Monday, November 7, 2011
Michael Jackson's doctor found GUILTY of manslaughter in King of Pop's death
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- Jury deliberated for just ten hours over the course of two days
- Trial featured 50 witnesses and 22 days of testimony
- Conrad Murray denied bail and left court in handcuffs
Last updated at 10:09 PM on 7th November 2011
Dr Conrad Murray was led out of court in handcuffs after being remanded without bail to await his sentencing on November 29Michael Jackson's private doctor Conrad Murray was found guilty today of killing the King of Pop.
The 58-year-old cardiologist faces up to four years behind bars after the jury at Los Angeles Superior Court convicted him of involuntary manslaughter.
Michael Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray, seen here as the verdict was read, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter on Monday in his 2009 death in a rented Los Angles mansion
Murray was handcuffed by officers in the courtroom and led out by bailiffs. He is being held without bail until his November 29th sentencing
Wearing a grey pin-striped suit and a blue tie, Murray looked stunned as the jury's decision was read out after two days and ten hours of deliberations.
Just as he has through most of the trial, Murray remained stoic as Judge Michael Pastor dismissed an appeal for him to be released on bail pending his sentencing hearing.
A sheriff's deputy leaned over while Murray sat at the defence table and handcuffed him before leading him out of the court to the cells.
Jackson's sister, La Toya screamed out when the verdict was read out and her older sister, Rebbe held her head in her hands.
No one appeared more stunned by the guilty verdict than Conrad Murray himself, who looked understandably distraught as he was put in cuffs
Randy was closest to the jury and 15 members of Jackson family in all were sitting in the court. He massaged mother, Katherine's shoulders as she cried after the verdict was read out.
SENTENCING OPTIONS
Convicted of involuntary manslaughter, Conrad Murray now faces a sentence ranging from probation to four years in prison. Below are some of the factors related to sentencing:
- Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor would receive a probation department report on Murray recommending a sentence. Both prosecution and defence lawyers also file recommendations. But the final decision is his and his alone.
- Judge Pastor can consider that Murray is a defendant with no prior criminal record, a circumstance that might mitigate in favor of probation.
- Because of AB109, a recent California prison realignment bill, Murray probably would not go to state prison. If given a prison sentence, he would most likely serve it in the county jail because of prison overcrowding. There has been speculation that he would be allowed to serve a term of house arrest.
- The penal code calls for a convicted defendant to be sentenced in 20 days, but he can waive that time while his lawyers prepare a motion for a new trial and an appeal. He could remain free on bail during that period.
- Murray will lose his medical license
Outside the court, hundreds of Jackson fans cheered when they heard the verdict.
Judge Pastor said Murray's 'reckless conduct' meant he was a danger to the public.
In what was billed as the most closely watched celebrity trial in history, a procession of witnesses gave starkly contrasting views of the 58-year-old doctor.
The verdict came after nearly 50 witnesses, 22 days of testimony and less than two days of deliberation by a jury of seven men and five women.
Announcing the verdict, the judge thanked the jurors for their civic duty.
'I remember way back when in September when we first met, I asked you at that time to accept responsibility of citizenship and told you that I understood that serving on this jury would be a hardship and a burden because you have your own lives and responsibility to your jobs, profession and family.
'You have undertaken the responsibility in a remarkable fashion. You have made sacrifices and had to endures burdens, delays and a case that ran over the time I had told you you would have to serve.
'You have been remarkable in conscientiousness, patience, respect and never been late. For that we are very appreciative. I know that serving on a case of this sort interferes with everyday life and I personally thanks you for your time and efforts.'
During the trial prosecutors painted Murray as a greedy opportunist who threw his medical knowhow out of the window to cater to the dangerously bizarre whims of a superstar.
LaToya Jackson arrived with Rick and Kathy Hilton, far right. La Toya tweeted that she was 'shaking uncontrollably!' as she made her way to the courthouse and then screamed inside once the verdict was read
Joe and Katherine Jackson arrived together at the courthouse shortly before the verdict was read and walked through a sea of their son's fans
The defence painted him as a caring cardiologist battling against the odds to help his celebrity patient from self-destructing.
But after six weeks of evidence, the seven men and five women jurors agreed on one crucial factor - that Murray was responsible for Jackson's death.
In the end it came down to the fact that the doctor acted with criminal negligence in administering a deadly dose of propofol to the star who was desperate to get some sleep to rehearse for his looming comeback tour at London's O2 Arena.
Randy and sister Rebbie Jackson also arrived before the verdict was announced to honor their brother
Murray was accused of botching any hopes of reviving the star by delaying more than 20 minutes before calling 911 for help after discovering Jackson lifeless on his bed on June 25, 2009.
Then he lied about using propofol - a powerful drug that is only supposed to be used in a hospital setting - to cover up his guilt, keeping the fact that he used the sedative from paramedics and emergency room doctors.
One medical expert outlined seventeen separate failures in the accepted standards of care in Murray's treatment of the 50-year-old singer, each of which could have possibly played a part in his death.
Jackson fans and supporters have turned out every day over the months of the trial
The cheers and applause erupted when the guilty verdict was read and could be heard inside the courtroom
Defence Attorney Ed Chernoff
Mr Chernoff is a relatively little known attorney from Houston, Texas that nevertheless comes with a glowing legal reputation. He works at a firm with three lawyers which mainly handles white-collar cases.
He has fought hard in defence of Dr Conrad Murray, a man he counts as a personal friend. He has temporarily left his Texas home, including his wife and newborn baby, to decamp to an office in California for the trial.
His handling of the case has not always gone smoothly and he can often be seen chewing an unlit cigar. Chernoff was forced to fire the defence's publicist after discovering she had leaked information related to a confidential jury questionnaire to TMZ. He was born in Maryland in 1962 and attended law school at the University of Houston.
Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney David Walgren told the jury they needed to agree on just one life threatening blunder to find him guilty.
He said Murray's use of propofol to treat Jackson's chronic insomnia was an 'obscene experiment.'
Walgren rejected claims that Jackson was falling apart and hooked on painkiller drugs and insisted that the 50-year-old star was excited and optimistic about his future and was planning to buy a new, stable home for his family and end their nomadic 'vagabond' lifestyle.
The trial started sensationally with a photo of Jackson's dead body lying on a hospital gurney shown to the jury during opening arguments. A shocking tape of Jackson's slurred voice was also played in the courtroom on the first day.
Prosecutors then quizzed a series of witnesses who offered damning accounts of Murray's care for Jackson in the final months, days and hours of his life.
As it proceeded, the trial came more down to a battle of the scientists who argued over the dangers and benefits of propofol.
The defence insisted Murray was cast as a scapegoat by the authorities who needed someone to blame for the tragedy.
NOT PRESENT: Jackson's three children Prince, 14, Blanket, 9, and Paris, 13, have stayed away from the entire trial as well as staying away from the verdict
The jury was sensationally shown this image of Jackson's dead body by the prosecution early on in Murray's trial
Prosecutor David Walgren (Deputy DA)
This is far from his first high-profile case. In 2009, he stopped director Roman Polanski’s effort to have a 1977 child-sex case against him dismissed. Four years before that he jailed photographer John Rutter who was convicted of forgery, attempted grand theft and perjury after he had tried to sell old topless pictures of Cameron Diaz back to the actress.
He graduated from law school at the University of California in 1995 where he went straight into the L.A. district attorney’s office. He began working on misdemeanors and juvenile cases before joining the hardcore gang unit before moving to major crimes in 2005.
His impassioned court room appearances have attracted him some fans - a Facebook page called David Walgren Is Hot has 1,200 followers while Michael Jackson's sister, La Toya gave him a shout out on Twitter: ‘Walgren is doing a great job!’ Mr Walgren is happily married to Deputy DA Nicol Walgren and the couple have two children.
'Somebody's got to say it: If it were anybody else but Michael Jackson, if it were anybody else, would this doctor be here today?' defence lawyer Ed Chernoff said in his closing argument on Thursday.
Chernoff said Murray was under immense pressure to administer the knock-out drug from Jackson and the promoters of the lucrative sell-out comeback concerts. Jackson himself even threatened to cancel the tour if he couldn't get enough sleep to rehearse.
'He was just a little fish in a big dirty pond,' said Chernoff.
Murray chose not to go on the stand, perhaps fearing he would harm his case still further under harsh examination from the prosecution. He showed little emotion despite being excoriated by some witnesses, but his lawyers sought to show him as a sympathetic figure and summoned a number of former heart patients to vouch for his expertise and generosity.
Despite speculation to the contrary, Jackson's children, Prince, 14, Paris, 13 and nine-year-old Blanket did not give evidence and were kept away from the spectacle surrounding the trial.
But Walgren focused on the children's loss in his closing speech to the jury, blaming Murray for robbing them of their father.
'For them, this case doesn't end today or tomorrow or the next day,' he said. 'For Michael's children, this case will go on forever because they do not have a father.'
Jackson was paying $100,000 a month to live this rented Bel Air mansion at the time of his death in one of its many upstairs bedrooms
The Judge: Michael Pastor
A renowned and respected LA Superior Court Judge for 27 years, the New Yorker has made sure that evidence in the trial was limited to Michael Jackson’s final days and hours.
He has presided strictly over the case, trying prevent it from turning into a lengthy media circus. Over the years Judge Pastor has handled a significant number of very serious and complicated felony matters, including charges of multiple murder, sex offenses, and fraud.
In addition, he was also assigned to handle the case involving the photographer charged with attempted grand theft and forgery against Cameron Diaz.
He graduated from Cornell University in 1971 and worked in New York City for a year before beginning law school.
Jackson's parents, Joe and Katherine, and siblings Janet, LaToya, Jermaine and Randy were regularly in the public gallery on the ninth floor of the Los Angeles Superior Court building while Murray's mother watched from the other side of the public gallery.
Every day, Jackson fans lined the street outside the downtown court waving placards and demanding justice for their musical hero.
At Judge Michael Pastor's instigation, the jury was not allowed to hear much about Murray's tangled love life. Although he is married, he has fathered at least seven children with six different women.
His doctor wife lives in Las Vegas with their two children, but the court heard that Murray lives with mistress Nicole Alvarez, a former stripper, in Santa Monica, California.
One of the key battles of the experts was between two anesthesiologists.
Prosecution star witness Dr Steven Shafer was scathing about the dangers Murray exposed Jackson to by using propofol without the proper equipment or staff, but he was branded a 'cop' by the defence for his zealous testimony.
Dr Paul White, testifying for the prosecution, was lambasted by Walgren for his flimsy research and the 'junk science' he used to try and explain how Jackson could have caused his own death by self-administering propofol while Murray left the bedside to go to the toilet.
WHO IS DR MURRAY? THE DEADBEAT DAD TURNED DOCTOR TO THE STARS
To many of his devoted patients, Conrad Murray was a caring doctor who would offer treatment for free to the poor.
But his secret double life as a deadbeat dad and a compulsive womaniser led him to take a lucrative job as Michael Jackson's personal drug doctor.
Desperate for cash to pay his mounting debts, Murray took the lucrative post injecting Jackson - no questions asked - with nightly doses of the knock-out sleep drug that ultimately killed the world's biggest star.
Murray's £750,000 Las Vegas mansion was about to be repossessed after he fell £60,000 behind with the mortgage in 2009 when Jackson asked him to travel to London with him as his full-time physician, official documents reveal.
His two medical practices in Nevada and Texas faced £394,000 in court judgments and he was late paying a £40,000 personal loan and thousands of pounds in child support.
The Grenada-born doctor's spiralling debts were the reason Murray demanded £3 million from Jackson when he was first offered the job, said friends. He later settled for £100,000-a-month.
Hours after being convicted of causing the death of the King of Pop, Murray was revealed as the King of the Cads.
Murray, who is married, has fathered at least seven children with six women, most of them out of wedlock.
According to court records, he has also been sued more than a dozen times for claims including breach of contract and unpaid child support.
In April, 2009, Murray was sentenced to 10 days in jail for non-payment of child support and was ordered to spend 25 days behind bars for the same reason in 2007. On both occasions, he eventually paid up to avoid going to prison.
He was also arrested twice on charges brought by former girlfriends, once for fraudulent breach of trust and once for domestic violence, although he was never convicted.
While still living with his doctor wife, Blanche, and their two children in Las Vegas, Murray was also paying the £1,600 a month rent on a flat in Santa Monica, California, for his 29-year-old actress lover Nicole Alvarez.
Murray met Alvarez when she was working as an exotic dancer at the Crazy Horse Too club in Las Vegas.
He had moved to Sin City after conceiving a child after an affair with a married nurse, Nenita Malibiran, who worked with him at the same San Diego hospital.
During a 1999 child custody hearing, Murray admitted having a history of fathering children and then leaving their mothers.
Murray was born on February 19, 1953 to a poor single mother and was raised by his grandparents on a farm in Grenada, moving to Trinidad when he was seven. When he arrived in the US, he went to university and medical school in Houston and Nashville, before working as a cardiologist in San Diego.
He married first wife, Zufan Tesfai in 1984 and got divorced four years later after having a child with mistress Patricia Mitchell, who accused him of a 'fraudulent breach of trust.'
He had another brush with the law in 1994 when he was arrested for domestic violence against Janice Adams, who also mothered two daughters with him, while he was a cardiologist working at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
He met current wife, Blanche, while both were attending the same medical school.
On the morning of Jackson's death, Murray was on the phone to Sade Anding, a cocktail waitress he met in Houston and two stripper ex-girlfriends, Michelle Bella - from Spearmint Rhino Gentlemen's Club - and Bridgette Morgan - from Cheetah's - testified in court that they got calls from the doctor while he was supposed to be caring for the star.
Murray's current mistress, Nicole Alvarez, started dating the doctor after giving him a private lap dance in her strip club's VIP lounge. Her close friend Ben Harris said she later showed him a cheque worth £2,500 Murray had given her and said: 'I've hit the jackpot.'
Sade Anding, 25, who was talking to Murray when he discovered Jackson had stopped breathing, also said the first time she met the doctor he gave her a £70 tip for a £7 drink.
'He told me he was very successful. He said the song 'I'm Coming Up' is them theme of his life - that he came up from nothing to where he was now. But he said nothing about a girlfriend and all these children.'
She said he later gave her a cash gift of £250 and a cheque for £300 on their nights out together. 'Looking back I think he was hoping I'd join him on the bed but I said I had to go,' she added.
Another Vegas model, Maggie Goldstein, claimed Murray flew her on an all expenses paid trip to the Caribbean.
'I was one of 10 models and promotions girls hired by Conrad Murray to fly to a Trinidad and Tobago resort in 2005 to publicize a new energy drink, Pit Bull, that Murray was producing with a partner.
'Conrad had a ball. He was up into the early hours, drinking, having fun and posing bare-chested with the girls. He brought along a girlfriend, Bridget, a black singer from Los Angeles.
'I was shocked to later find out he was married,' she added.
Murray hasn't previously had any blemishes on his medical record, but bad medicine does run in the family.
His father, Dr Rawle Andrews, reportedly had his medical privileges restricted for five years in 1994 in Texas because he was prescribing non-therapeutic drugs.
This post was written by: Joel Waldron
Joel Waldron is a professional blogger, web designer and IT Techinician. Follow him on Twitter
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