DEATH DOC; JACKO COPS OUIZ MEDIC.

Byline: CHARLES LAVERY

Superstar's Dr Feelgood questioned on his lethal morphine jag Last chance to save dying singer could have been bungled THE doctor quizzed over the death of Michael Jackson may have botched the only chance to save the dying superstar.

Police in LA are already investigating whether Conrad Murray administered a fatal drugs jab that caused Jackson's heart to fail. But experts last night claimed the emergency call from Jackson's home reveals potentially fatal blunders as he fought to save his celebrity patient. Police have been in contact with Murray, who could not be traced in the hours after Jackson died, and expect to interview him within days.

They will quiz him about the daily injections of morphine-like Demerol administered to the singer who was dependent on a cocktail of eight powerful drugs. But it has emerged they also want to discuss his doomed attempts to save the star.

Detectives were due to begin quizzing Dr Murray at midnight last night but his lawyer Matt Alford denies he is a suspect. He said that the police were piecing together a timeline of the events, not conducting a criminal probe.

The tape of the 911 call, made at 12.21pm on Thursday, reveals CPR - aimed at restarting Jackson's heart - may have been botched.

Pressure The star should have been laid on the floor but instead he was left on a bed, meaning first-aiders could not apply sufficient pressure on his chest.

Murray insisted paramedics should continue trying to revive the singer as they rushed him to UCLA Medical Centre - although ambulance crews believed he was already dead.

Police investigating the singer's death have already ordered cardiologist Murray to remain in Los Angeles while they continue their inquiries. It emerged last night that Murray quit his Hollywood practice to become Jackson's personal doctor just 17 days ago.

In a letter to patients he said he was leaving for a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity". He was hired by the company behind the tragic star's punishing 50-night comeback tour at London's O2.

Jackson had a fear of needles. The doctor - who has a tangled financial and personal history - was the only other person in the room when he collapsed. Deputy Chief Charlie Beck said: "We think that he will assist us in coming to the truth of this case."

Police are also said to want to talk to a second medical adviser, Tohme R Tohme, who met the singer in Bahrain and is reported to have accompanied him to hospital on Thursday.

The Los Angeles County coroner's office said there were no signs of foul play but determining the cause of death would require further tests that will take six to eight weeks. But Jackson's family were last night staging their own autopsy as they called for answers over Murray's role in the star's life.

They had battled to get the singer to curb his reliance on painkillers. In 2007 Jackson settled a court action by Beverly Hills pharmacist Micky Fine for more than pounds 50,000 in unpaid prescription charges. Two years earlier he settled another pounds 30,000 bill when another LA pharmacy went to court.

Dr Murray practises medicine in California, Nevada and Texas. His Nevada practice, Global Cardiovascular Associates, wasslapped with more than pounds 140,000 in court judgements and he faces at least two other pending cases. He has luxury homes in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

In a letter to his patients dated June 15, Dr Murray said: "Because of a oncein- a lifetime opportunity, I had to make a most difficult decision to cease practice of medicine indefinitely. "In my absence I will continue to manage the practice and be involved as much as possible but it will be from a distance. "Again I am deeply saddened to leave you at this point but please know my absence is not permanent."

Concert promoter Randy Phillips revealed that Jackson insisted his AEG Live company hire Dr Murray to accompany the star to London for the O2 shows. Rapport He said: "Michael said he had a rapport with him. He said, 'This whole business revolves around me. I'm a machine and we have to keep the machine well-oiled.'

You don't argue with the King of Pop." The promoter said Jackson underwent "five-plus hours" of medical tests in February and passed with flying colours. But the Jackson family have requested a second independent post-mortem examination.

The first examination was completed on Friday and the body released to the star's family. Lawyer Brian Oxman, a family friend, said: "When Anna Nicole Smith passed away, I said we cannot have this kind of thing with Michael. "The result was I warned everyone, and lo and behold, here we are. "I don't know what caused his death - but I feared this day."

MEDIC PAL SLAMS HANGERS-ON

A DOCTOR who knew Michael Jackson well said that his prescription drugs habit was encouraged by the hangers-on who surrounded the tragic star. Deepak Chopra, right, also claimed Jackson had told his son Gotham: "I don't want to go out like Marlon Brando.

I want to go out like Elvis." Deepak said: "Michael was surrounded by enablers, including a shameful plethora of doctors in LA and elsewhere who supplied him with prescription drugs.

"As many times as he would candidly confess that he had a problem, the conversation always ended with a deflection and denial."

The doctor added: "The instant I heard of his death, I had a sinking feeling that prescription drugs would play a key part." THE WORLD MOURNS: PAGES 4 & 5

STAR REHEARSED ON STAGE HOURS BEFORE HIS DEATH

MICHAEL JACKSON was rehearsing for his 50 gigs in London until the day before he died - despite taking a daily cocktail of powerful drugs.

He spent Wednesday night rehearsing at the Staples Center in LA and performed a full run-through of the shows scheduled to start this month. Fans fear the stress of the shows contributed to his fatal collapse. But show director Kenny Ortega said: "He was happy. We all felt that and shared that. We were four or five days from London and feeling in really good shape.

"Michael was dancing, training and working every day. He was enthusiastically involved in every creative aspect of this production." Ortega said the gigs might go on in tribute to the star, adding: "He's so beloved in the world, perhaps we can find a way."

Superstar was drug addicted

SUNDAY MAIL doc Gareth Smith yesterday voiced fears that Michael Jackson was a drug addict. He was taking three powerful painkillers - Demerol, Dilaudid, and Vicodin - on top of another six drugs.

Dr Smith said: "He was basically a drug addict on a potentially deadly cocktail. "If he came to my office or any doctor in the UK they would look at starting him on a methadone programme.

"Xanax, known in the UK as alprazolam, is a powerful benzodiazepine used to treat anxiety. It should not be taken for longer than three weeks due to the addiction potential. "Vicodin is highly addictive and not available here. It makes you feel detached and high if not taken for pain. An overdose can stop breathing.

"Highly-addictive Dilaudid - hydromorphone in the UK - can be 10 times stronger than morphine and five times stronger than heroin. "Demerol, known as pethidine here, must be injected into muscle and is only used for a limited time to treat acute pain.

"A&E units watch for junkies faking pain to get it as it gets you really stoned. "Soma, known as carisopradol, is a relaxant that boosts the effects of Demerol, Dilaudid and Vicodin.

"A clever doctor worked that out for him. If you take some on top of the other drugs you get a much bigger hit. "He had what sounds like a respiratory arrest."

CAPTION(S):

Investigation: Murray was Jacko's personal doctor Helping hands: Choreographer Kenny Ortega, left, puts Jacko and his dancers through their paces for the O2 spectacular Expert view: Doctor Smith Trusted: Murray, who owns this Las Vegas villa, gave star Demerol jabs