Jackson doctor may face arrest over child support

LAS VEGAS — The doctor at the center of an investigation into Michael Jackson’s death may face arrest and could lose his medical license after missing a hearing to explain late child support payments, the Las Vegas district attorney said Thursday.

Clark County District Attorney David Roger told The Associated Press that a district judge could approve an arrest warrant for Dr. Conrad Murray that’s recommended by a family court hearing master within 10 days.

“At that time, we’ll send our investigators out to locate and arrest Dr. Murray,” Roger said.

Roger says Murray, who owes $13,000 in unpaid child support to a California woman, can object to the warrant before a judge approves it.

Murray’s lawyer in the Jackson case, Edward Chernoff, is not representing Murray in the family court case, Chernoff spokeswoman Miranda Sevcik said Thursday.

“Ed’s dealing with one thing and one thing only, and that’s the investigation into Michael Jackson’s death,” Sevcik said.

Sevcik said she did not know whether the 56-year-old doctor had another attorney for the child support case.

Roger said he also plans to ask the state medical board to suspend Murray’s medical license because of the unpaid support. Roger said his office would soon file a motion in family court and send a letter to the board saying Murray is behind on his payments.

Murray would have 30 days after that to make good on past payments, or risk suspension of his professional license, Roger said.

Nevada laws allow prosecutors to go after professional licenses belonging to those behind on child support.

“We’re not singling out Dr. Murray, this is an option that we frequently use in order to make sure that people pay their obligations,” Roger said.

Court records show that Murray had serious financial problems when he signed on in May at $150,000 per month to keep Jackson healthy through a series of comeback shows planned in London. The cardiologist owed at least $780,000 for settlements against his business, outstanding mortgage payments on his house, delinquent student loans, child support and credit cards.

Prosecutors in Los Angeles are weighing charges against Murray in the pop singer’s death. Murray told police he administered a powerful anesthetic to the singer shortly before Jackson died June 25.