It's all in the people's hands now.
The involuntary manslaughter trial of Dr. Conrad Murray went to jury Thursday, following passionate closing arguments from prosecutor David Walgren and defense attorney Ed Chernoff.
During closing arguments, Walgren accused Murray of performing an "obscene experiment" on Jackson for treating his insomnia with propofol. He also slammed defense witness Paul White, accusing him of foisting "junk science" on the court.
Chernoff, meanwhile, maintained that Jackson was responsible for his own death. During a rambling closing argument, he also suggested that Jackson's celebrity status was the only reason that the case went to court.
"If it were anybody else but Michael Jackson, would this doctor be here today?" Chernoff asked.
Read on for a thorough account of today's court proceedings.
UPDATE, 4:08 p,m. PT
Conrad Murray's defense attorney, Ed Chernoff, delivered the defense's closing argument during Murray's involuntary manslaughter trial Thursday, arguing that the singer had caused his own death, and suggesting that Murray was being vilified because people want someone to pay for the death of music icon Jackson.
Chernoff (pictured) began by admitting that Murray had made mistakes during his treatment of Jackson -- including administering propofol to the singer in his home -- but argued that none of the mistakes added up to criminal negligence that directly caused the singer's death.
"This case that you're deciding, it isn't a medical board hearing, it's not a civil lawsuit," Chernoff told jurors. "It isn't about money, it's about liberty, and in order for a crime to be proved, you have to show that Dr. Murray killed Michael Jackson."
Throughout his argument, Chernoff accused defense of inventing a propofol drip where none was found, contending that the only way Murray could be found responsible for Jackson's death is if Murray had delivered the propofol via a drip, instead of the 25 milligram injection he told police he gave him.
Throughout the trial, defense has maintained that Jackson self-administered the dose of drugs that killed him, and that theory ran through Chernoff's closing argument Thursday.
"They want you to convict Dr. Murray for the actions of Michael Jackson, they just won't tell you that," Chernoff told the jurors.
"Ws Dr. Murray supposed to watch Michael Jackson to save him from himself at all times?" Chernoff later asked.
Chernoff also attacked the integrity of Jackson's former security guard, Alberto Alvarez, who placed the 911 call and testified that Murray had instructed him to stash incriminating evidence in Jackson's bedroom, including an IV bag with a slit in it containing a bottle of propofol. Chernoff accused Alvarez of sexing up his story in order to command a higher interview fee.
"Do you honestly believe that Alberto Alvarez is not going to cash in?" Chernoff asked.
The defense attorney also questioned Alvarez's timeline, saying it would be "impossible" for him to accomplish all of the tasks he said he did in the approximately 40 seconds between entering Jackson's bedroom and making the 911 call.
