Jackson Doctor Could Yet Testify at Death Trial

Michael Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray said Monday he has not yet decided whether to testify in his own defense, as his six-week manslaughter trial reaches its final act.

"I will still need more time. I have not made my decision. It depends on the progress of the trial," Murray said, in rare public comments on the trial that started on September 27.

The remarks were made after the jury left court following another day of testimony from star defense witness Dr. Paul White, who was vigorously grilled by prosecutor David Walgren.

Judge Michael Pastor told the 58-year-old medic last week that he was going to formally ask him whether he wanted to testify sometime before the defense rests its case in the trial over Jackson's 2009 death.

At that time the judge underlined that Murray was free to decide for himself, independent of his lawyers' advice if he wanted, while also stressing that he could decide to say nothing.

Murray did not say anything in court last week, although he has been quoted in one media report as saying: "I would like to pray for the prosecutor, his associates, and his expert witness. I pray for them. That's all I can say."

Most observers have assumed that Murray -- whose account of Jackson's death was given in a two-hour interview with police, a recording of which was played earlier in the trial -- will not testify, as it could only harm his case.

But others argue that, given how many holes prosecutors have picked in his defense case, the doctor -- who has sat in grim silence for the last five weeks -- could decide to appeal directly to the jury.

In other comments at the end of Monday's hearings, Murray's lawyers announced one more expert witness for Tuesday, while prosecutors said they plan to recall Dr. Steven Shafer, their own protocol expert, to rebut testimony by White.