US News

Jackson doctor sentenced to four years in jail

Nov 30, 2011, 11:35 GMT

Dr. Conrad Murray sits in court after he was sentenced to four years in county jail for his involuntary manslaughter conviction of pop star Michael Jackson in Los Angeles, California, USA 29 November 2011. EPA/MARIO ANZUONI / POOL

Los Angeles - Dr Conrad Murray, who was found guilty earlier this month of the involuntary manslaughter of pop star Michael Jackson, was sentenced to four years in jail on Tuesday.

'Michael Jackson died because of the failings of Dr Conrad Murray,' said Judge Michael Pastor. 'He died because of a totality of circumstances which are directly attributable to Dr Conrad Murray, because of a series of decisions that Dr Murray made that jeopardised his patient.'

Calling Murray's use of the anesthetic propofol to treat Jackson's insomnia 'medical madness,' he said that Murray 'engaged in a continuing pattern of deceit and lies,' including to emergency responders who were left in the dark about the drugs in Jackson's system.

'Dr Murray created a set of circumstances and became involved in a cycle of horrible medicine,' the judge said.

A 12-member jury found Murray guilty of manslaughter after just nine hours of deliberations in early November after a five-week trial.

Jackson died in June 2009 from a propofol overdose as he was about to embark on a comeback tour at the age of 50. Murray had been hired as his private physician at a salary of 150,000 dollars a month to help with a variety of health problems, most notably Jackson's insomnia.

Pastor also referred to interviews made by Murray which aired on television after the verdict in which he appeared to avoid blame for Jackson's death.

Citing Murray's apparent lack of remorse over the crime, Pastor said that he 'declines to grant probation in this case' but stated that because of laws passed to reduce prison overcrowding, Murray would serve his sentence in county jail rather than state prison.

Murray's lawyer Nareg Gourjian blasted the sentence and the judge and hinted at an appeal. 'I thought he was openly hostile,' he told reporters. 'We are now in a position where someone is going to get to review what he has to say.'