Dr. Conrad Murray Found Guilty Of Involuntary Manslaughter in Michael Jackson Trial

Posted November 8, 2011 by J Matthew Cobb in News

The trial of the century is over: Justice for Michael Jackson as Conrad Murray is found guilty of involuntary manslaughter

After nine hours of deliberation, the seven-man, five-woman jury finally came to their decision.

At 1:18 P.M. (PST), Dr. Conrad Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter against pop superstar Michael Jackson, who died on June 25, 2009 of an acute dose of propofol.

And then there was a happy shout heard from the back of the room. From LaToya Jackson, Jackson’s sister, of course. Unfortunately, the televised reading of the verdict didn’t show her hit the high note, so her chances of a revived music career are still unlikely.

While the verdict was being read, Murray’s face looked like a regular day in the court room. No emorion, stone-faced and with a shedding of a tear. The prosecutors, led by David Walgreen, provided a long list of negatives that bit into the defense’s case, including his gross negligence, failure to call 911 and the ignorance of not knowing how to administer CPR. Also, throughout the trial, prosecutors also pointed to Murray’s failure to mention propofol to the aids at UCLA Medical Center, who were overseeing a lifeless body the day of Jackson’s death, or to the authorities. The police interview was aired during the trial, along with a stunning audio clip taken with Murray’s iPhone, revealing a drugged-out Jackson almost in comatose and barely speaking about his wishes of opening a dream hospital for kids.

Also hurting Murray during the trial in his chances to walk a free man were the revelations of credibility issues. The case unveiled Murray’s lifestyle to include being a deadbeat dad and a compulsive womanizer. Prosecutors had subpoenaed Nicole Alvarez, Sade Anding, Bridget Morgan and Michelle Bella, an exotic dancer Murray met in Las Vegas last year, to all speak to the jury because Murray spoke with each of them on the day of Michael Jackson’s death. Murray’s wife did not testify for either side.

At the end of the defense’s case, when Dr. Paul White took the witness stand to help reduce all disdain of Conrad Murray’s negligence of Jackson, the prosecutors gave whatwas the final nail to the trial’s coffin. Their cross-examination, a brute force of hard facts and tough questioning, destroyed the myth created by the defense that Michael Jackson self-administered propofol unto himself. White admitted that the chances of Jackson doing that to himself was “highly unlikely.”

Prosecutors portrayed Murray as an incompetent doctor who used the anesthetic propofol without adequate safeguards and whose neglect, left Jackson abandoned as he lay dying. While Jackson was dying, prosecutors even proved that Murray was in fact on the phone with one of his mistresses. They also tried to paint Murray as a money-hungry doctor desperate for the chance to earn a large chunk of money through the superstar.

Murray’s lawyers tried to picture the doctor as a medical blessing with former patients vouching for his skills. Murray told police from the outset that he gave Jackson propofol and other sedatives as the star struggled for sleep to prepare for his shows. But the doctor said he administered only a small dose on the day Jackson died. According to the defense’s testimony, Murray was trying to ween him off the sleeping sedatives and to get him back to normal sleeping habits.

The decision was reached after less than nine hours of deliberation. The prosecution asked for Murray to be remanded into custody immediately. “He is now a convicted felon,” prosecutor David Walgren said.

Defense lawyer Ed Chernoff argued that he is not danger to the community before Murray was escorted out of the courtroom by the Sheriff.

Dr. Murray will be sentenced on November 29. He faces a sentence of up to four years and will possibly lose his medical license.

So what do you think?
Unfair to Dr. Con?
Justice for Michael?
Speak your thoughts.