Michael Jackson's body may be exhumed to clear his doctor

King of Pop Michael Jackson's body may have to be exhumed in a bid to prove that his doctor is innocent.

Lawyers for Dr Conrad Murray plan to challenge the singer's autopsy, which found he killed him with an overdose of sedative Propofol.

They want to show that the singer could have died from other drug use.

However, they may demand his body be dug up for new tests ahead of Murray's trial next year to prove their theory.

A key find could be needle marks not made by the doctor.

"This is a horrifying situation the family have been dreading. They laid Michael to rest and for him to return is just sick," News of the World quoted a Jackson family friend as saying.

Murray's legal team hopes to get the cardiologist's involuntary manslaughter charges thrown out by trying to convince a judge to have the singer's body unearthed.

Lead attorney Ed Chernoff has already got the green light to re-test tissue samples removed and frozen after Jacko, 50, died last June.

"If the tests don't concur with the coroner's findings, they have the start of a strong defence. The logical next step would be to exhume the body to make new tests," the family friend said.

Jackson is buried at a mausoleum in Los Angeles.