Michael Jackson trial: Dr Conrad Murray found guilty of killing singer with drug overdose

MICHAEL JACKSON'S doctor Conrad Murray has been found guilty of the involuntary manslaughter of the superstar by giving him a fatal overdose.
After a sensational six-week trial, Murray, 58, now faces four years in prison and losing his medical licence. He will be sentenced in six to eight weeks.
The jury of seven men and five women in Los Angeles were in their second day of deliberations when they unexpectedly reached the verdict. They found the doctor gave 50-year-old singer Jackson an overdose of the powerful sedative propofol on June 25, 2009.
There were cheers from crowds of Jacko fans outside the court when the unanimous guilty verdict was delivered.
Prosecutors had painted Murray as a reckless physician who abandoned the pop star while he was under the effects of the drug ­ administered as a sleep aid. They said he had caused Jacko's death at his rented LA mansion through negligence, depriving his children of their father and the world of a "genius".
Lawyers for the cardiologist – who became Jackson's personal doctor as the singer prepared for a series of comeback concerts – said the star was addicted to the drug and self-administered the fatal dose when Murray left his bedroom.
Jackson lived in a "pharmacological Never Never Land" in which he had easy access to an array of prescription drugs, it emerged during the trial.
The singer died with a cocktail of sedatives and anaesthetics in his body.
The court heard the so-called King of Pop used the nickname "milk" for propofol - the powerful anaesthetic that killed him.
As well as taking the liquid drug, which is not meant to be a sleep aid, the star was given diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan) and midazolam (Versed) during a 10-hour period throughout the night and morning leading to his death.
During the trial Dr Steven Shafer, an expert on propofol, said it was almost unheard of to give the drug as a treatment for insomnia when normally it is used before surgery in hospitals.

He told the court: "We are in pharmacological Never Never Land here. Something that's only been done to Michael Jackson."
The expert said Murray, was more like a member of staff at Jackson's beck and call than a doctor.
"Conrad Murray said yes, and that is what an employee does," he said.
"And I do not see a difference between Conrad Murray saying yes to a request that Michael Jackson is making, and an employee who cleans the house agreeing to a request of Michael Jackson."
Another expert, Dr Nader Kamanger, told the jurors: "This cocktail (of drugs) was a recipe for disaster."
Asked by Murray's lawyer Michael Flanagan if propofol could have caused the star's death, he replied: "Absolutely. Absolutely."
At one stage during the trial, jurors were shown more than three dozen bottles of prescription medications to demonstrate the quantities of drugs kept for the star.
They were also played a recording of a drugged-up Jackson talking about his forthcoming shows.
"We have to be phenomenal," his slurred voice echoed around the court.
"When people leave this show, when people leave my show, I want them to say, 'I've never seen nothing like this in my life.
"Go. Go. I've never seen nothing like this. Go. It's amazing. He's the greatest entertainer in the world'."
The trial featured 49 witnesses and more than 300 pieces of evidence were presented.
As the news came in that a verdict was expected, Jackson's sister LaToya said on Twitter: "Verdict is FINALLY IN!!! I'm on my way! I'm shaking uncontrollably!"
The case started in amazing fashion on the opening day when a chilling picture of Jackson lying dead in hospital was shown to the court.
The photo showed the King of Pop in a white surgical gown, with a sheet slung loosely around his legs and with tape or tubing partly covering his face.
In another macabre twist, the packed court also heard a haunting tape of the singer sounding as if he was heavily sedated.
In the message to Murray, Jackson was heard mumbling about wanting to impress his fans at his forthcoming shows.
Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said Jackson was “highly under the influence” when speaking in May 2009.
“When people leave my show, I want them to say, ‘I’ve never seen nothing like this in my life,’” the star can be heard murmuring.
Weeks after it was made, he was dead. The tape was part of a multimedia presentation by ­prosecutors, watched by a global audience.
The slideshow even illustrated how Dr Murray ordered four gallons of Propofol for Jackson before he died.
It was a grim opening to what has been dubbed the trial of the century.
Deputy district attorney David Walgren said: “The evidence will show that Michael Jackson literally put his life in the hands of Conrad Murray.
“Michael Jackson trusted his life to the medical skills of Conrad Murray. The evidence will show that misplaced trust had far too high a price to pay.
“It cost Michael Jackson his life.”
Mr Walgren claimed the evidence would show that the “acts and omissions” of Dr Murray directly led to Jackson’s premature death. He accused the medic of being incompetent and unskilled and insisted he “repeatedly acted with gross negligence”.
Describing the days leading up to Jackson’s death, Mr Walgren said the singer had displayed increasing signs of ill health.
He said that on June 19: “Michael showed up for his rehearsal and he was not in good shape, he was not in good shape at all. He had chills, he was trembling... he was rambling.”
Kenny Ortega, manager of the star’s proposed This Is It tour, expressed concern but Murray allegedly told him that Jackson was “physically and emotionally fine”.
He allegedly added: “Don’t let it be your concern, I am the doctor.”
The jury was told of shipments of Propofol – a powerful drug normally only administered in hospital – that were sent to Murray. He is said to have received more than 15 litres of the anesthetic in the time he worked for Jackson.
The court heard that Murray initially requested a $5million (£3.2million) salary from the singer but finally settled for $150,000 (£95,000) a month – although his contract was never signed and he was never paid.
Defence lawyers said there was nothing Murray could have done to save the singer’s life.

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