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Jackson doctor charged

By | Published on Tuesday 9 February 2010

The doctor accused of causing Michael Jackson’s death, Dr Conrad Murray, was officially charged with involuntary manslaughter yesterday. Finally.

As much previously reported, the LAPD have been investigating Murray for months, amid allegations he was negligent in administering the anaesthetic drug which killed Jackson. Jacko seemingly requested the drug – normally only used in surgery – in a bid to overcome chronic insomnia. There is also some question as to how Murray and Jackson had access to the prescription medication. But Murray maintains that he did not behave negligently prior to Jackson’s untimely death.

It had been thought by many, including the doctor and his legal team, that Murray would be arrested by appointment last Friday, but a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles district attorney said the office had decided to delay action. Because what’s a few days after nearly eight months?

Ahead of yesterday’s charges, Murray’s lawyer, Ed Chernoff, told reporters that his client is ready for his impending legal battle, telling reporters: “We’ll make bail, we’ll plead not guilty and we’ll fight like hell”. The doc was later released on $75,000 bail, after Judge Keith Schwartz rejected the $300,000 price requested by prosecutors as excessive. Murray is due in court for a prelim hearing on 5 Apr. If found guilty, he could face up to four years in prison.

Although Murray being charged is a big step forward in the long running investigation into Jackson’s death, the late singer’s family didn’t rush to welcome the news, with his father telling reporters he thought involuntary manslaughter was too lax a charge, while his sister reckons the doc is just one of a number of people responsible for her brother’s demise.

Speaking for patriarch Joe Jackson, legal man Brian Oxman told reporters: “This charge is a slap on the wrist. There’s great disappointment here. [Conrad Murray] should’ve been charged with a higher degree of responsibility. What he did was reckless. It was a disregard for human life”.

Meanwhile La Toya Jackson stuck with her conspiracy theory around Jacko’s death, telling reporters: “Michael was murdered and although he died at the hands of Dr Conrad Murray, I believe Dr Murray was a part of a much larger plan. There are other individuals involved and I will not rest and I will continue to fight until all of the proper individuals are brought forth and justice is served”.

Earlier in the LAPD’s investigation it was thought police might target a network of dodgy medics who allegedly supply California’s super rich with prescription drugs on demand for large fees, with the implication it was that network which provided the drugs that killed the king of pop. But it’s not clear if that is really part of the police’s case regarding the death of Michael Jackson.



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