Jury Finds Dr. Conrad Murray Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter
A jury reached a verdict Monday in the case against Dr Conrad Murray – finding him guilty of involuntary manslaughter for his role in the death of music icon Michael Jackson. He has been remanded to jail with no bail, awaiting a sentencing hearing on November 29th.
While Murray himself did not testify during the six-week trial, he was frequently emotional during witness testimony. During the reading of the verdict, he remained unemotional. Outside the courthouse, cheers and screams of celebration could be heard. Inside, several members of the Jackson family were in attendance, but not visible by the courtroom cameras.
Prosecutors and countless Jackson fans alike believed him to be reckless in his role as Jackson’s physician. Jackson died while under the effects of the anesthetic propofol on June 25th 2009. Murray had given Jackson the drug and other sedatives that morning, but defense attorneys argued that it was Jackson himself that self-administered the fatal dose.
Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor has complete jurisdiction over the sentence. The sentence could range from probation to four years in prison. (The maximum penalty is generally unlikely, say most legal experts.)  Both prosecution and defense attorneys file their own recommendations for sentencing after the verdict is reached. Murray has no prior criminal record. At the very least, Murray is expected to lose his medical license.
