* YOU BEEN SNAP* Michael Jackson 'was a desperate man who killed himself over dwindling fortune'

By Miss FB Lyimo*

Desperate act? A defense lawyer for Michael Jackson's personal doctor claimed the singer resorted to 'desperate measures' because of his financial situation

Michael Jackson was so depressed over his dwindling finances in his final days that he took his own life, a court heard today.
Edward Chernoff, a defense lawyer for the king of pop's personal doctor, claimed Jackson resorted to 'desperate measures' because of his financial situation.
The bombshell statement came during a pretrial hearing in Los Angeles in the case of Dr. Conrad Murray, who has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death.
Mr Chernoff was asking to see the star's financial records to prove a key defense theory.
'The crux of the defence is going to be that Michael Jackson engaged in a desperate act and took desperate measures that caused his death,' he told Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor.
'We believe at the time Michael Jackson died he was a desperate man in relation to his financial affairs,' he added.
Deputy District Attorney David Walgren accused the defence of trying to distract from the main issue of the trial - whether Dr Murray acted with gross negligence when he gave Jackson the anesthetic propofol and other sedatives on the day he died.
'This is an irrelevant sideshow designed to take issues away from the jury and smear Michael Jackson,' said Mr Walgren. 'It has nothing to do with the case on which Dr. Murray is being prosecuted. '
Lawyer Howard Weitzman, representing the late singer's estate, also opposed the request for financial records.
'Is the theory that Michael Jackson committed suicide, took his own life?' he said incredulously. 'I don't think that's a salable theory.'
The judge refused to grant the request.
'I'm not going to turn an involuntary manslaughter trial into some kind of an escapade in analysis of the finances in Michael Jackson's entire life. Right now this is major deep sea fishing,' said Judge Pastor.
However, the judge did order Mr  Weitzman to confer with defence counsel on financial records that are already available in the public record.
The reference to Jackson's finances added a new twist to the defense case.
During an earlier preliminary hearing, Dr Murray's lawyers suggested that Jackson, who was desperate for sleep, gave himself an additional dose of propofol while Murray was going to the toilet. A coroner's report showed the singer died of an overdose of propofol and an assortment of other sedatives.
Defence lawyers never used the word suicide and implied his death was accidental but self-inflicted. They seemed poised to argue that Jackson was about to embark on an extremely strenuous concert tour because it was the only way to save himself financially.
They are likely to suggest that was why Jackson was so desperate for sleep as he was preparing for the tour. At a preliminary hearing for Murray. Jackson was quoted by a witness as saying if he didn't sleep he would have to cancel the tour.
Lawyers were ordered to return Thursday to continue screening prospective jurors through written questionnaires. Jury selection is scheduled to move into open court on May 4 and opening statements are expected on May 9.