The involuntary manslaughter trial of Dr. Conrad Murray will be delayed through Monday and possibly longer, because of a death in the family of one of the prosecution's key witnesses.
CNN.com reports that proceedings, which had been put on hold until Monday so anesthesiology expert Dr. Steven Shafer could attend a medical conference, will now be delayed indefinitely as Shafer deals with the death of his father.
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"Resumption of the trial will be announced when further information is available," CNN quoted an email from a court representative as saying.
Shafer's testimony is key to the prosecution's attempt to prove that it was negligent of Murray to use propofol to treat Michael Jackson's insomnia.
The Los Angeles County coroner ruled Jackson died of "acute propofol intoxication," and that sedatives were also a factor. Prosecutors contend Murray is criminally liable for Jackson's June 25, 2009 death because he recklessly administered the propofol, a potent surgical anesthetic drug, and did not properly monitor Jackson.
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Shafer, who began testifying last Thursday, is expected to give a detailed explanation of how propofol works, including how it is metabolized.
His testimony is expected to take at least a day, and is scheduled to be followed by the defense team's presentation. The defense's witnesses will include several medical experts and a police officer not called by the prosecution, as well as several Murray patients who are expected to testify about receiving good medical care from the doctor.
The defense team contends Jackson self-injected a fatal dose of propofol through a catheter in his leg and swallowed eight lorazepam pills (lorazepam is a sedative) on the day he died.
CNN.com reports the trial could go to the jury as early as next week. Murray faces up to four years in prison and loss of his medical license if convicted.
