On Nov. 7, Dr. Conrad Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the death of the ‘King of Pop,' Michael Jackson. According to the Washington Post, he has been on suicide watch since the verdict, after being deemed by the jail as a "keep-away prisoner."
Murray had previously pled not guilty to the charges against him. As part of his defense, Murray claimed that Jackson had hired him to stay the night to administer the anesthetic drug, which is intended for use solely in a hospital setting. He said that Michael Jackson would often plead with the doctor for more, as he was addicted to the powerful effects of the drug and eventually needed it to fall asleep.
The trial began on Sept. 27, 2011 in Los Angeles. The media followed the case extensively. There were cameras every day outside of the courthouse, as Conrad Murray, and a cast of other characters, including the entire Jackson family, that would arrive and exit each passing day.
Prosecutors gave their deliberations first and wrapped up their case on Oct. 24, after 16 days in court. That same day, the defense told Conrad Murray's side of the story. They wrapped up their case on Nov. 1, after Dr. Murray chose to not testify in the trial.
Prosecutors intended to make Dr. Murray look like a con artist, who set out to keep the pop singer drugged, and to exploit him for monetary purposes. They also questioned his character by bringing in a string of women who claimed to be the girlfriend of Dr. Murray. They also alleged that Murray was on the phone with one of these women in the moments that Michael Jackson was going into cardiac arrest.
Murray's defense team initially claimed that Michael Jackson administered the dosage of propofol that killed him, on his own. They also used character witnesses who testified on behalf of the doctor.
As the guilty verdict arrived, the judge ordered Dr. Murray into custody pending his sentencing hearing. He was denied bail.
On June 25, 2009, Jackson was pronounced dead at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center after going into cardiac arrest caused by "acute propofol intoxication." His autopsy report indicated that he also had traces of multiple medications, including anti-anxiety medications including clonazepam, diazepam, and lorazepam, anti-depressant trazodone, as well as prostate medication. He was frail, at just 136 pounds. He was just 50 years old.
Michael Jackson was gearing up for a 50-show "farewell" tour, entitled "This Is It." The backstage footage of rehearsals and preparation for the production was released as a documentary in October of that same year. It earned over $261 million at the box office, $100 million alone in its first weekend of international release.
Michael Jackson was one of the most well known people of our lifetime, and his fans ranged from young to old. He will forever be an icon for his talents, but at the same time, an example of a true media train wreck. His final years were a far cry from when he was at his peak. The pop icon had long been a mere caricature of his old self. His story is tragic, really. The singer's death truly marked the end of an era in music.
Sentencing for Conrad Murray is scheduled for Nov. 29, 2011.
