14 DAY TRIAL // Dr. Conrad Murray was released from prison after serving about 2 years of a 4-year sentence on manslaughter charges after the death of Michael Jackson, and he’s been doing interviews left and right, telling stories about his former patient and “friend.” The MJ Estate is urging him to stop talking.
So far, Murray has made a series of allegations about the state Michael was in before his 2009 death, some more troubling and shocking than others. He also claimed that the singer injected himself with the drug that killed him and insisted that they were such close friends they were practically brothers.
They were not friends, attorney Howard Weitzman reminds him in a cease and desist letter obtained by Radar Online. Before anything, they were doctor and patient and, as such, everything that was ever discussed or happened between them is confidential unless he’s legally bound to speak about it.
That means, of course, no more interviews on the topic or he’ll be sued.
“Your recent comments to the media about Mr. Jackson’s medical treatment and ultimate death shamefully violate the physician-patient privilege under California law,” the letter reads.
“Despite your self-serving statements to the contrary, your clearly were not Michael Jackson’s ‘friend.’ You were Mr. Jackson’s medical doctor charged with his care. In this regard, all communications that you had with Mr. Jackson were in the course of that physician-patient friendship, and are therefore presumed confidential and absolutely privileged,” it says.
Murray is a coward for going to the media with these stories, especially if you think that he pleaded the 5th on the stand. Which is to say, his trial on manslaughter charges was the moment when he should have spoken up to defend himself, not now.
“Your interviews about Mr. Jackson’s personal life, health, and recent stories about the medical treatment you supposedly provided him as a ‘friend,’ disclose precisely the type of information that the physician-patient privilege is designed to protect,” Weitzman continues.
According to the aforementioned media outlet, the Michael Jackson Estate will sue Murray if he does any more interviews. It is also urging medical boards around the country not to grant him a license if he applies for one, using his breach of the physician-patient privilege as argument.