Jackson’s doctor collected drug vials before calling 911, witness tells authorities

A security guard for Michael Jackson told Los Angeles police investigators that Dr. Conrad Murray collected vials of medication from the singer’s bedroom before the guard called authorities the day Jackson died, a source familiar with the case told The Times on Monday.

The guard’s statements mark the latest allegations involving the final moments of Jackson’s life and the actions of Murray, his personal physician, who has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the pop star’s death.

Documents obtained by the Associated Press on Monday stated that Alberto Alvarez, Jackson’s logistics director,allegedthat Murray had delayed calling 911 so he could collect the vials.

The source, however, presented a somewhat different account of Alvarez’s narrative.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak, said Murray collected the vials and an intravenous drip as he was performing CPR on Jackson.

Alvarez told authorities that Murray put the items in a bag and asked the security guard to hold on to them.

Moments later, Alvarez called 911, the source said.

Murray was charged in February with involuntary manslaughter in connection with Jackson’s death.

Murray’s attorney, Edward Chernoff, said his client never tried to hide medications or anything else.

He said Alvarez’s claim was inconsistent with other statements the bodyguard had provided to police.

“Mr. Alvarez made this statement but he also made others statements,” Chernoff said. “What he said is inconsistent with the physical evidence found at the scene. . . . We just need to get everybody under oath and have a trial.”

Jackson had high levels of the powerful anesthetic propofol in his system when he died.

The 51-page coroner’s report of Jackson’s death on June 25 suggests that to prove manslaughter, prosecutors, who worked closely with the office’s medical investigators and experts in building a criminal case, will focus on Murray’s use of propofol as a sleep aid.

The coroner’s office had previously said Jackson died from “acute propofol intoxication” in combination with the use of sedatives.

The documents obtained by Associated Press described the level of anesthetic as enough to render a patient unconscious for “major surgery.”

Murray told investigators that Jackson, 50, was a chronic insomniac who had depended for years on propofol -- a white liquid that the singer called “milk” -- to sleep, according to police affidavits filed in court.

But an anesthesiologist consulted by the coroner’s office wrote in the report that she knew of “no reports of its use for insomnia relief.”

Murray pleaded not guilty and has denied any wrongdoing.

andrew.blankstein @latimes.com