Judge Rips into Michael Jackson Doctor in Trial Finale
November 30, 2011
The judge who oversaw the trial of Michael Jackson’s doctor Conrad Murray, pictured, finally let rip at the medic on Tuesday, branding him a greedy and dangerous liar in a dramatic finale to the long-awaited case. (AFP Photo) Related articles
Michael Jackson Dances Again on One Billion Pepsi Cans 11:55am May 7, 2012
Disney Studio Chief Quits After ‘John Carter’ Bomb 11:14am Apr 21, 2012
Axl Rose Snubs Rockers’ Hall of Fame Honor 8:53am Apr 12, 2012
Marc Anthony Files for Divorce From J-Lo 8:46am Apr 12, 2012
‘Hunger Games’ Scores Easter Feast with $33.5 Million 8:25am Apr 9, 2012
Post a comment
Please login to post comment
Comments
Be the first to write your opinion!
Los Angeles. The judge who oversaw the trial of Michael Jackson’s doctor Conrad Murray finally let rip at the medic on Tuesday, branding him a greedy and dangerous liar in a dramatic finale to the long-awaited case.
As he jailed the medic for a maximum four years, the usually genial judge Michael Pastor alleged that Murray recorded a heavily-drugged Jackson speaking weeks before his death as an “insurance policy” to use against him if needed.
Pastor, who won praise for his deft handling of the six-week trial, also blasted Murray for cooperating in a TV documentary partly made during the trial, in which he said he did not feel guilty over the 2009 death.
“Yipes! Talk about blaming the victim. Not only isn’t there any remorse, there’s umbrage and outrage on the part of Dr Murray against the decedent,” he said, referring to a claim that Jackson demanded the drug which killed him.
Pastor’s low view of Murray was made clear shortly after a seven-man, five-woman jury found him guilty on November 7, when he said the medic was a danger to the public and ordered him handcuffed and remanded in custody.
In a no-holds barred 30-minute summing up Tuesday shortly before passing sentence, Pastor notably called Murray’s treatment of the King of Pop a “medical experiment” and “horrible medicine.”
“Dr Murray repeatedly lied, engaged in deceitful misconduct, and endeavored to cover up his transgressions,” he said, accusing the medic of “unconscionable lies” to 911 paramedics by not telling them all the drugs he had given Jackson.
“He had absolutely no sense of remorse... and is, and remains dangerous,” he added. “I believe he’s a danger to the community,” he said, calling Murray “a disgrace to the medical profession.”
Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for having given Jackson the anesthetic propofol nightly for some two months before his death, and on the day he died, June 25, 2009.
“Mr Jackson was an experiment. The fact that he participated in it does not excuse or lessen the blame of Dr Murray who simply could have walked away and said no as countless others did.
“Dr Murray was intrigued by the prospect and he engaged in this money-for-medicine madness that is simply not going to be tolerated by me,” he added.
Pastor said that, of all the evidence heard at the trial, the most intriguing was the audio recording of a heavily-slurring Jackson, made on Murray’s iPhone during a conversation with the star only weeks before he died.
“That tape-recording was Dr Murray’s insurance policy... it was designed to record his patient surreptitiously at that patient’s most vulnerable point,” he said.
“I can’t help but wonder, that if there had been some conflict between Michael Jackson and Dr Murray at a later point in time... what value would be placed on that tape recording, if the choice were to release that recording to a media organization to be used against Michael Jackson.”
One of Murray’s lawyers, Michael Flanagan, said after sentencing that he was not surprised by the maximum jail term handed down by Pastor, who he said had been clearly “hostile” to the medic.
“I’ve noticed it for almost two years... this judge has been angry with us the entire time,” he said.
But he poured scorn on the claim that 58-year-old Murray, an experienced cardiologist whose medical record was unblemished before he began treating Jackson two months before his death, was a danger to the public.
“He could have bolted out of those courtroom doors and run down, punched that elevator and within five minutes got to the bottom floor and he could have gone out and injected a bunch of people with propofol,” he said, sarcastically.
“Do you really think he was a danger? He’s led 56 years of exemplary life,” he asked reporters, shortly after Murray was led back to the cells.
Agence France-Presse
- Lady Gaga Angers Thai Fans With Fake Rolex Comment
- Lady Gaga Refuses to Tone Down Her Shows: Manager
- Djoko Says ‘I Don’t Care’ About FPI Demonstration
- Indonesia Set to Cap Bank Owners’ Stakes: Sources
- President's Son Nearly Attacked by Angry Mob
- If You Don’t Like It, Don’t Watch, Djoko Says of Gaga
- Singapore Cabby Jailed for Molesting Indonesian Maid
- Indonesia's Chief Justice Demands SBY Explain Corby Clemency
- National Exams' ‘Fantastic’ Passing Rate Suspicious: ICW
- Malaysian Authorities Seize Copies of Irshad Manji’s Book
-
10:22am | Indonesian Police Consider Ton...
"Members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), which spearheaded the campaign against Lady Gaga, said in a statement handed out at the protests th -
10:20am | Djoko Says ‘I Don’t Care’ Abou...
one of the few sensible ministers.. still I doubt if there's undertable money... -
10:20am | More Muslim Groups Demand Canc...
BilboBaggins; "Can the president not protect the country from these troublemakers". Obviously NOT! And since Police is under the direct co -
10:19am | Lady Gaga Refuses to Tone Down...
The guy behind Lady Gaga is just who the FPI need to speak to. -
10:13am | If You Don’t Like It, Don’t Wa...
I ask you again simplesimon; since you think that everything is so bad here, and you keep insulting Indonesians, why ARE YOU STILL HERE??? How abou -
10:06am | More Muslim Groups Demand Canc...
These groups have the right to protest the concert but what they don't want to concede is that the rest of the population have the right to attend -
10:05am | Indonesian Language Section St...
"...and 165 who failed because of low English scores"..."...484 students failed because their Indonesian language scores were lower than 4.0 out -
9:56am | Djoko Says ‘I Don’t Care’ Abou...
I share the same opinion and compliment Minister Djoko Suyanto for his stand. These thugs like FPI should not come and watch the concert if they do
