Jacksons vs AEG - Day 77 – August 29 2013 – Summary
No Jackson family members are in court today.
Cherilyn Lee Testimony
AEG direct
Lee apologized for being so emotional yesterday. (ABC7)
Lee brought the Physicians Desk Reference to MJ home to show him the side effects of Propofol. They include memory loss. She tried to convince MJ by saying what if he forgot his lyrics? MJ kept saying it was all that helped him sleep and he was told safe. MJ wanted to be knocked out quickly and other medications that Lee had took time to work. (ABC7)
On April 18th Nurse Lee stayed with MJ. He took the herbal medication to sleep at about 12:30a. He slept until about 4 or 4:30a. MJ stood up on the bed when he woke up. He just stared at Lee then went to the bathroom. When he came back he said he needed Diprivan. (ABC7) Lee testified after Jackson awoke after just four hours of sleep after one of her treatments on April 19, 2009, he became "very agitated." "He stood up on the bed and he looked at me and at 4:30 in the morning, it kind of scared me," Lee said. "It really startled me when he stared at me with his big brown eyes." "I told you I cannot sleep all night," Lee said Jackson told her. (CNN)
He was agitated about rehearsal and said he needed to sleep. He again assured Lee he had been told it was safe if he is monitored. MJ gave her a hug and escorted her Security who would take her home at that early hour. She never treated him again. (ABC7)
Lee testified she tried to convince him to stay away from the powerful anesthetic, also known as Diprivan, and the day she refused was the last day she worked for the late King of Pop. “I said, ‘I understand what you want… You want to be knocked out to go to sleep but what if you don’t wake up,’” Lee testified she told Jackson. “How did he respond to that?” AEG attorney Kathryn Cahan asked the witness. “He continued to tell me… ‘You don’t understand… I will be safe as long as I’m monitored,” she said. Lee testified Jackson asked her to stay to watch him sleep inside his bedroom in the his Carolwood mansion. She testified he startled her when he suddenly stood up on top of the bed at 4:30 in the morning.“(He) stared at me with those nice big round eyes… he said, ‘I told you I cannot sleep all night. All I need is something to sleep, I just need Diprivan to go to sleep,’” she testified Jackson pleaded. “When I said it is only used by anesthesiologists (he said), ‘Why don’t you bring one, you can bring an anesthesiologist and you can come too… so I could be monitored.’ He wanted me to know that he was going to be safe,” she continued. Lee testified she did not give propofol to Jackson (CBSLA) She testified he was frantic. He said, "This is not going to be a good rehearsal day." That was the last time Jackson invited Lee to his home for an insomnia treatment. (KABC)
On Father's Day 2009 (June 21) she got a call from MJ's security person. She heard MJ in the back ground saying one side of his body is cold. He said the other side of his body is warm. Lee told Security to take him to the hospital. He died 4 days later. (ABC7)
Jackson cross
Under cross examination, Lee said she first met MJ on January 28, 2009 when she went to the house to see the children who had colds. She told the jury how impressed she was the the close relationship she had with the children. She said you could feel the love in the house. MJ decided he would like her to treat him. She said MJ really wanted to be healthy. He followed her holistic plan and felt better. She said from the time she started treating him January 28 to her last visit at the house early April 19 she never saw any medical equipment. She never saw evidence of another Doctor treating MJ. She never saw Dr. Murray. (ABC7)
MJ went to London for a press conference about his tour and when he came back he changed. He wasnt' as jovial. She made a note in her medical records that March 24 was a very stressful day for MJ. She got to the house and there were many cars. MJ said he was stressed because of rehearsal and had to get a full night sleep. He wanted Diprivan (propofol). Said he took it before. He did not tell Lee who gave it to him. He asked her to find someone who would give to him at the house. She said no. She told MJ that any Doctor that would do that would only do it for money. On April 19th he said it would not be a good day - long rehearsal. And he hadn't had a good night's sleep. Lee gathered her things, MJ hugged her and she left. She never saw him again. (ABC7)
Jackson allegedly asked Lee, who had been treating him with vitamins since early February, to find an anesthesiologist who could put him to sleep him with the surgical anesthetic propofol. Lee refused, warning him it was unsafe. She testified that she told Jackson that any doctor who would give him propofol at home didn't care about him and was just doing it for the money. That April 19, 2009, session was Lee's last time with Jackson. (CNN)
After MJ died, she heard so many terrible things about MJ drug use so she came forward. (ABC7)
She was shown a picture of MJ days before he died where he looked very thin. She asked if they were sure it was him? Dr. Lee said if she were treating him she would be beyond concerned. (ABC7) When she was shown a photo of Jackson six days before his death -- two months after she had last treated him -- she appeared shocked at his deterioration.
"Oh, my goodness," Lee said. "That's horrible!"(CNN)
Dr. Lee wears a button that says she is so grateful that she attracts miracles. That is her mantra. MJ wrote it down as greatful. (ABC7)
Lee had glowing words for Jackson "I haven't really met anyone who was so caring and so giving," she said. "After his passing, a young lady walked up to me at an event and she just stared crying," Lee said. "She said, 'I wouldn't be here today if Michael hadn't come to the hospital and paid for my brain surgeries and he didn't want anyone to know. (CNN)
Lee attacked AEG lawyers' contention that Jackson was "doctor shopping" for drugs. "All he was doing was looking for the best doctor to help with his insomnia," Lee said. "It just breaks my heart for people to label someone as doctor shopping when they're only trying to find the best doctor to give them the best care." (CNN)
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Lee finished her testimony shortly after 12 noon. Testimony will continue next Tuesday September 3rd at 9:45a.