Dr. Conrad Murray (C) wipes a tear during the opening arguments in his trial in the death of pop star Michael Jackson in Los Angeles September 27, 2011.(Agencies) |
Click for images of Michael Jackson lying dead and the demonstrators
Images of Michael Jackson lying dead in a hospital and rehearsing the day before his death, along with recollections of the singer as a troubled "lost boy," made for a heart-wrenching opening on Tuesday to the manslaughter trial of the doctor hired to care for him. In opening arguments two years after Jackson's death by drug overdose of propofol and sedatives, prosecutor David Walgren told jurors the "Thriller" singer "literally put his life in the hands of Dr. Conrad Murray." "That misplaced trust in the hands of Conrad Murray cost Michael Jackson his life," Walgren said. But Murray's lawyers argued Jackson "caused his own death" by giving himself extra medication in a bid to sleep. "He died so rapidly, so instantly, he didn't even have time to close his eyes," defense attorney Ed Chernoff said in opening arguments. Murray denies he is guilty of the involuntary manslaughter of Jackson on June 25, 2009, but admits giving the 50-year-old pop star a dose of the powerful anesthetic propofol as a sleep aid. He faces a prison sentence of up to four years if convicted. The trial is expected to last four to six weeks. The Texas cardiologist, who was paid $150,000 a month to care for Jackson, wiped away tears during Tuesday's opening statements as Chernoff defended him. Jackson's lifeless body was found at his rented Los Angeles mansion just three weeks before a series of 50 planned London comeback concerts titled "This Is It" were scheduled to begin. Kenny Ortega, the co-director of the concerts, testified that Jackson was excited about the shows because he wanted his young children to see him perform. Walgren opened the prosecution case by showing jurors a photo of a thin Jackson lying dead on a hospital gurney. He later played video of Jackson's last performance -- an emotional rehearsal of "Earth Song" filmed on June 24, 2009. Footage of the rehearsals was made into Jackson's posthumous concert movie "This Is It" in 2009 and it became a global box office hit. Jackson's parents, Joe and Katherine, his sisters, Janet and La Toya, and other family members were in court on Tuesday, while outside the courtroom dozens of fans held sunflowers, pictures of the dead pop star, and placards saying "Justice for Michael." (Read by Nelly Min. Nelly Min is a journalist at the China Daily Website.) (Agencies)
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杰克逊私人医生被控过失杀人罪一案本周二再度开庭。在庭审前,法庭公布了杰克逊在医院的遗照,以及去世前一天的彩排影像,勾起了人们对生前麻烦不断的“迷失的小孩”杰克逊的回忆,令人揪心不已。 两年前,杰克逊因服用过量异丙酚及镇定剂去世。检察官大卫•瓦尔格伦在开庭陈述中告诉陪审团,杰克逊“把自己的性命交给了康拉德·莫里医生”。杰克逊曾演唱经典歌曲《颤栗》。 瓦尔格伦说:“杰克逊错误地信任了康拉德•莫里,丢掉了性命。” 但莫里的律师称,杰克逊为了入睡服用了过量药物,他本人应该为自己的死负责。莫里的辩护律师埃德·切诺夫在开庭陈述中说:“他走得太快,那么匆忙,都来不及闭上眼睛。” 莫里否认自己犯下了过失杀人罪,但承认为了帮助睡眠,曾给过50岁的杰克逊一剂强效麻醉剂异丙酚。如果罪名成立,他将面临最多4年监禁。这场审判预计将持续4到6周。杰克逊于2009年6月25日去世。 莫里是德克萨斯的一名心脏病专家,他受雇为杰克逊的私人医生,月薪15万美元。周二的开庭陈述中,辩护律师切诺夫为他辩护时,莫里当场洒泪。 杰克逊原定在伦敦举办名为《就是这样》的50场复出演唱会,但在演唱会举办三周前,人们在其位于洛杉矶的租住公寓内发现了他的遗体。 演唱会的导演之一肯尼•奥特加作证时说,杰克逊对即将到来的演出非常兴奋,因为他想让自己年幼的孩子们看他表演。 瓦尔格伦开庭时向陪审团出示了瘦弱的杰克逊躺在医院轮床上的照片,随后还播放了杰克逊最后的表演录像——2009年6月24日动人的《地球之歌》彩排。 彩排录像在2009年制作成音乐会纪录片《就是这样》,并在全球热映。 杰克逊的父亲乔、母亲凯瑟琳、姐姐拉托娅、妹妹珍妮以及其他家庭成员出席了周二的庭审,法庭外,数十名粉丝手捧向日葵和逝去天王的遗像,还拉着横幅,上面写着“为迈克尔讨回公道”。 相关阅读 (中国日报网英语点津 Julie 编辑:冯明惠) |
Vocabulary: manslaughter: 过失杀人罪 propofol: 异丙酚,一种麻醉药 sedative: 镇静剂 in the hands of: held and controlled by someone(交托给,由……处理) gurney: (医院里推送病人用的)轮床 posthumous: occurring or continuing after one's death(死后的,身后的) placard: a sign or notice for display in a public place(布告,张贴) |