Judge blocks testimony about Michael Jackson's multimillion dollar concert contract

(CBS/AP) LOS ANGELES - The judge hearing the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's personal physician says defense lawyers won't be able to ask about the singer's multimillion dollar contract for his final concert series.

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Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor says allowing testimony about the contract might confuse jurors who will consider whether Dr. Conrad Murray's actions caused Jackson's June 2009 death.

Defense Attorney Ed Chernoff told Pastor that introducing the contract was necessary to show that Jackson was desperate. Chernoff said Tuesday that Jackson would have been indebted to promoter AEG Live for nearly $40 million if the shows were canceled.

Chernoff contends this led Jackson to give himself a dose of the anesthetic propofol in a desperate attempt to sleep. Meanwhile, prosecutors contend Murray, who has pleaded not guilty, gave the fatal dose.

Jurors will hear Tuesday from Cherilyn Lee, a nurse practitioner who has said Jackson repeatedly asked her for propofol to help him sleep, but she refused. Lee has said she repeatedly warned Jackson that using the drug as a sleep aid could kill him.

Lee, a nurse practioner, is the sixth witness that Murray's defense attorneys have called to try to counter four weeks of damaging testimony by prosecution witnesses.

Murray's attorneys also plan to call Jackson's makeup artist to testify Tuesday.

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