Lawyers for Michael Jackson's doctor were meeting on Wednesday to talk about their client's defense strategy in the event he's charged in the death of the singer.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Dr. Conrad Murray and his lawyers had received no word from prosecutors about a decision from the district attorney.
Lead attorney Ed Chernoff was waiting for news in a Los Angeles-area hotel, and planned to meet with the other two members of the defense team later in the day.
"There's no joy in representing someone who shouldn't be charged in the first place," Chernoff said. "But I suppose there's some truth to the proposition that the waiting is the hardest part."
Murray was at a friend's house in Santa Monica, where a crowd of paparazzi was waiting outside. Fifteen miles to the east, a contingent of camera crews and photographers waited at the downtown courthouse, but by afternoon some were drifting away.
District Attorney's spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said she had no word on when any developments were likely.
Meanwhile, a lawyer who told CBS' The Early Show on Wednesday that Jackson's family believes involuntary manslaughter charges against Murray would be "just a slap on the wrist" later told the AP he was expressing his own opinions.
Attorney Brian Oxman said the only members of the family he has spoken to are Michael Jackson's father, Joseph, and sister La Toya, and "they just want justice."
The lawyer representing Jackson's mother, Katherine, said his client felt the same way.
"Mrs. Jackson is really going to rely on the good faith of the authorities to make sure justice is done," said attorney Adam Streisand.
Murray told police he administered Jackson a powerful anesthetic and other sedatives shortly before the singer's death June 25.
Murray maintains nothing he gave Jackson should have killed him.
A law enforcement official last month told the AP that prosecutors had decided to seek a grand jury indictment on an involuntary manslaughter charge. On Tuesday, a second law enforcement official said prosecutors were sticking with the charge but planned to file a criminal complaint to avoid the appearance of secrecy in the closely watched case.
Both officials requested anonymity because they are not authorised to publicly discuss the case.
A criminal complaint would pave the way for a preliminary hearing in the case, where a judge would publicly hear evidence and decide if it should go to trial.
