ortega testified. "There was something going on that was deeply troubling me."
Ortega wrote an email to concert promoter expressing his concern about Jackson's health and well-being.
There is no one taking responsibility, caring for him on a daily basis," Ortega wrote to Randy Phillips. "I was feeding him, wrapping him in blankets ... and calling his doctor."
