Tuesday, 29 November 2011 17:42
As many expected, the judge in the case of Dr. Conrad Murray, threw the book at the infamous doctor. Dr. Murray, Michael Jackson’s personal physician, was sentenced to 4 years imprisonment in an L.A. County jail on Tuesday.
The Huffington Post reports that Conrad Murray, 58, stood stone-faced as Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor declared him an unfit candidate for probation and pronounced the sentence for involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's 2009 death, citing Murray's involvement in what the judge called a "cycle of horrible medicine."
"He has absolutely no sense of remorse," the judge said. "[Murray] is and remains dangerous. ... I think Dr. Murray is so reckless that I believe he is a danger to the community."
Pastor said the court will order Dr. Murray to pay restitution to Jackson's estate and children in an amount to be determined at a later restitution hearing when they can get more detailed information. Pastor also ordered $800 in restitution to the court, a $30 court security fee, and a $40 criminal conviction assessment.
"We know that Michael Jackson, as a direct result of the actions of Dr. Murray died on June 25, 2009, leavening his three children without their father," Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said during the proceedings. "It is the people's opinion that prison is warranted."
"As his brothers and sisters we will never be able to hold, laugh or perform with our brother Michael," said spokesman Brian Panish, delivering a collective statement from the Jackson family. "As his children we will grow up without a father, our best friend, our playmate and our dad. We are not here to seek revenge. There is nothing you can do today that will bring Michael back. But we will keep the love in our hearts that Michael embodied throughout his life. His passion was for unifying the world through the gift of his artistry. We respectfully request that you impose a sentence that reminds physicians that they cannot sell their services to the highest bidder and cast aside their Hippocratic Oath to do no harm. As we all know from this tragedy doing so can have devastating results."
Murray's legal team plans to file an appeal.
Dr. Murray was sentenced to county jail and not the California state prison system because of prison overcrowding.