Murray expert slapped with $1K fine

By Amanda Sloane, October 31, 2011

NEED TO KNOW

• The defense's expert testified about things Dr. Murray told him
• The judge told him to stop
• When Dr. White did it again, the judge fined him $1K

Defense expert Dr. Paul White is in trouble with Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor. Prosecutor David Walgren asked the anesthesiologist who he thought bought the propofol for Michael Jackson. White said it was Murray, but he "heard Jackson had his own."

The prosecutor objected and the judge ordered jurors out. HLN producers inside the courtroom say Walgren then complained that White was taking info he personally got from Murray and incorporating it into his own answers. In order to get anything like this into the trial, Murray would need to testify for himself.

Defense attorney Michael Flanagan tried to explain that it was hard for White to separate what he's learned about the case from all the various sources.

"Nice try," said the judge. "He's smart, he's savvy, and he's trying to add in other material. I don't like it."

Then White did it again. The prosecutor was asking him how he believed Murray gave MJ a bolus and infusion of propofol every night. White started to explain the set up when Walgren cut him short.

"Earlier you said you said you didn't know how that was done," Walgren said. "I asked you specifically how that would have been done and you said you didn't know."

"Sir, I was asked by the judge not to comment on anything I learned from speaking with Dr. Murray," White responded, referring to their off-camera discussion about Jackson's alleged propofol stash.

"Well then you just violated the court's instruction," Walgren said.

After jurors were dismissed for lunch, the judge announced that White had violated his order. He then fined him $1,000.

This isn't the first time White has been in trouble with the judge. Earlier in the trial, White made a few remarks to an E! Online reporter after his friend, Dr. Steven Shafer, testified for the prosecution. The judge wasn't too happy then, either. He scheduled a contempt hearing for White in November.

The judge said he'll address all the issues with White then.

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