transcripts of interviews with media and CL:
Cherilyn Lee interviewed by Campbell Brown aired on CNN on June 30, 2009
(Source:
http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/3...lee-interview/)
CAMPBELL BROWN: we have some breaking news to share with you now on Michael
Jackson’s medical condition on the days before he died. A nurse practitioner whose specialty
includes nutritional counseling says that Jackson suffered from insomnia and he had begged
her to inject him with a powerful sedative. That nurse is Cherilyn Lee and joining us right
now by telephone. Welcome to you.
CHERILYN LEE: oh, thank you very much, thank you.
CB: appreciate you talking to us about this. I want you to start by telling us about this phone
call that you got. This was two Sundays ago, June 21st, from a member of Michael Jackson’s
staff. What happened?
CL: well, I received a call, I was in Florida. And unfortunately, I was actually in the hospital
myself in the E.R. in Florida. And I received the call and I could hear Mr. Jackson in the
background saying please have her come see me now. Can she come now? And the person in
on the other end, which I know the person, but I’d prefer not to give out their names because
they know me quite well - said that Mr. Jackson really, really needs you. He is experiencing -
they told me the symptoms and I said that is very serious, you need to go to the hospital.
Unfortunately I’m not in town so I cannot come and see you. But you need to go to the
hospital. I’m very - I was really afraid because of the symptoms he was telling me.
CB: what were those symptoms?
CL: the symptoms were one side of his body felt cold and one side of his body felt hot.
CB: and what did that mean to you?
CL: well, that meant - it could have meant a couple of things. It could have meant something
going on in the nervous system, or something cardiovascular, but more than nervous system
because of the brain itself. and I had already gone through - I think this is why he was
reaching out for me Sunday because I had already about three months ago went through all of
the symptoms this medication that he wanted that his doctor told him and I don't know who
his doctor is. His doctor told him that this was safe.
CB: and you were talking - I’m sorry, go ahead.
CL: I’m sorry.
CB: no, you're talking about just correct me if I’m wrong, you're talking about that drug
called diprivan, is that correct?
CL: yes
CB: and was he asking you for the drug?
CL: He was asking me for the drug. And he was asking me about it three months ago and I
said I don't know what that is so I excused myself from where he was, and I made a call to a
friend who was a physician and I said what is? At first I thought he was mispronouncing it.
9
Are you speaking of something else? He said no. and when I spoke with the physician he said
that is a very - you do not - he asked me, he said who is asking about this drug? This is a
medication you only really give in ICU.
CB: and it's a sedative, a painkiller?
CL: it is a - you know, still I don't want to go into a whole lot of detail with it. It’s in the
PDR, I sat down with Michael and I said - I actually left him that day because he didn't
understand. He kept thinking this was safe. I went all the way back to my office, went back to
him and said, look. This medication is not safe. I don't know who is telling you this is safe. It
isn't. He said I just want to get some sleep. You don't understand. I want the IV when it drips
in my hand; I want to be able to be knocked out and go to sleep. And this was the very first
time, even though we had discussed this before that I told him, you know, it is so painful
because I actually felt it in my whole spirit. I said if you take that, you know, you want to be
knocked out, and I’m so sorry but if you take this you might not wake up.
CB: do you know if he took your advice? Did he go to the hospital? Was there any way to
follow-up?
CL: what happened was, I was actually at the hospital myself. I was in the emergency room
in St. Petersburg. And was being admitted myself. So I tried to call back later and I could not
reach anyone. And I was - I was in Florida for a couple of days there. When I arrived back in
L.A., I still was trying to reach, you know, I could not reach anyone. So I didn't know whether
or not he had gone.
CB: did you go to the authorities with any of this?
CL: no
CB: did you think about doing that?
CL: well, when I saw it on the news I kind of felt I knew what happened. And I just didn't
really - I really didn't know what to do. I was saddened; I heard there was a physician there.
CB: do you know - do you know if there was a doctor who may have given him this drug?
CL: I don't know of any doctors. I don't know of anyone that was seeing him. He just told me
- because I asked him, what doctor gave him this drug, 'oh it was a long time ago.
CB: so just to give a sense of your relationship with him, how long had you known him, what
was the relationship?
CL:
well I met him in January. And because someone called me and said his children had a
runny nose and a little cough and could I come out to the house and see them. And because it
was a referral person he felt very comfortable. And so when I arrived at the house I saw three
children. And actually I love working with children and I kind of set something up for them
some vitamin c and, you know, as a practitioner I listened to their lungs to make sure they
were clear and went ahead and did the routine physical exam and everything. And after I
finished with the children and had given them some vitamin c that they had, you know, the
vitamin c powder and a couple of other things, it's a homeopathic; they told their dad they
were feeling a lot better. So he looked at me and said what else do you do? And so I said well
10
I help people, you know, when they want to very more energy. And he said, oh, well, okay,
that's really good. And so we start taking it from there and I try to find out why is it you don't
have any energy? And just went through the whole course of, you know, not that day. He
asked me if I could come back the following day. So I went and drew some blood, maybe
you're anemic or maybe it's this or that, but let's not second guess anything. I did full lab
work. A full work-up on him. Then I told him from there that nutritionally we could get you
set up.
CB: right. And his doctor was also working with him presumably yet? Dr. Murray.
CL: I don't know. I didn't see anybody. I didn't see anybody in January. February, March,
there was a time he did go to London, so -he was out. But I never heard of a doctor, I never
did see anyone.
CB: all right.
CL: I told him I prefer to do continuity of care with someone. And I didn't see anyone.
11
Cherilyn Lee interviewed by Drew Griffin - Aired by CNN on June 30, 2009
(Transcript done by myself)
DREW GRIFFIN: Michael Jackson wanted a medical attendant to give him an IV drip of
Diprivan.
CHERILYN LEE: Yes.
DG: So he can sleep.
CL: Yes.
DG: Scary.
CL: Yes, very scary. This is how he talked to me: “I had this medicine before. It worked for
me before.” And I said – well, than he says the name, I didn’t understand – I said, well: “Who
gave this to you?” “My doctor.” And he was so adamant that he totally believed that his
doctor said this is safe. This is –
DG: Did he say what doctor?
CL: He wouldn’t tell me. I said: “Who is the doctor? And if he gave it to you – where is he? I
mean why are you asking me?” You know, he said: “I don’t know where he is. It was a long
time ago, but I know this worked for me. And he – he actually sat there and he said: “I’m
telling you – When he put - when I have that IV in my hand – when I have it in my hand” – he
just kind of went on his arm – “when it drips in my body – the first drop – I’m asleep.
And all
I want to do is sleep. You know, I watch my children – they are sleeping. I just want to go to
sleep. I wanna sleep eight hours, so I could be refreshed the next day.
DG: But, don’t you think it’s odd he’s asking for that superstrong medicine?
CL: Yes, that was odd.
DG: Without asking for a regular sleeping pill?
CL: Yeah. I said: “Have you taken sleeping pills?” He said: “They don’t work.” He said: “I
don’t want those things. They don’t work. I want it in an IV. I don’t want pills. I don’t want
any pills.”
DG: You said “No”?
CL: Oh my goodness – not only that I said “No.” I didn’t know the medication and I went to-
- - uhm- - - my office to get my PDR – the “Physicians’ Desk Reference” – it’s like the Bible
of medicine – I said: “This medication is not good.” He said: “I want to sleep.” And I looked
st him and that was the fist time I got this chill through my body – and I said: “Michael, If you
take that medicine you might not wake up.”
DG: What was his response?
CL: He said: “I need to have somebody here to just monitor me.” I said: “It isn’t somebody to
monitor you. You don’t need to have this.” He said if somebody stays here to monitor me
12
with this IV then I’ll be okay. I will be okay because they gonna be here 24 hours or 12 hours
to monitor me so I could sleep 8 hours.
CL: Last Sunday night – uhm - I was in Florida - uh - in medical convention. And they called
me and said: “Michael wants to see you. It’s urgent. He really wants to see you. And I could
hear him in the background: “Tell her, tell her that half of my body is cold, half of my body is
hot.” And IDG:
Who calls you?
CL: The security.
DG: Who is that?
CL: Uhm- right now rather not say names.
DG: And you are hearing the call is from the home.
CL: Yes, and they said “Please, please. He’s telling –“. I said: “You know I can’t come,
Michael, I’m in Florida. And I didn’t even tell him that I was in the ER – “You need to go to
the hospital. You need to go to the hospital. He was so adamant about:
“I would pay any
amount of money to someone to help me to sleep. And I said: “You don’t have to pay me
anything, but you don’t do this.” But he was so adamant: „I don’t care who this gonna take. I
would pay any amount of money to get eight hours sleep. That was my last conversation with
him. I said: “You know, Michael.” (long break because it seems as if she starts crying) Instead
of – you know – I’ve just - It was just something coming over me. I had tears in my eye. I
even have these tears if I say it today. It’s something came over me. Something came over me
and I said: “Michael, you keep wanting to sleep. You saying you’ll gonna be knocked out and
sleep but what about waking up tomorrow?”
DG: You think somebody took that payment, don’t you?
CL: (long break) That was my first thought.
DG: You know, this is Michael Jackson investigation.
CL: I know.
DG: Half the people that are watching this are not gonna believe you.
CL: I know that.
DG: They’re gonna think: “This woman is just seeking fame. She’s making this up.”
CL: I don’t need any fame. I do not need fame.
DG: Why are you coming forward with all this?
CL: I’m coming forward because the more I watch the news and the more they keep saying
“drugs” I’m thinking this is not drugs.
13
DG: You’re thinking this wasn’t drug?
CL: It wasn’t the drugs they are saying. The Demerol the this - or that.
DG: Do you think it was the drug he was after?
CL: Yeah. But I could not be certain about it, but, yes, it’s my thought. That even I warned
him about it – in detail warned him about it – uhm – he kept saying he wanted to have
somebody there that could watch him and medically supervise him. That’s what he said. And
I said that even so, this is not a drug you would use in a home. This is not a drug for sleep.
This is something that, you know, something you don’t wanna do cause you may not wake
up.
14
Cherilyn Lee interviewed by John Roberts - aired by CNN on July 1, 2009
(Source
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIP...01/ltm.03.html)
JOHN ROBERTS: Cherilyn, good to talk to you. We've been watching some of the
interview that you did with our Drew Griffin overnight. And I wanted to just drill down on a
particular point here. You say that Michael Jackson suffered from persistent insomnia. How
bad was it? How desperate was he to get some help?
CHERILYN LEE: He was very desperate. He was so desperate. First of all, good morning.
JR: Good morning to you.
CL:
He was so desperate that he would just cry out for something. This was like in April
when he started doing this. And he said, "I really just need something that's going to help me
to sleep." And when -- he was very persistent about it. And I said, well, let's try natural
products. Let's try, you know -- let me assess your room that you sleep in. See if there's too
much lighting, too much other stimulants in the room. But he said he's used to sleeping with
lights on. He's used to doing all these things. But when he brought up this medication, I didn't
know what it was. And so I made a phone call.
JR: Right. And just to stipulate, the medication he brought up is Diprivan. It's also called
Propofol. It's a very powerful sedative. It's typically used in operating rooms to get people
under anesthesia. I've had it a couple of times. Had some shoulder surgery, leg surgery. Puts
you out very quickly. So, anyway, so you didn't really know what it was. You said you made
a phone call?
CL: I made a phone call to a dear friend who was a physician and asked him, what was it.
And he said that's a very serious drug. It's mainly used in ICU and operating rooms. And he
was just in ICU. And so I went back, and I told Michael, because I was at his house, I said,
look, this is a very serious drug. At first I wondered, did he understand what he was telling
me. And he said, yes, I know exactly what it is. I've had it before. And I said, this is not a safe
medication. He said, no, my doctor assured me that it's safe. There's no side effects, he said, it
is safe. I said, Michael, it isn't. And the only way that I thought I really could convince him
was to go back to my office and get the PDR, the "Physicians' Desk Reference," and show
him in the medical book exactly what would happen to him.
Well, he didn't want to read this
himself, so -- he was having a meal, a dinner. And I said, Michael, you know, this medication
-- I'm going to read some of these symptoms. And they're very serious. And the bottom line, it
can cause death. And I don't even think he heard me very well even when I said it then. He
just kept pointing to his hands, because he knew about it. You know, more so than I did.
JR: Yes. Yes. Well, as you said, he had used it before, and I think where you were about to
go is it is administered through intravenous. So, he had actually had somebody give him this
drug?
CL: Exactly, because he knew. He said, I want it through drop. I want it IV. And because I
know that the first drop when I look at it, and I see the first drop hit my vein, I'm asleep, and I
sleep very well.
And I just need sleep.
JR: But I mean, I'm curious, Cherilyn, you're a nutritionist, you're a nurse, registered nurse.
But you don't have prescribing authority or prescribing privileges. Why would he ask you for
Diprivan?
15
CL:
He asked me if I could find someone for him. He said, "I will pay them anything. If you
can find me an anesthesiologist or another doctor, a nurse practitioner -- a physician assistant
also” --, but he asked me, he said, "can you find me a doctor? I don't care how much money
they want. I don't care what it is they want. I want this drug. I want this medication."
(CROSSTALK)
CL: He didn't say "drug." He said, "I want this medication to sleep."
JR: Right. But he did have this personal physician whom he was paying $150,000 a month.
Would he not procure it for him?
CL: You know, I didn't know anything about him. You know, three months ago, I knew
nothing of him.
JR: And any idea why he didn't go back to the doctor who gave it to him before?
CL: I have no idea. I asked him, I said, why don't you go back to -- who gave this to you? I
wanted to know the name of the doctor. He wouldn't tell me. He just said, I had it a long time
ago. He said, and I really need to have it now.
JR: Do you have any suspicions that he finally got a hold of it?
CL: Well, when he called me, I had not seen him for three months. When he called me on
Father's Day early afternoon and was telling me his symptoms, well through the staff there,
and he said -- you know, I mean, the staff was very, very anxious and said, you know,
Michael wants to know if you can come out and see him right away. He wants to know can
you see him right away. He's not feeling well. And I could hear Michael in the background,
Mr. Jackson, and he was saying, "One side of my body is real cold and one side of my body is
real hot. And I don't know what's wrong. I don't know what's wrong." And immediately I said,
you know, Michael, I'm in Florida. You need to go ahead and go to the hospital. You know,
this is -- it's very serious at this point. You need to go to the hospital. Again, I hadn't seen him
in three months, but this is a call that I received on Sunday.
JR: Right.
CL: And I had great suspicions on Sunday, because I had already read over some of the
symptoms.
JR: Yes. One of the symptoms can be tingling as well and burning, too, upon injection. Hey,
our chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is also there in the bureau with you. I want
to bring Sanjay in, because I know that he's got some questions for you as well. Sanjay, you
heard what Cherilyn had to say. What do you think?
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, one of the
things about this drug that's so important, John, as you sort of mentioned, it does act very
quickly. And what's also important about this drug, as soon as you stop it, it stops working.
So, this is a drug that you really have to give in a continuous sort of form. Otherwise, it
doesn't do its job. It doesn't act as a sedative. I just wonder if Cherilyn, if you -- I mean, this
would have to be something you'd have to be given continuously. Did he talk about having
someone monitor him while he would get the drugs or be continuously infusing it or watching
over him? Did he talk about sort of how this would all work to you?
16
CL: He asked me if I could find someone that would stay there and monitor him. That's why
he felt he would be safe. I said, no one will do this in your home. This is not a safe drug. And
I don't know if anyone -- and no one should be giving this to you in your home. It's very
unsafe.
JR: And Doc -
CL: But he felt -
JR: Doc, what kind of monitoring do you need to have when you're using a drug like
Propofol, Diprivan as its known?
DR. GUPTA: Well, what can happen is that, in lower doses, it can be used as a sedative. By
the way, a lot of people know this is Propofol. Colloquially, it's known as milk of amnesia. It
is a creamy white looking substance and it caused you to fall asleep and also to be very
forgetful. To forget things that are about to happen to you. In higher doses, John, as you
mentioned, it can be used as an anesthetic.
So, it goes from being a merely a sedative to
something that basically shuts down your breathing, and you have to put a breathing tube in in
the operating room and the ICU for the drug to still be safe. So, that's what you have to be
monitored for. Someone's oxygenation levels. Making sure they're still breathing, looking at
their cardiac rates. And, again, as I mentioned, you have to titrate this medication very
carefully based on that monitoring. So those are sort of things that I think anyone would look
for.
JR: Not to connect these two things together, but respiratory depression as you said is a side
effect of this drug. We do know that Michael Jackson was not breathing when he was found
by his doctor. Right?
DR. GUPTA: That's right. And what can happen sometimes is respiratory depression can
lead to cardiac arrest. You're just not getting enough oxygenated blood through the body. So,
those two things can go together.
JR: Right. And Cherilyn, we just want to ask you, you have remained in the background for a
long time here. Why have you decided to come out and speak so publicly about this now?
CL: Well, when I heard they were doing the autopsy, you know, I didn't know for sure if this
was the med. I know he asked me for it. I felt Sunday there was a problem, a serious problem,
Father's day. I advised him to go to the hospital. Like I said, I was in Florida for a few days
there. I just kept -- well, I tried to reach out to him. I didn't receive a call back. But the reason
I decided to step out, because there were so many indications showing that he was on drugs.
And, you know, I didn't feel that was the case.
And when I heard they were going to do a
second autopsy, then I felt, you know what? They probably will find the medication now.
Because they didn't find it on the first.
JR: Doc, you've got anything else that you're curious about here?
DR. GUPTA: Well, you know, the interesting thing is obviously, John, you mentioned you've
had this medication before for shoulder surgery. We know Michael Jackson had several
operations in the past. I wonder if he had come in contact with this medication in a hospital
setting, originally. Cherilyn, do you know when he was asking you, did he say that he had
17
received it in his home or somewhere outside a hospital?
CL: Well, you know, he was basically concerned again with his insomnia. He said "I
remember”- - yes, being in a hospital, and while hospitalized they gave me this med and I was
able to sleep really good. And I had the best sleep that I ever had." So, yes.
JR: Well, Cherilyn Lee, thanks very much for being with us this morning.
CL: Thank you.
18
Cherilyn Lee interviewed by Larry King – aired on CNN on July 1, 2009
(Transcript done by myself)
LARRY KING: Since you were public – the police contacted you at all?
CHERILYN LEE: No.
LK: Nobody wants to know more about it?
CL: No.
LK: Diprivan as we understand it – I recently had Diprivan when I had my cataract fixed. It is
a thing to pot you to sleep – done in a hospital – and you wake up right away, right?
CL: As far as I know, yes.
LK: And it’s given intravenously.
CL: This is what I read.
LK: So, when he asked you for it – what did you say?
CL: When he asked me for it, I was not aware of it.
LK: You didn’t even know what he was talking about?
CL: I didn’t know what he was talking about.
LK: So, what did you say to him?
CL: Let me go and find out what it is. But if it’s something IV I don’t think it’s something
you wanna do at home.
LK: How did come to start with Michael?
CL: Uhm, it all got up in January – I had a call he wanted someone to see his children. They
had a slight little cold – and uh – I was asked to come in to see them.
LK: How did he know about you?
CL: Through – through a friend.
LK: So, you went and saw the kids?
CL: I went to see the kids.
LK: And then?
CL: And then from there - uh - we had a like little tea party, some vitamin c and things for for
their little cold. Uh, then Michael asked me: “What do you do?” I said: “Well, what’s going
on with you?” And he started then: “I’m just tired.” You know, he just felt a little fatigued.
19
And I said: “Okay – well - why won’t you just set up, and if you are fatigue [inaudible] we do
complete lab work and so we’ll find out what’s in your body - what’s going on in a
pathological sense to see what’s happening - then on a nutritional basic. He said: “Fine, that’s
great. I’d like to know.” So, he asked me if we could do it that day, and I told him: “No, I
have to go back to my office. And I could schedule to come back later.” He said: “Okay, can
you come back tomorrow?” I said: “Sure, so you need to fast tonight, you don’t eat any
things, so I can draw your blood tomorrow.” So he said: “Okay.”
LK: And what did you learn from all that.
CL: From all that? I do that – those
LK: Did you check his blood out?
CL: (nods her head)
LK: And?
CL: And medically, nutritionally I didn’t find anything. And uh – just a little low blood
sugar.
LK: Did you then look up Diprivan?
CL: I didn’t know about it then. He was not talking about it then.
LK: Next day?
CL: Oh no, this didn’t happen – this from a station – first a couple of month.
LK: Okay. Much after this?
CL: Much after.
LK: Diprivan would never be given in a home, that’s right? It’s a hospital drug for surgeries.
CL: I recently found out about it myself. I actually, well, this is months later, when he said:
“I’m just having a lot of trouble sleeping. I’d love you to come up and assist me on sleep.”
LK: Did he ask, Cherilyn, for other drugs?
CL: No.
LK: Sleep drugs?
CL: He never asked for sleep drugs. He said he only wanted one – the one that he knew of.
As time went on, months later, and that was gonna help him for sleep. He said: “I know this
will help me sleep.
LK: Have you worked with addicts?
CL: Yes, I have.
20
LK: Did he – did he signal you in any way that he was one?
CL: No, he did not. He did not. I just saw him as a loving, caring father, nurturing father. And
passionate about his work, very creative, and he loves – I mean he was a loving mankind – he
never said any negative thing about anybody or anything.
LK: What did you think when he died? Not only being shocked. Was there a part of it not
surprising to you since you’ve gone through some medical things with him?
CL: The only part – I was shocked, I was very shocked because of the fact that – uhm – I
didn’t understand it. I didn’t understand what happened. And, you know, I do know that - uh –
LK: Well, on the other hand you know he had some problems – he had sleep problems.
CL: Yes, sleep problems – but I do know - one day – it was Father’s Day – he called me and I
hadn’t seen him in three months – and he called me, he said uh – and he was little frantic – he
said: “I’m not feeling well.” He didn’t say it as calmly as I say it right now. Uhm - but he
said: “I have these symptoms and I don’t feel well. One side of my body is very, very hot and
one side is very, very cold.” And three months prior when I learned of the medication, I told
him I didn’t know what it was, I will investigate it. And I called a physician and asked him
about it. He told me what it was. And I was saying – I went back and told Michael and I said:
“Michael, this is something serious, you don’t wanna take this. You just don’t wanna take
this.”
LK: What did you think to the hot and cold thing?
CL: Uhm, when he was giving me his symptoms - I was in Florida,
I happened to have ben in
the IC – in the ER myself when he was telling me his symptoms. Uhm - and I told him – I
said: “This sounds serious, you know. I don’t know what is going on with you for you to say
one side of your body I hot and one side of your body is cold.” And the reason I felt he
probably reached out to call me on East – on Father’s Day is because three months prior I had
a chance to take my PDR back to his house and show him the side effects of the medication.
And I think, you know –
LK: Maybe he got it? He got the medication from somewhere else?
CL: I was concerned.
LK: We’ll do more on this. Thank you for coming. I know it is not easy for you.
CL: Thank you.
21
Cherilyn Lee interviewed by Greta von Susteren aired on Fox News
(Source:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,...#ixzz2NBNHSRe1)
PART 1 aired on July 6, 2009
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN: Nice to see you.
CHERILYN LEE: It's a blessing to be here. Nice to see you, also.
GVS: I appreciate you doing this. Michael Jackson -- when did you first meet him?
CL: I met Michael Jackson in January of 2009 at his home.
GVS: How did you happen to meet him?
CL: Through a very dear friend, a very dear friend. He had a concern. His children had --
some of them were coughing, a little runny nose going on. And he's the type person, after
meeting him, that's very concerned about his children and want to make sure they stay
healthy.
GVS: Did you examine him at all? Was he -- did he need any medical care at that time, back
in January '09?
CL: On January '09, no. When I finished with the children, he said, Well, you know, what do
you do? And I said, Well, you know, what's going on with you? And he said, Well, I'm just
feeling a little tired. You know, I'm getting ready for this concert that we're setting up, and the
traveling. And he said, I'm just a little tired because I'm getting ready to start performing --
practicing and getting myself ready for that. So he said, I'm just tired.
So I said, Well, you know, before, you know, giving you anything, let's just do some lab
work, you know, see what's going on, because there's many reasons why he could be tired.
And so I did -- I said, Well, I can't do it today. So he said, Well, can you come back
tomorrow? And I said, Well, sure. I mean, I find it an honor to come back, you know?
And I went back the next day and did -- asked him, prior to, to fast for me and don't eat any
food after 12:00 midnight and I'll see him the next morning. So I went back the next morning.
I drew his blood. And has very small veins, so it took a little minute. So I drew his blood and
told him that once I had the results back, then I'll set up a nutritional program for him.
GVS: Did he complain about not being able to sleep in those first couple months?
CL: He kind of said, you know, he wanted -- he mentioned it, but it was kind of like "by the
way" kind of thing.
It wasn't, like, you know, I have just chronic insomnia and I just can't
sleep. It was moreso toward April. That's when he asked me what -- Well, do you mind
spending the night with me? I have to show you that I can't sleep, and I don't think you really
believe me. I said, I believe you. But he said, Well, can you just come? That was around April
when he started bring this up. So he said, why don't you come watch me sleep? And I said,
OK, I'm going to bring you some tea. And I had another homeopath, I'm going to bring some
other things -- actually this was more of an herbal supplement, which is very good for sleep.
And it already mentioned, he said I can't take anything with melatonin because it just doesn't
work very well for me. I said OK, I'll make sure it doesn't have that in it.
22
And Michael is very smart, very smart man, very articulate, as you know. But very smart, and
very well read. So he knew.
And so I said well, Michael, I said, I'll come. And maybe team. I said why don't you get in
bed? And he said, why don't you come check my room, and everything. And so when I
arrived in this room, I said the one thing that I was concerned about was I don't see how you
can sleep. There is just too much lighting.
GVS: Was this artificial light, Coors is like sleeping in the daytime.
CL: It was evening.
GVS: So he had lights on in his room?
CL: Yes. There a lot of lights on.
GVS: How many lights to have on in his room? Could you read a book? Was it that led in the
room?
CL: Yes, you could read a book with all the lights.
GVS: But was he opposed a trying to do it with the lights off, because a lot of people stay in
bed with the lights off.
CL: I tried. I said, let's just dim the lights. Let's cut down on some of the music, because he
had classical music that was ongoing in the house itself.
GVS: He played classical music?
CL: Yes, he did. It stayed on all day.
GVS: Did he ever say why he wanted the lights on when asleep?
CL: I asked him. He said, "I have always slept with lights on."
GVS: Was he afraid of the dark?
CL: I asked him that too, and he said no. This is not afraid with the lights off, but I like my
lights on. And he likes to have his DVD there and watching, he loved all the work, the
fascinating work by Walt Disney. Suite had one of the tapes on, watching that, along with the
other music that was going on. It was a little over stimulating, but he said, "I always sleep like
this." Some people feel they can sleep with the TV on. But I said, "This is not a healthy way
to sleep."
GVS: What Walt Disney's stuff was he watching?
CL: Donald Duck.
GVS: Cartoons?
CL: Yes.
23
GVS: Is a 50-year-old man watching cartoons with the lights on, was it unusual to you?
CL: No.
GVS: Not at all.
CL: No, it wasn't. I have been dealing with all sorts of people for a long time, and he liked the
work. He liked the behind the camera. That's what he found fascinating.
GVS: So he was intrigued with the artistry.
CL: Yes.
GVS: So did he said just refuse to turn the music and the lights on, he wouldn't try that?
CL: No. He said he is done everything. He said I've done meditation, I've done this, I've done
that. And he just went on the list, and he said nothing worked. He said the only thing I know
will work is this IV and the Diprivan.
GVS: That was the first time, in April, that he mentions it to you?
CL: He mentions it to me. I said, well, let's just try this. And furthermore, I didn't know what
it was. But he said he was an IV. I said that whatever this is that's IV is not something I know
you should be doing at home.
And he said, well, it's a safe medicine. I said I don't think it's safe, we'll let me just find out.
Even when I went back to his house and taken him the PDR, the physicians’ desk reference,
and said, look this is something that is very dangerous, and you don't want to do this at home.
GVS: So you showed it to him?
CL: I showed it to him. He didn't want to look at it. It's a real thick, heavy book. I was trying
to put it on his lap and let him watch it, look at it. And he was busy with his DVD, looking at
something else.
And I said, OK, Michael. I will read you the symptoms. You have to know. I'm telling you the
truth, I need you to believe me, trust me on this.
He said, Can you find me an anesthesiologist then to put me to sleep? To put me to sleep so I
can get at least eight hours of sleep.
And I said, "You do not want to do this." And at that point, I was sitting there, actually we
were having a meal together, and I sat there, I just had the worst feeling, the worst feeling.
The sensation came over my body, and I said don't do this, because if you want to be knocked
out to go to sleep, my concern is, will you wake up?
GVS: June rolls around, and did you hear from him between June and, let's say, five days
before he died. Did you hear from him at all?
CL: Father's Day.
GVS: He called you, or you called him?
CL: He called me.
24
GVS: And what time of day did he call you?
CL: It was in the afternoon. That's when I received a call, when I was in Florida.
GVS: Does he make these calls himself, or does he somebody else make them?
CL: Somebody makes the calls.
GVS: And says, what, hold for Mike?
CL: He might physically, himself, or someone just called and said he's going to be calling
you, but is calling from a blocked number. I said that's fine in a couple of minutes, and I was
put to speak with him.
This time someone else called. And another person, so he called, and I showed her my caller
ID, I'm an ER myself in Florida. And so I picked up the phone and answered it.
And he said -- he said, "You know, Michael need you to come see him. We want to know if
you could please come today, right away." I said I really can't. I'm in Florida. I said "What's
going on?"
And he said, and I could hear Michael in the background saying, "Please, just tell her, tell her
what's going on with me. Just tell her."
He said one side of my body is hot and one side of my body is cold, and what should I do?
GVS: Have you ever heard symptom before?
CL: No.
And I worked in emergency medicine, and so, no, I have not heard that symptom
before.
GVS: So you thought that was unusual.
CL: I know it was very unusual. And I was very concerned based on the facts of what I told
him about the medicine.
GVS: Is there any chance that he would have given himself an IV himself?
CL: No. He was afraid of needles. And he never comes towards his body with anything like
that. There's no way.
GVS: There is no way he would have gotten the Diprivan and done it himself in your mind?
CL: No.
GVS: You're certain?
CL: I am certain about that. He didn't want anything that was going to cause him pain.
I had a cream called shae (ph) butter. And I said, come on, Michael, let me just massage your
hands because they are really dry and cracked. And let me just do that. And we started that
back in February. And he was saying that it was a little painful because it was so dry. And
then after that, I said, come on, let me do your feet. And he would no, you're not going to see
my feet. As far as anything dealing with pain, no, never. I can't ever see him doing anything
like that.
25
GVS: So he would let you do it as a professional, do the IV with the vitamin C?
CL: Right.
GVS: But you don't think that he would have freelanced in the sense of giving himself an IV
himself or something else?
CL: Oh, no. No.
GVS: Someone else did?
CL: Actually, he would close his eyes for me to give him the vitamin C.
GVS: So you think if that is the cause of death, the IV, somebody else did it?
CL: Yes. He would close his eyes. He didn't want to look and -- no. No.
Because he said, "please find a doctor to give me this medication so they can monitor me."
GVS: Some have said that they thought he was trying to avoid doing to concerts. Did he ever
give you any indication that he –
CL: No, not at all. He was so happy the night that he received a lot of the awards for the
"Thriller." It was either that night or later the night before, because a lot of things came in
from Holland and all these different companies. He was so excited. He was so excited. He
was so excited about during the concert. They were faxing him over the music they wanted to
hear, or emailing one, but he had copies of it in his hand. He said, "Wow, this many people
want to hear the song. This many people want to hear that song." Was really excited, really
looking forward. And more so, because he said, "This is the first time my children" -- and
they would sit there and just smile -- he said, "The first time I children are going to see me
perform."
PART 2 aired on July 7, 2009
CHERILYN LEE: I was really surprised when I arrived there (INAUDIBLE) to see his
children. So I'm thinking, OK, I'm going to see his children, and they probably have a nanny
there or something. But then he came downstairs. And I'm, like, Wow, he's actually here. So I
was really shocked to see him because I'd only seen him on television.
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN: What did he look like when you saw him?
CL: When I saw him, he looked great. He looked healthy. He was very casual, and you know,
just comfortable, and the most humble human being I've ever met. And he just said -- he was
so gracious and said, Thank you, thank you, thank you for coming out. Thank you for taking
the time to come see my children.
GVS: What did you think about the inside of the house? What...
CL: Oh, it was absolutely gorgeous. It was just gorgeous. But it was a home that you walk in
and you know this is a home of love. You know, you can walk into a home that could be
26
beautiful, but you don't feel the love there. There was just a warm sense of love that was in
that home, that permeated that home. It just was wonderful.
GVS: What did you think of the three children? How were they with him?
CL: Wonderful. Wonderful.
GVS: How would you describe the different personalities?
CL: The oldest child is very, very -- they're very intelligent, very intelligent, very
knowledgeable children. He worked with them, even with their history. They were home
schooled, but he -- they even knew black history, very good with black history. He would ask
them questions back and forth. The oldest child was -- loved computers and was very
involved with a lot of different things. But he was just -- he did a lot of things with his dad,
too (INAUDIBLE) set up the DVD for him and different things. I mean, he was loving. I
mean, he would come and ask for dinner, want to have dinner like he was a chef and read off
the menu, memorize it and said, Do you want to have this? And I said, Oh, no, no, no. You
guys go ahead and I'll just wait until you're finished. But just his personality -- outgoing.
Outgoing.
GVS: You know, because it's interesting because, you know, they seemed to live the
cloistered life. You know, we never got to see Michael Jackson because of who he was. He
didn't seem to go out much. He didn't (INAUDIBLE) you see a lot of celebrities on the street
in Los Angeles, but this family, you know, seemed to be behind that wall almost.
CL: No. These kids are very, very talented also, extremely talented. We had so much time we
spent with each other.
In February -- because I know I saw him a couple of times in February
because I know -- something came up about my birthday, which is February 21st. And I saw
him the week after, and he and the children had purchased me a birthday gift. And they had it
all wrapped up with a nice, beautiful bow on it and they were all excited and helped me to
unwrap it. And when I opened it up, his son -- you know, it was a computer. And his son --
Come on over here. I'll set it up for you. Let me show you how to do this and do that. And I
said, Thank you so much. But I was so grateful for the fact that he took the time to go and do
this for me. And I just kept thanking him, and I had little tears in my eyes. You know, it was
so wonderful. And I gave the kids a hug and gave him a hug. He was big on hugs, too.
GVS: Michael was.
CL: Yes. Big on hugs, and matter of fact, he even mentioned to the children, you know, love
and hugs are free. That's something you don't have to pay for. You guys always remember
that. But he was telling the children, Look at her. She is so grateful about having this gift. And
he said, More people need to be grateful. And it kind of -- I took a step back when he said
that. I mean, it's, like, What type of people, you know, he's done (ph) for that wasn't? I just
found him a very giving and loving person.
27
Cherilyn Lee interviewed by Maggie Rodriguez in “The Early Show”
aired on CBS News on July 7, 2009
(Transcript done by myself)
MAGGIE RODRIGUEZ: Good morning to you, Ms Lee.
CHERILYN LEE: Good morning, Maggie.
MR: This morning TMZ is reporting that Diprivan, the drug that you say Michael Jackson
begged you for, was in fact found in his home. Does that surprise you?
CL: It's heartbreaking, but no, it does not surprise me.
MR: Why not?
CL: Because he was so emphatic asking me to obtain it for him. Uhm – I was not aware what
the medication was myself and he pursued and pursued me to find him someone to stay
overnight – someone he trusted. He was told by his- his- his- he said his personal doctor that it
was a safe medication. Uhm - After I investigated to find out more about the medication I
found out it was a very unsafe medication. Uhm – I shared with him that actually in the PDR
– Physicians’ Desk Reference – a book that I actually taken to his home so he could read it for
himself. “You don’t have to take my word” – just read it for himself.
MR: Right. It’s an IV anesthetic – it’s a sedative that if you get to much you may not wake up
next morning. Did you explain all of that to him?
CL: I explained all of that to him. I went through all that its symptoms – you know, he didn’t
wanna read it himself – I walked him through the symptoms – I said the bottom line. I can
understand you wanna sleep – I understand you wanna sleep and that you want eight hours of
sleep and not just two or three and wake up again and can’t go back to sleep. I understand
that, but this medication is unsafe and if you take it you may not wake up.
MR: Now, let me ask you something. Did he mention which personal doctor told him it was
safe? Was he referring to Dr. Conrad Murray – the doctor who has been questioned by the
police?
CL: No, he never to give the name of a doctor. I did ask him the name of a doctor and also
when was the last time when he had received it.
He was so aware of this medication. He even
went through the process of saying: “You know, I want this medication. I want it to hit my
veins. And as soon as it hits my veins I wanted to be knocked out. I want to be asleep. As
soon as it hit my vein. I don’t want this IV to drip for 30 minutes, 40 minutes, hour – as soon
as it hit my vein I must be asleep. He was –
MR: And if he didn’t get it from you, did you leave there convinced that he would get it
somehow?
CL: No, I left there believing that after I told him the bottom line was death – you wanna go
to sleep, but my concern is you will not wake up.
MR: And he didn’t want the doctor when you told him that – did he seem like- ?
28
CL: Oh, no, no, not at all.
He just said: “My doctor said it was safe.” Even though I’ve shown
him proof in the Physicians’ Desk Reference that it’s not safe. He still said: If you could bring
a doctor here, if you could bring an anesthesiologist – and he even knew that. He said: “Bring
an anesthesiologist here and let him stay with me over night. As long as they monitor me I
know I’m gonna be okay. I know when I wake up, I will be well rested. That’s all he was
searching for.
MR: Thank you, Cherilyn Lee, for sharing the time.
CL: Thank you very much, Maggie.
MR: You’re welcome.
29
Cherilyn Lee interviewed by “Access Hollywood” aired on NBC on July 29, 2009
(Transcript done by myself)
QUESTION: You were the first one to say the word.
CL: Yes.
Q: Tell us how – tell us about the conversation in which Michael Jackson said that to you and
asked you about it.
CL: Well, it was one morning and – uh –
Q: Was it on the phone?
CL: No, I was with him. And he said – after doing some intensive assessing with his sleeping
cause he wanted me to spend the night – the night before I have been there. And he said, you
know, the night I stayed with him. He asked me to stay. The reason for saying this was “I
want you to see how I sleep cause you should see that I don’t fall asleep. Or I fall asleep, it
takes a while, but then I wake up after a couple of hours.” And uh – that was before he started
to talk about Diprivan. When I was there, I noticed him not sleeping. He said: “I need
something. I need something that will really help me to go to sleep.” So we gone through
some natural teas for sleeping and some other remedies for sleeping and some nutricidical
products for sleeping and uhm – he said: “I’ve taken so many things in the past and none of
this stuff worked.” He had gone through meditation. He said: “I’ve done this, I’ve done that,
they don’t work. And so uh – the following day he said: “You know, I need something that’s
gonna knock me out.” And he said – he called – he said the name “Diprivan”. And when he
said it, I had never heard of it before and it sounded like it could have been so many other
things that – maybe - maybe he had just mispronounced something that had sound close to it.
And he said: “No, it’s Diprivan.” I said: “You’re sure?” So he said: “No, that’s what it is.” So
that day I – I was in his house and the reception for the cell phone was pretty bad, so I stepped
outside and I - it was on a Sunday – and I called a dear friend of mine who was a physician.
Uh – and I asked him, I said: “What is this medication?” He didn’t even know I was with
Michael. He just wanted to know - I wanted some information, And he said – uhm – “This is
an anesthetic. It’s used in ICU. It blocks out trauma. It is used to put people to sleep basically
in surgery.” And he went through the whole still of what it was. And I said “okay”, I went
back to Michael and said: “This is something you don’t wanna use in a home. It’s only used in
a hospital setting. You have to be monitored.” He said: “Well then, can you find me someone
to monitor me?” He said – you know – the way he was telling me this is that, you know, it
seemed as it started in a hospital cause when he – he did have surgeries. And he said: “Once it
hit the vein, I am knocked out. And I – that’s what I want.” And – and in his mind he gave me
the impression that he wanted to go back to that time and space where he felt this wonderful
sleep. And it wasn’t to be sedated or to - uhm – to feel like he was on drugs – he was just
wanting that type of deep sleep. And I told him:
“This is not for sleep. This is not a
medication designed for insomnia. And that’s what you have. So why don’t we do sleep
studies? Why don’t we do the other things? And neurotransmitters.” I have taken him the kit
to do testing for that. And I had an amount of other supplements like I said in the past. And
the longest I had him sleeping 5 hours. And he said: “That wasn’t enough.” It takes him to
long to fall of to sleep. He wanted to go to sleep and sleep much longer than 5 hours. And –
uhm – after he asked for that one night I shared with him: “You don’t wanna do this. It can
cause your death. And normally it’s not in the right setting, but, you know, you can’t do this
at home.”
And he kept saying: “Just find me someone. Find me a doctor, find me an
30
anesthesiologist to get help do this for me. I will pay them anything they want.” I said:
“Michael, I don’t know anyone that would do this. I don’t know anyone who would do this at
all, comes to your house and do this.” And I said: “Anyone that will come to your house and
do this is not concerned about you as a person. They’re not because you would not do this at
home. I said: “I see you as family. I’ve been with you for several months here. You’re a very
loving person. And, you know, I wouldn’t give this to my own family. I wouldn’t try to help
somebody to do this to one of my family members at their home. You know, you should not
do this. Don’t do it.” And I asked him not to do it. I said: “Because I’m so afraid if you do this
at home that, you know, my – my fear at that point in time was that he might not wake up.
