Conrad Murray faces up to four years in prison. Picture: AP Source: AP
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MICHAEL Jackson fans reacted with euphoria today after a jury found his personal doctor guilty of killing the singer with a powerful anaesthetic and sedatives.
Conrad Murray, 58, a once?respected cardiologist who was loved by his patients, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and now faces up to four years in prison.
He stared blankly as the verdict was read.
"This is a crime where the end result was the death of a human being and the public should be protected," said LA Superior Court judge Michael Pastor.
Even before the judge had finished speaking, court sheriffs leaned over Murray's chair and handcuffed him.
Murray will be sentenced on November 29.
The entire Jackson family was inside the court and La Toya Jackson was heard cheering as the verdict was read.
Outside court, fans chanted "Justice for Michael". They refused to acknowledge that their hero had been a drug addict for many years and, like the Jackson family, viewed Murray as a wanton killer.
Conrad Murray had the handcuffs put on him even before the judge had finished speaking. Picture: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images
?Justice was served, (but) it wasn?t enough time though,? said Jermaine Jackson.
La Toya Jackson said: ?Thank you America, thanks all the fans. Michael loves everybody out here. And guess what, he was in that courtroom and victory was served.?
Jackson died shortly after midday on June 25, 2009, of acute Propofol toxicity, a powerful anaesthetic which Murray had been giving Jackson every night for two months prior to his death. Two other barbiturates, also administered by Murray, were also in his system.
Michael Jackson fans chanted "guilty, guilty" outside the court. Picture: AFP
Source: AFP
Jackson, 50, died on June 25, 2009 at a rented mansion in LA where Murray had been treating him for insomnia during rehearsals for his comeback tour.
A coroner found that Jackson died of "acute propofol intoxication" in his bed. Two other barbiturates were also in his system.
Murray had been giving Jackson the anaesthetic propofol every night for two months prior to his death.
Cardiologists and anaesthesiologists testified that Murray had committed numerous egregious acts of negligence while caring for Jackson and should never have given Jackson such a drug outside of a hospital setting.
Murray lacked the proper heart and respiratory monitoring equipment, kept no records of the drugs he gave and, most inexplicably, waited more than 20 minutes to call for an ambulance after Jackson had stopped breathing.
Murray had worked with Jackson and his children for several years but had signed on as Jackson?s full?time physician as Jackson prepared for his sold?out, 50?show comeback concert series, This Is It, which was due to begin in London the following month.
A photograph of Michael Jackson's body is shown to the jury during Conrad Murray's trial. Picture: AP
Source: AP
He would be waiting for Jackson at his home every night after his rehearsals and would give Jackson his "milk", as Jackson called Propofol, along with other sedatives.
But the profile of Jackson given by addiction specialists was of a person who had been deeply drug?dependent for many years.
Murray - who will almost certainly never be permitted to practice medicine again - had signed on with Jackson at $150,000 per month after leaving his cardiology practice and effectively became Jackson?s personal drug dealer.
Prosecutor David Walgren told the jury in his closing address: "The evidence in this case is overwhelmingly, abundantly clear that Conrad Murray acted with criminal negligence, that Conrad Murray caused the death of Michael Jackson, that Conrad Murray left Prince, Paris and Blanket without a father."
Jackson's parents Joe and Katherine Jackson arrive to hear the verdict. Picture: AP
Source: AP
But the defence lawyer Ed Chernoff said Murray was "just a little fish in a big dirty pond", suggesting he was just one of the many doctors who supplied Jackson with drugs.
Murray, who did not testify in his own defence, ordered large amounts of Propofol in the two months prior to his death and fitted Jackson up with an intravenous drip to help him sleep. He added to this regimen with other sedatives.
Sometime before midday on June 25, Murray walked back into Jackson?s bedroom after making a series of phonecalls. Jackson was not breathing.
Rather than calling 911, Murray appeared to go into a panic. He called Jackson?s oldest son, Paris, to the room, where Jackson was lying on his back, with his eyes open and palms up. He was dead.
Medical experts and paramedics testified Jackson would have survived had Dr Murray called 911 immediately.
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