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Conrad Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter on Monday

Conrad Murray, the doctor convicted of the involuntary manslaughter of Michael Jackson, has defended his use of propofol to put the singer to sleep.

In a TV interview recorded before the verdict, Murray, who did not testify at trial, said he gave Jackson an "inconsequential" amount of the drug.

A coroner found that he died in June 2009 of "acute propofol intoxication".

The Jackson family say the interview, airing on NBC's Today, gives Murray "a platform to shift the blame".

The interview, being shown in two parts on Thursday and Friday morning, forms part of the documentary Michael Jackson and the Doctor: A Fatal Friendship.

The makers of the programme, due to be shown in the US on NBC's sister station MSNBC on Friday and on Channel 4 in the UK - some time next week - began working with Murray in November 2009.

He continued to be filmed while the trial was taking place.

"I think propofol is not recommended to be given in the home setting," Murray said, during the interview.

"But it is not contraindicated."

The prosecution said Murray had caused Jackson's death through negligence

Murray, who claimed Jackson had been using the anaesthetic long before he met him, said he did not tell paramedics he had given Jackson the drug because it was such a small dose.

"Twenty-five milligrams and the effect's gone - means nothing," he added.

Asked why he mentioned other drugs given to Jackson but not propofol he replied: "Because it had no effect. It was not an issue."

In court, the defence argued that Jackson was a drug addict who caused his own death by giving himself an extra dose of propofol while the cardiologist was out of the room at the star's rented Los Angeles mansion.

Murray told Today's Savannah Guthrie he had not been distracted by phone calls, emails and text messages.

"When I looked at a man who was all night deprived of sleep, who was desperate for sleep and finally is getting some sleep, am I gonna sit over him, sit around him, tug on his feet, do anything unusual to wake him up? No," Murray said.

He admitted leaving the room to talk on the phone saying he wanted Jackson to rest.

He said he had no reason to believe the singer would stop breathing and that he "was not supposed to be monitoring him at that time because there was no need for monitoring".

Asked if he was right to leave Jackson alone, he replied: "Had I known what I know today in retrospect, that Mr Jackson was an addict - and he had shared that information with me - addicts may behave in a way that is unreasonable and you may consider it."

The Jackson estate has written to MSNBC asking that they "exercise proper judgement and refrain from airing this programme".

"Like so many of Michael's fans, the estate is... disgusted by MSNBC's irresponsible and inexplicable decision to air a Conrad Murray 'documentary'," it said.

Murray, 58, is due to be sentenced on 29 November and could receive a maximum prison term of four years and lose his licence to practise medicine.