Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson’s private doctor has been found guilty today of killing the megastar by a jury in Los Angeles.
Michael Jackson’s personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray faces up to four years behind bars after the jury in Los Angeles convicted him of involuntary manslaughter after just ten hours of deliberations over two days.
A panel of seven men and five women took two days of deliberation to reach a verdict.
Michael Jackson died on 25 June 2009 from an overdose of the powerful anaesthetic propofol.
Dr. Conrad Murray, 58, could now receive a maximum prison term of four years and lose his licence to practise medicine.
Doctor’s lawyers argued that Michael Jackson self-administered a lethal dose of the drug while he was out of the room.
Dr. Conrad Murray sat silently, shifting in his seat as the verdict was read out.
The Los Angeles jury – made up of one African American, six whites and five Hispanics – deliberated on Friday and through the morning on Monday.
Outside the court, fans of Michael Jackson were cheering and chanting, “Guilty! Guilty!” in the run-up to the verdict being announced.
During the six-week trial, 49 witnesses and more than 300 pieces of evidence were presented to the court.
Michael Jackson, who had been out of the public eye for several years, died in 2009 as he was preparing for a series of comeback performances at the O2 Arena in London.
In his closing argument last Thursday, the prosecution said Dr. Conrad Murray had caused Michael Jackson’s death through negligence, depriving star’s children of their father and the world of a “genius”.
The defense argued that Michael Jackson was a drug addict who caused his own death by giving himself an extra dose of propofol while the cardiologist was out of the room at the star’s rented mansion in Los Angeles.
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