Conrad Murray released from jail after less than two years
Dr. Conrad Murray, who was convicted of causing Michael Jackson’s death, has been released from jail.
The former cardiologist served less than 2 years of a 4-year sentence after being convicted in November 2011 of involuntary manslaughter.
Jail records confirmed Conrad Murray’s release and the sheriff’s office said he left a Los Angeles jail at 12:01 on Monday.
Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, after receiving a lethal dose of the anaesthetic propofol from Conrad Murray.
The King of Pop had been out of the public eye for several years but was preparing for a series of comeback performances at the O2 arena in London and Conrad Murray was serving as his personal physician.
Conrad Murray, 60, had been sentenced to serve four years behind bars, but a change in California law allowed his jail term to be significantly reduced.
The former doctor’s medical licences remain suspended or revoked in the US states where he previously practised medicine.
According to ABC News, Conrad Murray’s legal team is filing petitions in Texas to have his medical licence reinstated.
“He’s pretty confident that he’ll be able to practise medicine again somewhere,” Conrad Murray’s legal representative, Valerie Wass told the US broadcaster.
Conrad Murray is also appealing against his conviction, although an appeals court has questioned whether it needs to hear the case.
The doctor previously maintained clinics in Houston and Las Vegas and complained on several occasions about conditions in jail following his conviction and before his sentencing.
Conrad Murray was allowed to serve his entire sentence in a Los Angeles jail instead of a state prison due to a law which allowed nonviolent offenders to be moved to local prisons to limit overcrowding.
”Dr. Murray has not received any special treatment in jail and in fact has many less privileges than most inmates because of his notoriety,” Valerie Wass said earlier this year.
Valerie Wass said he was “very much looking forward to his release and getting on with his life”.
According to ABC News, Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine Jackson, said the singer’s family hopes Conrad Murray “can never practise medicine again and will not violate his hypocratic oath and hurt another patient”.
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