Latoya Jackson: It was murder!

As the trial of Michael’s doctor Conrad Murray commences, his sister La Toya vents her fury.

Unable to save Michael Jackson from a tragic and ignominous death, his family is determined to save what is left of his tattered reputation by going on the attack at the trial of his doctor Conrad Murray in Los Angeles. Dr Murray, 58, is accused of involuntary manslaughter, with the prosecution claiming he fed the superstar a lethal cocktail of drugs.

The singer’s big sister La Toya is acting as Michael’s chief witness, leading the family’s increasingly bitter and heartfelt displays as they demand justice for Michael – who died on June 25, 2009, of an overdose of the powerful anaesthetic, propofol. As the month-long trial got underway last week, La Toya, 55, took to Twitter to make a series of claims about her brother’s death at his rented Los Angeles mansion, branding it a “cover-up’’ and “murder’’. “I feel like screaming. I feel appalled at the lies I’ve heard so far,’’ she tweeted after the case against the doctor was outlined. “Wish all parties involved were on trial, not just Murray.

“This is DEFINITELY A STRAIGHT MURDER TRIAL!!!! There are wives, girlfriends and employees who know exactly what happened to Michael. Please come forward and tell what really happened. Justice! Justice! Justice!” The evidence so far has been distressing for the Jackson family. It culminated in the jury being shown a picture of Michael’s corpse stretched out on a hospital trolley.

“Seeing his lifeless body laying there on the gurney is heart-wrenching,’’ La Toya tweeted. His family is also desperate to protect his children – Prince Michael, 14, Paris, 13, and Blanket, 9. They have been listed as potential witnesses and could be asked to testify about their dad’s state of mind leading to his death. Dr Murray, who denies the charges, faces up to four years in jail if convicted. He is expected to give evidence that Michael gave himself the massive dose of propofol which, mixed with a cocktail of drugs in his body, killed him.