Texas physician Dr Conrad Murray found guilty of Michael Jackson’s involuntary manslaughter

Michael Jackson’s personal doctor was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the pop star’s drug-related death in 2009 but may not spend much time in jail.

Dr Conrad Murray, 58, was led away in handcuffs after the jury in Los Angeles reached a unanimous verdict. Dozens of fans outside the court erupted in cheers and some burst into tears.

“Justice was served. Michael is with us,” said Jackson’s brother Jermaine.

Murray faces up to four years behind bars when he is sentenced on Nov. 29 but may spend only months in Los Angeles’ overcrowded cells.

The jury deliberated for six hours on Friday and another two hours on Monday before returning their unanimous verdict against Dr Conrad Murray. He now faces up to four years in prison and the suspension of his medical licence.

A squeal was heard from the gallery as the court clerk pronounced the word “guilty”. Outside the courthouse, the news was greeted with loud cheers and horn-blowing by a group of Jackson supporters who had spent the morning chanting “Justice for Michael!” and “Find Conrad Murray Guilty!” and waving banners praising Jesus.

“This is not a crime involving a mistake in judgment, it’s not about the administration of drugs per se … the offence charged and proven in this case is a homicide,” Judge Pastor ruled. “The reckless conduct in this case poses a demonstrable risk to the safety of the public if Dr Murray remains out of custody on bond.”

Jackson was found lifeless at his Los Angeles mansion on June 25, 2009, about three weeks before he was due to begin a series of concerts in London aimed at returning him to the limelight after the humiliation of his 2005 trial and acquittal on child molestation allegations.

Prosecutors were required to prove only that Murray was reckless in his care. The judge told jurors the doctor could be found guilty even if the jury believed Jackson gave himself the propofol, as long as such a possibility was foreseeable.

This is likely to be the last major chapter in the great legal saga surrounding Michael Jackson, going back to an out-of-court settlement in the early 1990s after a teenage boy accused him of sexual molestation.

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Posted by Hassan Ali on Nov 10 2011. Filed under Entertainment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry