Tito Jackson blames doctor for death

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-07-21 09:29

Tito Jackson claims Dr. Conrad Murray's "panicking" helped cause his brother's death.

Tito - who was left devastated when brother Michael of a suspected cardiac arrest last month - accused the pop legend's physician of wasting vital minutes by not getting help quickly enough after he collapsed and stopped breathing.

He said: "My opinion is that he panicked when my brother didn't wake up.

"I think the doctor probably figured he was in trouble and he tried to revive Michael. He did have a pulse but he couldn't bring him back.

I don't know what the time lapse was between the doctor finding him and when he called paramedics.

"But I believe if he had immediately called for help we might still have my brother here today, he would definitely still be alive."

Tito also accused Murray of failing to carry out CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) correctly. In the aftermath of Michael's passing it was revealed the physician CPR on the dying star while he lay on a soft bed instead of the accepted practice of a hard surface.

Tito, 55, added in an interview on Spanish TV: "The CPR attempt is one of the things I noticed that was very strange.

"CPR is one of the first things you learn to do as a doctor, and you don't do it on a soft bed."

When asked whether he thought Michael had been murdered, Tito replied: "Anything is possible.

"It's a very strong word, the police are investigating what happened. Until there is some kind of revelation, I don't want to comment. Everything is on the table."

Meanwhile, Michael's mother has asked for a judge's ruling on whether she can challenge the authority of the two men named in his will as the executors of his estate.

Although the filing does not challenge the appointment of lawyer John Branca and music executive John McClain, a favourable ruling for Katherine Jackson could help her gain control of her son's estate, which is valued at more than $500 million.