Trial, day three

THE TRIAL, DAY THREE: Testifying on Thursday were Alberto Alvarez, Michael Jackson’s bodyguard—or “head of logistics,” according to his job title—and Kai Chase, his personal chef, with the focus on the frantic moments before paramedics arrived at Jackson’s deathbed. Alvarez told Deputy D.A. David Walgren that Dr. Conrad Murray “reached over and grabbed a handful of vials, and reached out to me and said, 'Here put these in a bag.’” Murray cleared the vials from a nightstand while Jackson lay on a bed unresponsive, his arms outstretched, his palms up, his mouth and eyes wide open, Alvarez said. The doctor then pointed toward an IV stand and told Alvarez to grab a saline bag hanging from it that held a glass bottle of propofol. "When I took it off, he instructed me to put it in a blue bag," Alvarez said, stating that only after the scramble to scoop up evidence did Murray tell him to call 911. Defense attorney Ed Chernoff used phone records to argue that all the events related by Alvarez, including ushering Jackson's kids out of the room, would have taken place over just 30 seconds. "Do you think you could have performed all these events that are listed here in half a minute?" Chernoff asked. "That's what happened, sir," Alvarez responded. "I'm very efficient, sir." Chase later took the stand and described seeing Murray in a panic at the foot of the stairs between 12:05 and 12:10 p.m.—before Murray's first phone call seeking help from Jackson's personal assistant. (9/30a)