January 6th, 2011
MARTIN BLOUNT-- L.A. FIREFIGHTER/PARAMEDIC
Mr. Blount has been a firefighter for 20 years and a paramedic for 11 years.
DIRECT EXAMINATION: MR. WALGREN
Blount and the rest of his team were escorted through the gate at Carolwood. They subsequently drove around the pond to the front doors of the residence. Blount and his team went through the front doors of the residence--they were then directed to go upstairs. Blount was towards the back of the team when entering the bedroom. He and his team entered into a foyer area and then into the bedroom. The following is Blount's recollection of what he saw once entering the bedroom:
Blount: I OBSERVED A MALE LYING ON THE BED VERY PALE, VERY THIN AND AT THAT TIME, THE NEXT TIME I SAW HIM WAS WHEN THE GUYS IN FRONT OF ME GOT HIM OFF THE BED AND PUT HIM ON THE FLOOR.
Walgren: OKAY. WELL, WHEN YOU SAW THE PATIENT, WAS HE ON THE FLOOR?
Blount: NO, SIR. HE WAS IN THE BED.
Blount remarks that besides his team being in the room he also saw Conrad Murray.
Blount: HE WAS SWEATING PROFUSELY AND HE WAS VERY ANIMATED. HE WAS LIKE, "HEY, YOU NEED TO HELP HIM. HE'S NOT BREATHING."
Walgren: AND YOU NOTICED THAT HE WAS SWEATING PROFUSELY AT THAT TIME?
Blount: YES, SIR.
Walgren: WHEN YOU WERE INTERVIEWED BY THE POLICE, DID YOU TELL THEM THAT YOU'D OBSERVED THE PATIENT ACTUALLY BEING ON THE FLOOR AT THE TIME YOU ENTERED THE ROOM?
Blount: YES, I PROBABLY DID BECAUSE ONCE I ENTERED THE ROOM, THE GUYS ALREADY PUT HIM ON THE BED -- PUT HIM ON THE FLOOR. I'M SORRY.
Walgren: THAT IS MY QUESTION.
Blount: YES.
Blount agrees that once he entered the room Michael was on the floor. Previously he stated that the "guys in front of him got him off the bed and put him on the floor." This contradicts that earlier testimony that Michael's security had moved Michael to the floor before paramedics had arrived.
Blount recalls that the IV stand was "over on my left-hand side of the room, on my left-hand side when I walked in".
Michael was moved to the foot of the bed onto the floor.
Blount states that he is the driver and also considered a "patient person" meaning he is hands-on with the patient once he gets to the scene. He also states that he is typically one of the last ones to get to the scene because he has to open the back of the gurney, grab the gurney, grab his monitor and trauma box which contains things like needles and drugs. The monitor is called a "Life Pack 12" and is a defibrillator.
Blount then states that his position requires him to be at the head of the patient--which he assumed once in the room.
Walgren: DO YOU HEAR THE DEFENDANT, DOCTOR MURRAY, BEING ASKED IF ANY DRUGS HAD BEEN GIVEN?
Blount: YES. WE ASKED HIM, HAS THE PATIENT, IS HE ON ANY MEDICATIONS, HE TOOK ANY RECREATIONAL DRUGS AND THE ANSWER WAS NO.
Walgren: WHAT YOU HEARD WAS NO?
Blount: YES.
Walgren: AND WAS THERE ANY MENTION BY THE DEFENDANT REGARDING A SALINE I.V. BAG OR TREATMENT WITH AN I.V. BAG?
Blount: NO. IT WAS NOT MENTIONED UNTIL WE ASKED.
Walgren: OKAY. AND WHAT WERE YOU TOLD?
Blount: HE SAID THAT THE REASON WHY THE PATIENT HAD THE I.V. BAG ATTACHED TO HIS LEG WAS BECAUSE HE REHEARSALED THE NIGHT BEFORE. HE WAS EXHAUSTED.
Blount also states that Murray said that Michael was also dehydrated.
Walgren then asks Blount if he heard Murray say how long rehearsals had been the previous day. Blount says he cannot recall. Walgren then asks if he recalls telling police he had heard "16 hours" from Murray. The defense objects based on recollection and leading and the objection is sustained. Blount also cannot recall if someone asked about the health of the patient.
Walgren: WERE YOU EVER TOLD ANYTHING BY DOCTOR MURRAY REGARDING THE PATIENT HAVING RECEIVED A PHYSICAL?
Blount: YES, I REMEMBER.
Walgren: WHAT DID HE TELL YOU IN THAT REGARD?
Blount: THAT THE PATIENT HAS GONE TO HIS PRIVATE PHYSICIAN PROBABLY LIKE A WEEK PRIOR TO THIS EPISODE.
(Side note--who was this physician and why did Michael see him?)
Walgren: NOW WERE YOU PRESENT WHEN DOCTOR MURRAY WAS ASKED HOW LONG THE PATIENT HAD BEEN DOWN?
Blount: YES, SIR, I WAS PRESENT.
Walgren: AND WHAT DID YOU HEAR DOCTOR MURRAY SAY IN RESPONSE?
Blount: HE SAID, DOWN FOR ABOUT A MINUTE PRIOR TO CALLING 911.
Walgren: OTHER THAN THE I.V. STAND, DO YOU RECALL SEEING ANY MEDICAL EQUIPMENT UPON YOUR ENTRY INTO THE ROOM?
Blount: YES. I SAW AN O2 (oxygen) CYLINDER ON THE STAND.
Walgren: ANY TYPE OF HEART MONITORS? ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE?
Blount: NO, SIR. THAT IS THE ONLY THING I SAW.
Blount saw no pulse oximeter or EKG monitoring device. He recalls a nasal cannula being attached to Michael's face, to his nose. He states that when a patient has on a full mask they get more oxygen, however with a smaller device like a nasal cannula the patient may get "maybe like 2 milliliters of air going inside".
Walgren: DID YOU NOTICE ANYTHING, ANY OTHER, ANY TYPE OF MECHANICAL VENTILATORS, ENDOTRACHEAL TUBING, ANYTHING ON THE FINGERS, ANYTHING AT ALL AS FAR AS MEDICAL EQUIPMENT THAT YOU OBSERVED?
Blount: NO, SIR.
Blount's primary duty is to try and establish an airway in the patient. Blount was able to place an endotracheal tube down Michael's trachea. He said it took him about 20-30 seconds to intubate Michael. Once the endotracheal tube is placed air was then delivered to Michael via a physical hand pump. Blount says other team members are doing compressions, looking for IV access, etc.
Blount then remarks that he and his team see the IV in the leg and notice it is "not patent, it was not flowing properly". Paramedic Mark Goodwin begins looking for an IV site in Michael's arms. Blount states Goodwin was having a hard time finding an IV site which resulted in multiple punctures. Walgren then asks Blount if he was able to feel the temperature of Michael's skin. Blount did and remarks he was "cool" and states that to him this means "it seemed like he's been down for awhile". Blount remarks that the entire time his team was there Michael had no viable heart rhythm, that Michael was "asystole the whole time".
Blount is then asked if while he was intubating the patient if rounds of drugs were being given him at that time. He states they were not at that time. He states he first began providing air to Michael once he got the endotracheal tube secured while his team was looking for an IV port. Once they found the one in the leg and saw it was not patent he began to debate on administering drugs down the endotracheal tube which is an approved method of administration in emergency situations. However, paramedic Senneff was able to get a good stick in the jugular which was then used for drug administration. Senneff remarked in his testimony that he did give two rounds of atropine and epinephrine to Michael through the IV in the leg.
Blount remarks that the patient's eyes were fixed and dilated. He said to him this means the patient "had been down for quite awhile".
Blount then states that in his opinion Michael was dead despite his treatment efforts.
Walgren: NOW AT SOME POINT PRIOR TO PARAMEDIC SENNEFF FINDING AN I.V. SITE IN THE JUGULAR, DID DOCTOR MURRAY HOLD UP A NEEDLE OR SOMETHING THAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION?
Blount: YES, SIR.
Walgren: CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT WAS SAID AND WHAT DOCTOR MURRAY DID AT THAT POINT?
Blount: IT WAS, I THINK IT WAS A HYPODERMIC NEEDLE HE CAME OUT WITH, AND IT WAS LIKE A BLUE COLOR. AND HE SAID, "YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE THIS HERE." AND I THINK WE ALL SAID, NO, THAT IS OKAY.
Walgren: OKAY. AND WAS THERE SOMETHING ABOUT THAT THAT STRUCK YOU AS ODD?
Blount: YEAH. I THOUGHT IT WAS ODD BECAUSE, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, WE ASKED HIM HAS HE BEEN USING ANY DRUGS OR HAVE YOU GIVEN ANY DRUGS. AND HE SAID NO. OKAY. AND SO THE FACT THAT HE THEN PULLED OUT A HYPODERMIC NEEDLE WAS ODD TO YOU?
Blount: IT WAS KIND OF ODD, YES, SIR.
Blount says that the blue color means that it was a small-gauge needle--22 gauge (the larger the number the smaller the gauge).
Blount recalls seeing 3 small bottles of lidocaine on the floor. He states that lidocaine is an anti-arrhythmic drug that is no longer used by paramedics. Walgren asks if it also an anesthetic--Blount says yes. Blount remarks that seeing the lidocaine struck him as odd because they had asked Murray if he had given any drugs and his reply was no. Though Blount observed the bottles of lidocaine he did not stop treatment.
Blount affirms he was aware UCLA had assigned authority and care over to Murray. Blount states that during treatment, before and after Murray assumed care, that he never felt a pulse on the patient and never saw a viable heart rhythm on the monitor.
Walgren: DO YOU RECALL AT ONE POINT THE DOCTOR, DOCTOR MURRAY INDICATING HE FELT A FEMORAL PULSE?
Blount: YES, SIR.
Walgren: OKAY. AND WHEN HE FELT THAT, WHEN HE TOLD YOU THAT HE FELT A PULSE, WERE YOU OBSERVING THE DEFENDANT DOCTOR MURRAY?
Blount: YES, SIR.
Blount recalls seeing a condom catheter on Michael. Blount agrees with Walgren that these are commonly used in surgical proceedings when a patient is unconscious. I personally have only heard of indwelling (internal) urinary catheters used during surgery.
Blount recalls that while preparing for transport to UCLA he saw Murray scoop the three lidocaine bottles off the floor and place them into a black bag. He never saw those bottles again.
Blount recalls that while on the way to UCLA Murray took out his cell phone and made a telephone call. The call was to Nicole Alvarez, the mistress which Murray was staying with in LA.
Once they arrived at UCLA Blount saw at least 9-10 doctors working on Michael--including Murray.
CROSS-EXAMINATION: MR. LOW:
Blount is asked if it is common for paramedics to attempt to get some type of medical history--he says yes and agrees it is to try and help decide what should be done to try and help the patient.
Low: OKAY. SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU RECALL DOCTOR MURRAY BEING ASKED WAS ABOUT HOW LONG HAD THE PATIENT BEEN DOWN LIKE THIS?
Blount: YES, SIR.
Low: AND YOU RECALL THE ANSWER BEING ABOUT ONE MINUTE BEFORE 911 WAS CALLED?
Blount: YES, SIR.
Low: OKAY. AND WHEN YOU FIRST SAW THE PATIENT, HE WAS ALREADY ON THE GROUND?
Blount: NO. WHEN I FIRST SAW THE PATIENT, WHEN I LOOKED -- LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I WAS LIKE THE FIFTH PERSON IN LINE. AND WHEN I SAW, LOOKED OVER BEFORE THE GUYS PUT HIM ON THE FLOOR, I SAW THE PATIENT IN BED.
Low asks how long Blount thought Michael had been dead and he says his reply was "for awhile". He further clarifies that by "for awhile" he means about 20-30 minutes.
Blount recalls that he spoke with LAPD about Michael's death. He states it was some time in the end of June. He also states that his statement was recorded and notes were taken.
Low: NOW AT SOME POINT, WERE YOU ABLE TO SEE PARAMEDIC SENNEFF FOLLOW PROCEDURE AND GET ON THE PHONE AND CALL THE HOSPITAL?
Blount: YES, SIR.
Low: OKAY. AND AT SOME POINT DURING THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE HOSPITAL, THE DAY AT -- UCLA HOSPITAL SAID THAT HE SHOULD CALL IT?
Blount: YES, SIR.
Low: BUT IN RESPONSE TO THAT, IS IT TRUE THAT DOCTOR MURRAY SAID, "NO, NO, I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT?"
Blount: YES, SIR.
Low: IN FACT, HE WAS EMPHATIC. HE SAID, "NOT ONLY DO I NOT WANT TO STOP, I WANT TO TAKE OVER?"
Blount: YES, SIR.
(I find it intriguing Murray wanted to take over aid when paramedics arrived yet before their arrival he half-assed not only botched CPR but seriously delayed all efforts from even occurring by refusing to call or have someone call 911. What a sudden change in his demeanor.)
Low asks Blount if he personally asked Murray if the patient had taken any recreational drugs. Walgren objects on behalf of misstating the testimony. The court overrules the objection and Blount replies that he did not ask Murray, one of his team members asked Murray. Low restates the question and Blount repeats that Murray said Michael did not take any recreational drugs.
Low begins to question Blount about Goodwin's efforts to start an IV.
Low: DID HE HAVE TO ATTEMPT MORE THAN ONE TIME TO TRY AND FIND A VIABLE VEIN OR ARTERY OR SOMETHING IN ORDER TO PUT THAT LINE IN?
Blount: YES, SIR.
Low: TELL US WHAT YOU SAW, SIR, ABOUT THE NUMBER OF ATTEMPTS AND THE STRUGGLE -- I'M SORRY -- THE NUMBER OF ATTEMPTS THAT THIS PERSON WENT THROUGH TO TRY TO FIND THAT VIABLE LINE?
Blount: AT LEAST THREE TIMES, SIR.
Low: AND WHAT PART OF THE BODY DID YOU SEE THAT ATTEMPT BEING MADE ON?
Blount: HIS LEFT ARM, SIR, AND ALSO HIS RIGHT ARM.
Low: OKAY. THAT WAS ABOUT THREE OR FOUR?
Blount: YES, SIR.
Low: AND SIR, DO YOU HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHY IT MAY HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT FOR THAT PERSON TO INSERT THAT LINE INTO THE PATIENT?
Blount: BECAUSE HIS VEIN HAD, HAD NO VEIN ACCESS. I MEAN, IT DIDN'T MATTER HOW WE TRIED, WE COULD NOT GET ANY VEIN ACCESS.
Low: PART OF THAT OR IS THAT BECAUSE, LIKE I, YOU SAID EARLIER, THE PATIENT AND HIS APPEARANCE WAS AS SKINNY AS HE WAS?
Blount: YES, SIR.
Low: AS UNDERWEIGHT AS HE WAS?
Blount: YES, SIR.
Low: SIR, IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, YOU HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR AWHILE. YOU ARE WELL-TRAINED FOR NINE YEARS, TEN YEARS AT THIS POINT; IS THAT RIGHT?
Blount: YES, SIR.
Low: AND YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THOSE TEN YEARS, IS IT TRUE THAT IT'S BEEN YOUR -- WELL, THAT WHEN YOU FIND PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDER STRESS WHO IT TURNS OUT THEY ARE DRUG ADDICTS BUT SOMETIMES IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND A VEIN WITH WHICH TO PUT YOUR LINE INTO?
Blount: NOT REALLY.
Low: NO. IT'S EASY?
Blount: IT'S -- SITUATION WITH ME, I HAVE BEEN IN THIS SITUATIONS WHERE I'VE GONE ON DRUG ADDICTS AND EVEN KIDS AND I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO FIND A VEIN. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A POINT WHERE I HAD ONE GUY WHO HAS BEEN A HEROIN USER FOR YEARS AND DOWN WITH TATTOOS, HAD THEM ALL UP AND DOWN HIS ARM. AND I WAS ABLE TO FIND A VEIN. SO.
Low: SURE. THERE ARE SOMETIMES IT IS EASY.
Low: BUT IS IT ALSO DIFFICULT SOMETIMES?
Blount: YES, SIR.
Low: AND IS IT A FAIR GENERALIZATION TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE KNOWN DRUG ADDICTS THAT THEY CAN BE DIFFICULT TO FIND A VIABLE VEIN AND TRY TO PUT A NEEDLE IN IT?
Blount: YES, SIR.
Low then asks Blount why, if the patient appeared deceased, did he and his team try to revive Michael. Blount replies his team goes through a protocol which includes monitoring and the administration of medications. During that time of attempted resuscitation Senneff called UCLA to alert them of the situation, that the team wanted to call a time of death. Low again asks why Blount's team would even start to attempt to revive Michael--Blount replies that that is simply what he and his team do, they try their best to save a life. Blount goes on to state many times they have successfully resuscitated people who were not breathing and did not have proper cardiac function but knew that would not be possible in this situation.
REDIRECT EXAMINATION: MR. WALGREN:
Walgren: SIR, IF SOMEONE'S HAS NO VIABLE HEART RHYTHM, THE HEART IS NOT WORKING, THEN BLOOD WOULD NOT BE CIRCULATING PROPERLY THROUGH THE BODY; IS THAT RIGHT?
Blount: THAT IS TRUE.
Walgren: AND IF BLOOD IS NOT PROPERLY CIRCULATING THROUGH THE BODY, ONE RESULT OF THAT CAN BE THAT THE VEINS COLLAPSE MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO FIND AN I.V. SITE; ISN'T THAT TRUE?
Blount: YES, SIR.
Walgren: NOW AT THE TIME THAT PARAMEDIC GOODWIN WAS TRYING TO FIND AN I.V. SITE, WERE YOU CONTINUING WITH YOUR CARE OF THE PATIENT?
Blount: YES, SIR.
Walgren: OKAY. IS IT FAIR TO SAY YOU WERE NOT PRECISELY COUNTING HOW MANY SITES GOODWIN ATTEMPTED?
Blount: YES, SIR.
Walgren: OKAY. COULD IT HAVE BEEN MORE THAN THREE OR FOUR SITES?
Blount: FOR SURE, YES, SIR.
Walgren: OKAY. IN BOTH ARMS?
Blount: YES, SIR.
Walgren finishes and Low turns down his opportunity to recross-examine Blount.
The transcripts used to create these summaries were lawfully obtained from www.teammichaeljackson.com.
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