Conrad Murray Found Guilty
[Updated | Nov. 7, 2011 2:40 p.m.] Conrad Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, and faces up to four years in prison.
The verdict was read at 1:18 p.m. Monday. Sentencing for the case is set for November 29. Murray was then taken into custody in handcuffs. The judge ruled Murray must go to jail without bail with concerns for his safety.
Jurors announced shortly after 11 a.m. they had reached a verdict in the Conrad Murray trial. Hundreds of Michael Jackson fans lined the streets outside the downtown LA courthouse where the proceedings took place.
The jury's decision came on the second day of deliberations over the Conrad Murray involuntary manslaughter trial.
Murray's family, along with hundreds of people, flocked outside of the courtroom to hear the verdict. Michael Jackson fans erupted in applause, hugging each other at the sounding of the verdict.
"Michael was watching over us," Jackson's sister, La Toya Jackson, said.
Jackson's mother, Katheron Jackson, said she was confident Murray would be found guilty.
The jurors, who are tasked with determining whether Michael Jackson's personal physician is or is not guilty of involuntary manslaughter, did not reach a verdict after deliberating for about six hours behind closed doors on Friday.
The twelve-person jury was a multiethnic group consisting of seven men and five women, ranging from a postman to a movie animation supervisor.
Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor praised the jurors for their commitment and attention to the evidence presented during the trial, which has extended beyond.
The 23-day long trial centered on whether the fatal dose of propofol which was found in Jackson's stomach was due to Murray's negligence or the singer's self-administration.
The jury heard a total of 49 witnesses -- 33 for the prosecution and 16 for the defense.
A key witness for the prosecution was a prominent anesthetist, Dr. Steven Shafer, who testified that Murray must have given Jackson propfol as a sleeping aid and is guilty of negligence.
The defense also called a propofol expert to the witness stand, Dr. Paul White, who countered that the evidence suggests rather that Jackson self-administered propofol after Murray had left.
Last Thursday, attorneys for the prosecution and defense presented their closing arguments.
Deputy District Attorney David Walgreen for the prosecution reasserted that Jackson's death was a result of his physician's negligence.
"[The evidence] is abundantly clear that Conrad Murray acted with criminal negligence, that Conrad Murray caused the death of Michael Jackson," Walgreen said.
Walgreen also repeatedly mentioned Jackson's three children -- Prince, Paris, and Blanket -- in his closing argument, although none of the children were in attendance that day.
Murray's head attorney, Edward Chernoff, closed by reminding the jury that the evidence most reasonably pointed to the fact that Jackson self-administering the fatal dose of propofol himself.
"What they're really asking you to do is convict Dr. Murray for the actions of Michael Jackson," Chernoff said.
RELATED:
Murray's Fate in Hands of Jury
[...] Conrad Murray Found Guilty COMMENTS Leave a comment [...]