The Prosecution is using Murray’s documentary against him. SENTENCING MEMORANDUM
The Sentencing Memorandum filed by Steve Cooley, District Attorney of Los Angeles County, David Walgren and Deborah Brazil, Deputy D.A., is so splendid a summary of Murray’s case and is so marvelous a document that I would like to post it here in a Word format so that people could read and translate it into other languages.
What is extremely good about this document is that the judicial system has finally thought of a way to put Murray’s outrageous disrespect for law, justice and human ethics to a proper use.
Click to enlarge
Previously the office of Judge Pastor told us that Conrad Murray had found a loophole in the legislation which did allow him to give interviews for a documentary and let it air all over the world even after his conviction.
There was simply no way to stop those interviews from being shown as at the time he was giving them he was still a free man and this is where the loophole was.
This essentially means that not only was Murray allowed to feed us with his lies for two and half years before the trial, but he also found a way to go on with them even after he was found guilty of a crime!
If felons turn into highly paid stars after they are convicted and are allowed to influence the public by telling their stories unchallenged after the guilty verdict, the process of seeking justice will become totally unnecessary and will turn into a complete farce.
It is clear to every normal person that despite all loopholes in law no convict should continue to brainwash the public as to his alleged ‘innocence’ after his guilt has been proven.
However, as could be easily expected, the media naturally made an exception for Michael Jackson’s killer. They sought for Conrad Murray’s false revelations while the trial was still on, allowed him to sing as a bird in his interviews and evidently handsomely rewarded him for the chance.
Murray could have stated his case in court of course, however he chose not to, as telling lies there could be dangerous and result in complications. From what we know of Murray’s fairy tales and the examination skills of Deputy D.A. David Walgren, the Leading Prosecutor would have ripped Murray into shreds and sent him walking over the world’s TV screens a naked liar he is.
So over there Conrad Murray was cautious and used his right not to tell his story in court.
However telling lies about Michael Jackson to the media has always been a safe and most welcome thing to do. Michael’s detractors were always dear guests on TV and were met there with enthusiasm and a sympathetic ear for every crazy lie told about Jackson to the sheer delight of journalists and their chewing public.
No matter what Michael Jackson did – even if it was his own death – he was always to blame for it. Well-tested and polished media methods of trashing Michael’s name were ready to prove even the very opposite of the jury’s verdict. These methods were tried during and after the 2005 trial so there was nothing standing in the way to doing the same for the impossible Murray lies. All was in waiting for the documentary to overturn the verdict and deliver Michael Jackson the final blow.
However this time something went wrong.
The Sentencing Memorandum is a splendid summary of Murray’s case. Click to enlarge
The wonders started at the very beginning of the trial when the Prosecution – whom after Tom Sneddon no one really expected to ever stand by Michael Jackson’s interests – presented a cast-iron case and provided overwhelming proof that it was a crime committed against Michael Jackson, and not by him as the public would generally expect it.
The only thing the Prosecution did not have a chance to do is cross-examine Conrad Murray as he took his 5th Amendment right not to self-incriminate himself in court.
When the jury brought in a guilty verdict, the media tried to make up for the harm done by immediately producing a rebuttal documentary and giving the public a chance to listen to the good old guy.
The goal was the same as after the 2005 trial and on all other occasions concerning Michael Jackson – to seed doubt in people’s minds, undermine the jury’s verdict and portray the ‘poor doctor’ as an innocent victim of the very man the poor doctor killed.
Murray’s version of the story told from behind prison bars promised to be a sensation. It was to air all over the world simultaneously and for several days running.
But now that this event is over and has miraculously not produced the effect it intended to, it is again the Prosecutors’ turn to have their say.
They have also watched the documentary and decided to use the evidence contained in the interview against the felon.
They approached the judge with a sentencing memorandum regarding Murray showing that this is a hardened criminal who has no remorse for what he has done and who should therefore get the highest term possible. The highest term is of course a mere joke of 4 years (same as for shop-lifting), but this is the most we have, alas.
And now comes the most interesting part of it.
Just in case Conrad Murray hopes to live a happy life on some islands – after serving his term in prison – with the money he gets from that slanderous documentary, the Prosecution is pointing to certain clauses in the California Constitution and Penal Code which may thwart these beautiful plans.
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If the amendment on restitution is indeed applied to Murray it will strip him of the sum exceeding $100mln. for the “economic loss to the victim’s descendants as a result of the defendant’s conduct”.
The sum was calculated on the basis of the 50 shows projected for the tour (even the number of 50 shows came in handy here!) with the burial costs added to it.
And if the law on restitution does really take effect in Murray’s case, the sum of $100ml. to be paid to the children of Michael Jackson until the rest of Murray’s life will be the real and best possible punishment for him because it seems that this man is capable of understanding the language of money only.
Let me add only one more point to the above.
The situation with Murray’s documentary is a mirror image of Ray Chandler’s behaviour during the 2005 trial – only the outcome of it is somewhat different.
Same as Conrad Murray Ray Chandler also told numerous lies about Michael Jackson in his book “All that Glitters” and give interviews about it in the press and on TV.
And same as Murray he never took a chance to speak at the 2005 trial to prove the veracity of his words.
When the book was published Ray Chandler claimed he had priceless documents proving that Michael allegedly molested his nephew Jordan Chandler. However when Michael’s defense subpoenaed Ray Chandler to present his unique documents in court, the man twisted and turned as if being fried on a frying pan and stubbornly refused to go to court and tell his ‘truth’ there.
A big number of legal papers ensued and finally Ray Chandler sought refuge from the subpoena under the Shield Law covering journalists and publishers (he self-published the book).
Despite his unwillingness to tell his story in court and be cross-examined there he made rounds of numerous TV shows still telling lies about Jackson and complaining that he was being “harassed” by Michael Jackson’s defense team. And since no one knew that he was even subpoenaed and by the defense team too, the public easily believed his lies.
In short Ray Chandler was a tremendous success in 2005 in reaching two goals simultaneously – he unabashedly spread lies about Michael Jackson in public and escaped the need to go to court to prove his lies there (for posts about Ray Chandler please go here).
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In 2011 Conrad Murray wanted to do the same – tell his lies freely both before and after the trial and simultaneously evade telling them in court for fear of aggravating his case during the cross-examination.
But the same old proven pattern of behavior which worked so well for Ray Chandler suddenly backfired for Murray. Now it seems that our good old doctor will have to pay even a dearer price for his unashamed lies, total lack of conscience and complete disregard for ethics and human decency.
Let us keep our fingers crossed and hope that he will not only serve his term in prison but will also part with his fee for the documentary (and other funds on his bank accounts) to recompense over $100 million as restitution to Michael Jackson’s children.
The sentencing is to take place on November 29, 2011.
The Sentencing Memorandum filed by Steve Cooley, D.A. of Los Angeles County on November 23, 2011:
Source: http://tmz.vo.llnwd.net/o28/newsdesk/tmz_documents/1123_murray.pdf
STEVE COOLEY
District Attorney of Los Angeles County
David Walgren
Deborah Brazil
Deputy District Attorney
Major Crimes Division
page 5
210W. Temple Street, Room 17-1130
Los Angeles,
CA
90012
Attorney for Plaintiff
NOV 23 2011
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF
Case
No:
SA073164
CALIFORNIA,
Plaintiff, SENTENCING MEMORANDUM
vs.
CONRAD MURRAY,
Defendant.
TO: THE HONORABLE MICHAEL PASTOR, DEPARTMENT 107, LOS ANGELES
COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT, DEFENDANT CONRAD MURRAY AND DEFENSE COUNSEL.
Please take notice that on November 29, 2011, at 8:30 am, or as soon thereafter as this matter can be heard in Department 107 of the above entitled court, the People will move this court to sentence the defendant to state prison, impose all requisite fines, and impose an appropriate order for restitution.
This motion will be based upon this sentencing memorandum, the pleadings in the above entitled matter, the trial transcripts, victim impact statements, and upon any such further evidence as may be introduced at the sentencing hearing.
End of page 1
1 I.
2 INTRODUCTION
3 On November 7, 2011, a jury convicted the defendant of Penal Code section 192(b),
4 involuntary manslaughter, for causing the death of Michael Jackson.
6 II.
7 FACTS
8 On April 6, 2009, the defendant ordered 35 vials of propofol to administer to Michael
9 Jackson. On April 28, 2009, the defendant ordered another 65 vials of propofol. On May 12,
10 2009, the defendant ordered an additional 65 vials of propofol. Finally, on June 10, 2009, the
11 defendant ordered another 90 vials of propofol. In total, the defendant ordered over 4 gallons of
12 this anesthetic drug and, according to the defendant, he administered it to Michael Jackson on
13 a nightly basis for over two months.
14 On June 25, 2009, the defendant again administered propofol, as well as
15 benzodiazepines, to Michael Jackson. The defendant then abandoned the victim and
16 proceeded to make phone calls to various individuals. When the defendant finally bothered to
17 direct his attention back to the victim, Michael Jackson was no longer breathing. However,
18 instead of immediately summoning emergency personnel who could have rendered appropriate
19 resuscitative care, the defendant spent his time concealing evidence and focusing on his own
20 well-being rather than the well-being of Michael Jackson. In fact, the defendant waited at least
21 20 minutes before instructing anyone to summon emergency aid.
22 Then, when emergency help arrived, the defendant lied about the drugs he had
23 administered to Michael Jackson. Still again, upon arriving at the Ronald Reagan UCLA
24 Medical Center, the defendant lied about the drugs he had administered.
25 At his jury trial, the defendant personally chose not to testify on his own behalf.
26 However, prior to and during trial, he chose to conduct multiple media interviews. In each of
27 these interviews, the defendant has very clearly stated that he bears no responsibility for
End of page 2
1 Michael Jackson’s death. Moreover, the defendant has continued to express concern only for
2 his individual plight and portrays himself, not the decedent, as the victim.
3 Specifically, the defendant, when asked if he felt guilty that Michael Jackson had died,
4 stated “I don’t feel guilty because I did not do anything wrong.” (Exh. A, clip 1). Then, when
5 asked if it was reckless to abandon Michael by leaving him alone in the room, the defendant
6 responded “no, no.” (Exh. A, clip 2).
7 During his media interview, the defendant goes on to explain his lies to the police by
8 saying that he never mentioned being on multiple phone calls because the police “never asked
9 me” and he (the defendant) “did not think it was important” (Exh. A, clip 3).
10 Finally, the defendant consistently blames the victim for his own death, even going so far
11 as to characterize himself (the defendant) as being “entrapped” by the victim (Exh. A, clip 4),
12 and as someone who suffered a “betrayal” at the hands of the victim. (Exh. A, clip 5).
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III.
16 THE DEFENDANT SHOULD BE SENTENCED TO THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE OF 4 YEARS IN STATE PRISON
18 Penal Code section 192(b) provides for a sentencing range of a low term of 2 years, a
19 mid-term of 3 years, and a high term of 4 years.
20 Pursuant to Penal Code section 1170(b) and California Rules of Court 4.420 — 4.422, the
21 court has discretion to impose one of the three authorized prison terms. In determining the
22 appropriate sentence, the court may consider circumstances in aggravation and mitigation, as
23 well as any other factor reasonably related to the sentencing decision. In considering the
24 available options and the relevant factors, the People request this court impose the high term
25 of 4 years in state prison.
End of page 3
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1 A. The crime involved great violence, great bodily harm, threat of great bodily harm, or
2 other acts disclosing a high degree of cruelty, viciousness, or callousness (California
3 Rules of Court 4.421(a)(1)).
4 Every single night the defendant administered propofol, which by the defendant’s own
5 admission took place nightly for at least two months, the defendant was acting with a complete
6 disregard for the well-being of Michael Jackson. The defendant was literally risking
7 Mr. Jackson’s life every night. Unfortunately, the defendant’s disregard for Mr. Jackson continued
8 and, on June 25, 2009, the defendant’s criminal negligence killed Michael Jackson.
9 This tragedy occurred because of the defendant’s callous and dismissive treatment of
10 Michael Jackson’s well-being. The defendant acted with his own interests in mind and completely
11 abandoned Michael Jackson in every sense of the word. The defendant’s extreme disregard for
12 the risk of death that his actions created and his extreme callousness toward the safety of
13 Michael Jackson justifies the high term of 4 years in state prison.
15 B. The victim was particularly vulnerable (California Rules of Court 4.421(a)(3)).
16 Due to the actions of the defendant, Michael Jackson was a particularly vulnerable victim
17 at the time of his death. The defendant had repeatedly subjected Michael Jackson to a
18 dangerous, unprecedented pharmaceutical experiment whereby the defendant provided and
19 administered propofol on a nightly basis for over two months. Moreover, the defendant was
20 simultaneously administering various benzodiazepines throughout this period. All the while, the
21 defendant failed to provide any of the proper monitoring equipment or additional personnel that
22 would have been able to save Michael Jackson’s life, Instead, the defendant created an
23 extremely dangerous situation for the victim. Once the defendant administered this potentially
24 lethal cocktail of drugs, Michael Jackson’s life was literally in the hands of the defendant.
25 However, while Michael Jackson lay in this most vulnerable state, the defendant abandoned
26 him. The victim’s vulnerability, compounded by the fact that the defendant directly created the
27 level of vulnerability, justifies imposition of the high term of 4 years in state prison.
End of page 4
1 C. The manner in which the crime was carried out indicates planning, sophistication, or professionalism (California Rules of Court 4.421(a)(8)).
3 Although this crime occurred as a result of criminal negligence, the evidence reveals in
4 no uncertain terms that the defendant knew what he was doing was wrong and took multiple
5 steps to hide his activity.
6 For example, the defendant requested the propofol be shipped to his medical clinic in
7 California when, in fact, the defendant did not have a clinic in California.
8 Instead, the evidence revealed the propofol was being delivered to the apartment of one of the defendant’s girlfriends.
9 Additionally, the defendant intentionally failed to maintain medical records so as not to have any
10 written record of his criminal negligence. Once the defendant discovered he had killed
11 Mr. Jackson, he then proceeded to clean up the crime scene rather than focus on proper
12 resuscitative efforts for Michael Jackson. The defendant then repeatedly lied about what he had
13 done. Still later, when interviewed by LAPD, the defendant made no mention of the various
14 emails, text messages, or phone calls that were taking place at the time Michael Jackson was
15 dead or dying. Instead, the defendant claimed he only left Mr. Jackson for two minutes to use
16 the restroom. All of these actions display planning and sophistication both before and after the
17 crime that was utilized for the sole purpose of protecting the defendant and hiding the truth.
18 This planning and sophistication justifies a high term sentence of 4 years in state prison.
20 D. The defendant took advantage of a position of trust or confidence to commit the
21 offense (California Rules of Court 4.421(a)(1 1).
22 The doctor-patient relationship is a special relationship premised on the patient’s trust
23 that a doctor will act with sound medical judgment to do what is best for the patient. The
24 defendant repeatedly violated this trust. The defendant acted with his own interests in mind.
25 Specifically, he agreed to provide and administer propofol to Michael Jackson with the
26 expectation of receiving a paycheck of $150,000 a month. While doing so, Michael Jackson
27 was under the belief that he would be safe so long as he was appropriately monitored.
End of page 5
1 However, this monitoring never took place. Instead of utilizing his medical knowledge and
2 training to provide Mr. Jackson with proper medical care, the defendant acted as an employee
3 and as a drug dealer and completely corrupted the trust necessary in a proper doctor-patient
4 relationship. These actions mandate a sentence of 4 years in state prison.
6 IV.
7 RESTITUTION
8 A. Legal Background
9 On June 8, 1982, the ‘Victim’s Bill of Rights” was passed. This initiative amended the
10 California Constitution to read:
12 It is the unequivocal intention of the People of the State of California that all persons who suffer losses as a result of criminal activity shall have the right to seek and secure restitution from the persons convicted of the crimescausing thelosses they suffer. California Constitution, art. I, section 28(b)(13)(A).
14 Additionally, California Constitution, article I, section 28(e) defines a crime victim as:
16 Any person who suffers direct or threatened physical, psychological, or financialharm as aresult of thecommission or attempted commission of a crime or delinquent act. The term “victim” also includes the person’s spouse, parents,children, siblings, or guardian, and a lawful representative of a crimevictim who is deceased…
19 Finally, pursuant to Penal Code section 1202.4(f), the defendant is required to pay
20 restitution whenever the victim has suffered economic loss as a result of the defendant’s
21 criminal conduct.
23 B. Factual Background
24 In order to ascertain the appropriate amount of restitution due to the victim in this case,
25 the People requested information from the Estate of Michael Jackson. Specifically, the People
26 requested the projected personal earnings of Michael Jackson for his 50-show sold out concert
27 series. Additionally, the People requested the amount of money expended for the memorial
End of page 6
1 service, funeral, and burial of Michael Jackson.
2 The Estate has complied with that request and has submitted a letter which is attached
3 as Exhibit B. The Estate estimates Michael Jackson’s projected earnings for the 50-show 02
4 concert series to be $100,000,000.
5 Additionally, the Estate estimates the costs of the memorial service, funeral, and
6 associated expenditures to be $1,821,871.65.
8 C. Michael Jackson’s three minor children, Prince, Paris, and Blanket, are victims and are entitled to restitution
10 Michael Jackson’s three minor children are victims under the law and are thus entitled to
11 seek and secure restitution from the defendant.
12 1. Wages or lost profits
13 Prior to his untimely death, Michael Jackson was preparing for a 50-show, sold out
14 concert series at the 02 Arena in London. Michael Jackson’s minor children are entitled to
15 “wages or profits lost due to injury incurred by the victim.” (Penal Code section 1202.4(f)(3)(D)).
16 Accordingly, the People have attached Exhibit B to assist the court in fashioning an appropriate
17 restitution order.
19 2. Burial and funeral expenses
20 Additionally, Michael Jackson’s minor children are entitled to recover restitution for
21 burial, funeral and related expenses. The People again ask the court to utilize Exhibit B in
22 fashioning an appropriate order.
23 3. Interest and attorney fees and collection costs
24 The defendant should also be ordered to pay interest, at the rate of 10% per annum, that
25 accrues as of the date of loss. In the case at hand, this 10% rate of interest should accrue as of
26 the date of June 25, 2009. Additionally, the defendant should be ordered to pay attorney’s fees
End of page 7
1 and other costs of collection accrued by a private entity on behalf of the victim. (Penal Code
2 sections 1202.4(f)(3)(G) and 1202.4(f)(3)(H)).
3 V.
4 CONCLUSION
5 As this court correctly noted on the date of the jury’s verdict, “Dr. Murray has been
6 convicted of a crime involving homicide. This is not a crime involving mistake of judgment. This
7 is not a crime involving administration of drugs, per Se. This is a crime where the end result was
8 the death of a human being.” (Trial Transcript, November 7, 2011, p. 10516).
9 The defendant has displayed a complete lack of remorse for causing Michael Jackson’s
10 death. Even worse than failing to accept even the slightest level of responsibility, the defendant
11 has placed blame on everyone else, including the one person no longer here to defend himself,
12 Michael Jackson.
13 Due to the actions and decisions of the defendant alone, Michael Jackson is dead. Due
14 to the actions and decisions of the defendant alone, Michael Jackson’s family lost a son, a
15 brother, and a father. Due to the actions and decisions of the defendant alone, justice requires
16 the defendant be sentenced to state prison for 4 years, be ordered to pay appropriate restitution
17 to Michael Jackson’s children, and be ordered to pay all requisite fines under the law.
19 Respectfully submitted,
22 David Walgren
Deputy District Attorney
25 Deborah Brazil
Deputy District Attorney
Howard Weitzman
Direct Dial:
Direct Fax:
E-Mail:
File Number: 10386-00002
November 23, 2011
VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL
David Walgren, Esq.
Re: Michael Jackson
Dear Mr. Walgren:
This letter will confirm that the Estate incurred costs and expenses for Michael Jackson’s memorial service, funeral and associated expenditures in the approximate amount of $1,821,871 65.
If Michael Jackson had survived, and performed all 50 concerts scheduled at the 02 for the period they were booked, he was projected to make $100,000,000 in revenue.
The above information is a combination of monies actually spent and some very sophisticated projections on the anticipated revenue stream from a concert that had been sold out before Mr. Jackson’ death.
Very truly yours,
Howard Weitzman
I 0386.00002/93713.1
* * *
The sentence is 4 years. But legal analysts already say that under the California law Conrad Murray will serve only 2 years. And since prisons are overcrowded even the 2 years term may be reduced.
No restitution has yet been determined because the judge said he could not take a decision on the basis of the three lines he received from the Prosecution asking for restitution of $100 mln. This sum will have to be itemized and broken down into concrete figures of lost wages and earnings. The restitution hearing is set for January 23, 2012 and will take place in the absence of Conrad Murray.
When pronouncing the sentence Judge Michael Pastor said it wasn’t the case of medical malpractice – it was a homicide involving criminal negligence, which is much more than ordinary carelessness. Dr. Murray’s behavior amounted to disregard for human life and was an insult and disgrace to the medical profession. It wasn’t just an isolated mistake but gross continuing deviation of medical care.
Judge Pastor made extensive use of Murray’s documentary. Nine days before the verdict and in the face of irrefutable evidence of his guilt Murray said in his interview, “I don’t feel any guilt because I didn’t do anything wrong”. The judge noted that Murray showed no responsibility, no remorse, and had absolutely no sense of guilt or fault – and these factors caused his tremendous concern.
“Murray is offended by his patient dying”, “he feels betrayed”, ‘”he talks about blaming the victim!”, the judge exclaimed. He described Murray’s behavior as that of a bystander who came upon the scene of crime and said that Conrad Murray is a threat to the community.
‘Dr Murray engaged in a recurring, continuous pattern of deceit and lies,’ the judge said. ‘Dr Murray abandoned his patient.’ ‘Dr Murray created a set of circumstances and became involved in a cycle of horrible medicine’.
‘The practice of propofol for medicine madness, which violated his sworn obligation, for money, fame prestige and whatever else may have occurred.’
Judge Pastor singled out one aspect standing out in Murray’s case – it was the recording done of Michael Jackson when he was in his most vulnerable state. One could not help wondering, ‘Why did this happen? For what reason?’ The judge concluded that the tape recording was Dr. Murray’s insurance policy. ‘It was designed to record his patient surreptitiously at that patient’s most vulnerable point.’ It was a horrible violation of trust.
The judge wondered, ‘What value would have been placed on that tape recording had there been a conflict between Conrad Murray and Michael Jackson?’
During the press conference David Walgren also said that blackmail was a very possible explanation why Murray made and kept that recording. Let me add that making this tape was especially striking in the absence of medical records concerning treatment of Michael Jackson. It wasn’t Murray’s habit to make medical records by leaving them on tape, so recording Michael while he was falling asleep under propofol was a totally extraordinary thing to do – and the only purpose for doing it could be blackmail.
Watch the full video of the Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor sentencing Conrad Murray on November 29, 2011:
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/video?id=8448449
And here is the Estate’s statement:
- “Michael Jackson’s death was a huge loss to his children, his family, and his fans worldwide. A jury determined Michael’s untimely passing was caused by Conrad Murray. Dr. Murray in pre-trial statements and in a post-trial documentary expressed no remorse or responsibility for Mr. Jackson’s death. The Estate of Michael Jackson believes that the sentence imposed on Conrad Murray by Judge Pastor was appropriate and called for. The egregious conduct of Dr. Murray when “treating” Michael Jackson was bad enough but when coupled with his outrageous lies in trying to cover up his wrongdoing after Michael was dying and/or had died only served to magnify his criminal actions. Michael Jackson was the one of the greatest entertainers that ever lived and he will be missed by millions”.
Judge: Murray’s secret recording designed to blackmail Jackson
November 29, 2011In sentencing Conrad Murray to a maximum of four years behind bars, Judge Michael Pastor had particularly harsh words for the doctor for the surreptitious iPhone recording of a heavily drugged and slurring Michael Jackson.
Jackson can be heard on the recording, taped a month and a half before the pop star’s death and first played during opening statements in the case, rambling almost incoherently about his plans for a comeback.
Deputy Dist. Atty. David Walgren argued that the recording was proof Murray was aware of the singer’s “state” but continued providing him drugs.
But Pastor had an even harsher assessment of the secret tape, calling it the piece of evidence against the doctor that “stuck out the most.”
“I have repeatedly asked myself why did this happen and for what reasons,” Pastor said. One conclusion, he said, was that Murray kept the recording to blackmail Jackson in case they had a falling out. “That tape recording was Dr. Murray’s insurance policy…. It was designed to record his patient surreptitiously at that patient’s most vulnerable point.”
Pastor called the recording “offensive” and said it violated the doctor-patient relationship between Murray and Jackson.
He cited it as one of the reasons why he denied probation to Murray, saying it was another failure of Murray’s character.
Pastor sentenced Murray to four years behind bars — the maximum punishment possible — for his part in Jackson’s death, saying the doctor’s role in the singer’s fatal overdose was “money-for-medicine madness.”
In blistering and lengthy remarks, Pastor lambasted Murray for failing to express any remorse for the pop star’s death and suggesting in a recent documentary that Jackson bore responsibility for his own demise.
When Judge Michael Pastor sentenced Dr. Conrad Murray Tuesday morning, he gave him the maximum of four years in jail for killing Michael Jackson. And Murray didn’t seem the least bit surprised. But why should he? He knew this day was coming.
Murray walked into the courtroom looking like a man ready to face his fate. From what I observed, he looked like he was not expecting a slap on the wrist.
Murray’s team presented no witnesses; the doctor offered no statement on his own behalf. The only person who spoke for Murray was his attorney, Ed Chernoff, who begged the judge to consider what Murray has done with his life, not just this one incident that resulted in Michael Jackson’s death. Chernoff argued that Murray was an illegitimate child who grew up without electricity, yet put himself through college and medical school to become a doctor who served the underprivileged. This story of “beating the odds” was one that justified probation, Chernoff said.
Pastor wasn’t buying it. Addressing the court, the judge focused on Murray’s lies and deceit. He chided him for lying repeatedly on the day Jackson died, especially to paramedics and doctors — the very people that could have saved his patient’s life. What appeared to irk the judge more than anything was Murray’s lack of remorse. He talked about how Murray’s self-serving documentaries and interviews surrounding this trial showed a man who seemed outraged at the victim for putting him in this situation. He talked about how Murray seemed to show no sensitivity for a man who lost his life. And for Pastor, the taped conversation of a drugged Michael Jackson was the ultimate insult; he viewed it as “an insurance policy” in case Murray’s relationship with MJ went south.
During the sentencing, I looked carefully at Dr. Murray. His eyes became wet with tears when Chernoff spoke about his past. He was stoic as the Jackson family lawyer talked about Michael’s children growing up without a dad. Murray’s behavior throughout seemed arrogant. In the documentary filmed during the trial, Murray never seemed to show outward sorrow or empathy for his role in Michael’s death. And he had the gall to visit Jackson’s gravesite with camera crews, forsaking good sense and empathy.
The lying, the hiding and the horrible medical conditions we heard about during the trial are unforgivable. However, Murray’s utter failure to own up to his role in all of this is inexcusable. When his opportunity came to speak to the world about his role, maybe he should have offered some words of kindness to the Jackson family about the death of their son, brother and father. But he didn’t say a word.
Maybe Murray wasn’t surprised at the judge’s comments, or the sentence he received. But then he also shouldn’t be surprised at those who vilify him. Even in failing to appear as something more than a bystander in this case, he didn’t just fail Michael Jackson as a doctor; he failed as a person.
http://www.hlntv.com/article/2011/11/30/ryan-smith-murray-was-arrogant
Part 1:
Part 2. Here is a partial transcript of the video concerning Conrad Murray’s recording of Michael Jackson when he was falling asleep under propofol:
Q: When you first heard the tape what was your reaction?
Walgren: It had a profound effect on me. It was sad. It was very sad. It was also repulsive to me that Conrad Murray would be sitting presumably by the bedside making his recording while Michael Jackson as a patient was in that type of condition and Conrad Murray’s thought process would be that it was proper to record him.
I would just like to highlight – this was an iphone application on the phone. It needed to be opened up and activated. The button to how to record had to be pushed and then it needed to be recorded and then stopped and saved at an appropriate time.
I’ve heard someone mention to the media this may have been accidental and I find it absolute nonsense. … I think it was clear that Conrad Murray was seated next to Michael Jackson and was recording him for purposes known only to Conrad Murray.
I found it really sad and very troubling that Conrad Murray as a medical doctor would be recording his patient in that manner. And then to just continue two days later with another huge volume of propofol being ordered and shipped to his girlfriend’s apartment..
Q. Conrad Murray’s civil attorney said he inadvertently recorded it. He didn’t even realize it was on his phone. But the judge made very harsh statements why he believed that it was his “insurance policy” – that if anything had gone wrong in his relationship with Michael Jackson that he would have used it. He didn’t use the word “extortion” – but for the purposes to benefit himself. What do you think?
Walgren: I don’t know too many other possible explanations. The recording was not made accidentally. I think it was absolutely intentionally made by Dr. Murray.
This was, remember, a doctor who did not even keep medical records or notes because he didn’t want to document what he was doing with this propofol treatment. So certainly he would not be making this audio recording for any type of legitimate medical notation or record-keeping. So you are left with kind of determine for what reason did Dr. Murray make this recording and not only make it but clearly keep it on his phone. The recording was made in May and was not recovered until some months later.
I don’t know any other plausible explanation. The judge was quite convinced that that [extortion] was the reason for to be made and I haven’t heard or been offered any other explanation that makes sense to me.
Part 3. Here are some questions and answers from this part:
Q. Do you think Conrad Murray’s statement was truthful at all about anything?
Walgren: Certainly he acknowledged giving propofol for over two months. He indicated it was to assist Michael Jackson in sleeping. I think that was the case.
As far as the particular events of June 25, 2009 it is very hard to say what he said was truthful and what he said was not. I think most of it was not truthful. It was very likely he was out of the room for a great period of time and that he completely abandoned Michael Jackson. In the interview to the police he said he just went into the restroom and was gone for two minutes. I think that’s absolutely not truthful. I think his attention or his physical presence had been gone for a very lengthy period of time and quite frankly we do not know how long Michael was in the bed not breathing before Conrad Murray even noticed him.
…The propofol shipments, the benzodiazepine shipments do not support any theory of “weaning him off” [ in the last two days as Conrad Murray claimed]. We know that benzodiazepines were ordered consistently and had not just been recently ordered as part of a “weaning off” process. So there are a lot of holes in that story.
Q. If he had testified what would you have wanted to ask him?
Walgren: There were so many contradictions in his statement to the police that any questioning of Conrad Murray would have been extremely lengthy and there would have been many areas I would have gone into. But I think one question would be whether there had been an “accident area”, a “near-miss” with Michael Jackson previously.
In other words, “Had there been a moment when Michael had almost died prior to that evening?“
But the [main] question would be, “How could you as a doctor be so completely reckless when you have someone else’s life in your hands?”
UPDATED on February 2, 2012
Flanagan made a motion to release Conrad Murray on a nominal bail (as he has no money) since he “presents no threat to the society”http://www.scribd.com/doc/80158211/Notice-of-Motion-and-Motion-for-Release-Pending-Appeal?secret_password=1no6ie13r6g5nvfay39a
What does it matter whether he presents a threat or not? He committed a crime and was punished for it, so isn’t he to serve at least some term to answer for it?
They say he was a complete saint before Michael Jackson and those were just “unusual circumstances”. The conviction was the result of his “desire to assist” MJ in a difficult situation! And he did assist his patient by never paying attention to him and hoping to get a mere $150,000 a month for all his “goodwill”!
Conrad Murray “never intended to injure anyone”! OMG, if he had INTENDED to injure MJ it would NOT have been an involuntary manslaughter – it would have been an intentional murder punished much more severely!
Not only will he serve only 2 years out of 4, but the poor guy does not want to serve ANY time in a solitary cell! Two months are just enough for him – he prefers to live with his girlfriend and son!
If the motion is granted and it goes on like that why don’t the US authorities let ALL convicts serve nominal sentences?
Let’s say someone poisoned someone through criminal negligence, but since he behaved very well before that and it was the “first time”, let us forbid him to use poison in the future and let him go home patting him on his shoulder and telling him to behave himself.
What of it if the person he poisoned is dead? It was the first time he did it! And he also has 7 children to support! And a harem of women too! The person needs work! How can we be so inhuman and leave the poor children without support of their father?
Cruel, impossibly cruel society! A deplorable state of morals it is if the society does not set the criminal free immediately upon him committing a crime!
The cameras in the courtroom were also terribly in the way for our good guy – they allowed people to see the truth while all they were supposed to know was the convict’s documentary about himself expressing his invaluable point of view on his victim.
Didn’t you know that the victim is always to blame? Not all victims of course, but Michael Jackson for sure? Didn’t you know that whatever Michael Jackson did it was always his fault and no one else’s?
Who said that Michael Jackson could be killed? How dare you? Didn’t Conrad Murray explain to you that it was “just a mistake”?
And he even said that he was sorry! To whom did he say that? Let me see… to two policemen two days after the victim’s death! I didn’t notice it when reading the papers but he says he said sorry to someone, so who am I not to believe him?
And look, this saintly guy is also in dire straits and cannot pay for the bail. Shouldn’t we be merciful and compassionate to the one who meant only well? And let him go on a nominal bail? Especially since he fell a victim to this horrible Michael Jackson who dared die in his hands?
Freedom to the saintly Conrad Murray!
Freedom to the man who did a service to the society!
Freedom to all innocent guys whose victims had the cheek to maliciously die in those innocent hands!
Vindicating Michael 
David Walgren just answered questions that were provided to him by the MJJC forum, and they are now posted: http://www.mjjcommunity.com/forum/threads/122920-MJJC-Exclusive-Q-amp-A-with-DDA-David-Walgren-Read-Walgren-s-answers
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Here’s a reminder that the deadline to submit questions to the MJJC forum for their interview with DA Walgren is in around 18 hours! http://www.mjjcommunity.com/forum/threads/122208-MJJC-Exclusive-Q-amp-A-with-DDA-David-Walgren-submit-your-questions
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Here is a good announcement from the MJJC forum!
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It is disheartening to hear that murray is already out on nominal bail having spent a few weeks in the medical ward.Of course he feels sorry, everything went south for him, much due to the stupid documentary.He did have the means from someone for that.Anybody who followed the trial will now know that justice has not been served.
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And who are we to say he isn’t sorry? His Mother says he feels remorse! His girlfriend number 8 says he’s sorry and wants to come home to be able to go to work! Several of his LIVING former patients say he is is sorry! Why we should be ashamed of ourselves. IF we had any conscience whatsoever we would take up a collection for Poor Conrad Murray’ minimum bail so he can get out of jail and go to work as a salesman of some sort so his girlfriend can stay home and maintain her “instrument”.
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Flanagan made a motion to release Conrad Murray on a nominal bail (as he has no money) since he “presents no threat to the society” http://www.scribd.com/doc/80158211/Notice-of-Motion-and-Motion-for-Release-Pending-Appeal?secret_password=1no6ie13r6g5nvfay39a
What does it matter whether he presents a threat or not? He committed a crime and was punished for it, so isn’t he to serve at least some term to answer for it?
They say he was a complete saint before Michael Jackson and those were just “unusual circumstances”. The conviction was the result of his “desire to assist” MJ in a difficult situation! And he did assist his patient by never paying attention to him and hoping to get a mere $150,000 a month for all his “goodwill”!
Conrad Murray “never intended to injure anyone”! OMG, if he had INTENDED to injure MJ it would NOT have been an involuntary manslaughter – it would have been an intentional murder punished much more severely!
Not only will he serve only 2 years out of 4, but the poor guy does not want to serve ANY time in a solitary cell! Two months are just enough for him – he prefers to live with his girlfriend and son!
If the motion is granted and it goes on like that why don’t the US authorities let ALL convicts serve nominal sentences?
Let’s say someone poisoned someone through criminal negligence, but since he behaved very well before that and it was the “first time”, let us forbid him to use poison in the future and let him go home patting him on his shoulder and telling him to behave himself.
What of it if the person he poisoned is dead? It was the first time he did it! And he also has 7 children to support! And a harem of women too! The person needs work! How can we be so inhuman and leave the poor children without support of their father?
Cruel, impossibly cruel society! A deplorable state of morals it is if the society does not set the criminal free immediately upon him committing a crime!
The cameras in the courtroom were also terribly in the way for our good guy – they allowed people to see the truth while all they were supposed to know was the convict’s documentary about himself expressing his invaluable point of view on his victim.
Didn’t you know that the victim is always to blame? Not all victims of course, but Michael Jackson for sure? Didn’t you know that whatever Michael Jackson did it was always his fault and no one else’s?
Who said that Michael Jackson could be killed? How dare you? Didn’t Conrad Murray explain to you that it was “just a mistake”?
And he even said that he was sorry! To whom did he say that? Let me see… to two policemen two days after the victim’s death! I didn’t notice it when reading the papers but he says he said sorry to someone, so who am I not to believe him?
And look, this saintly guy is also in dire straits and cannot pay for the bail. Shouldn’t we be merciful and compassionate to the one who meant only well? And let him go on a nominal bail? Especially since he fell a victim to this horrible Michael Jackson who dared die in his hands?
Freedom to the saintly Conrad Murray!
Freedom to the man who did a service to the society!
Freedom to all innocent guys whose victims had the cheek to maliciously die in those innocent hands!
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Murray’s license in California was suspended 5 days ago
http://www.scribd.com/doc/77058647?secret_password=c1vfdmmzngxmn64my4n
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The contract I think was in Murrays car in the driveway, and I think Murray was the only one who had signed it..
Supposedly Mj is up all night and cant sleep ..I would think Murray would have taken the opportunity to ask mj to sign the contract,,He was really desperate to get this thing in order..
But he is with Mj supposedly every night and mj hasnt signed it..
If Murray is closing down his office , supposedly maxed out his credit cards ,I would think getting that contract signed by mj and aeg would be at the forefront of his mind.
Maybe Mj was looking around for a different doctor..Who could blame him..that tape certainly would have come into play..The only one they played, in court was MJ saying he was going to put Murray in charge of his hospital…
That was what was important to Murray
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Here is some information which may be connected with the possible restitution for which I hope very much.
Let me draw your attention to the following sentence in this article:
“A six-week trial heard evidence from a number of witnesses about the various drugs Jackson was allegedly taking at least in the months before he died, including the anesthetic propofol.”
Do you think this statement is okay?
It absolutely it isn’t! It is heavily distorted from beginning to end.
1) Michael was not TAKING various drugs, Michael was GIVEN them by a doctor who chose them for him, gave them as pills or infused intravenously (for ex. Lorazepam).
2) And he wasn’t TAKING propofol either – a patient is unable to “take” it without a doctor INFUSING it into his vein.
3) And even Demerol Michael did not TAKE himself – again it was ADMINISTERED to him by Klein. It was Klein’s choice and Michael never asked for it.
4) Moreover there were NO witnesses all throughout the trial who gave “evidence about the various drugs taken by MJ”. Can you name any witnesses? I CANNOT.
See how the media does it? And this is not the worst of their lies!
London insurers to see MJ medical records
December 02, 2011 02:33:42
Insurers for Michael Jackson’s ill-fated London comeback shows can study some of the star’s medical records, a US judge ruled Thursday, in a ruling that could effect a payout over his death.
Lawyers for the King of Pop’s Estate will get access to the records from medical providers and can show them to lawyers from Llord’s of London, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Malcolm Mackey ruled.
Lloyd’s, which is resisting paying out on a $17.5 million policy because it did not know that Jackson was taking drugs before his 2009 death at the age of 50, filed suit against tour promoter AEG in June.
Attorneys for the Jackson estate and for Lloyds will both decide which of the medical records are relevant to the case and ask Mackey to mediate in any dispute.
The legal move came days after Jackson’s doctor Conrad Murray was jailed for the maximum four years following his conviction for involuntary manslaughter over the King of Pop’s death. He is expected to serve less than half of the sentence due to California laws linked to overcrowding and budget concerns.
A six-week trial heard evidence from a number of witnesses about the various drugs Jackson was allegedly taking at least in the months before he died, including the anesthetic propofol.
Jackson died on June 25, 2009 from an overdose of propofol and other sedatives, administered by Murray in an attempt to help the star sleep while in Los Angeles, where he was rehearsing for the “This is It” comeback shows.
The trial also heard claims that Jackson, battling to resurrect his career from child molestation charges that left him with huge financial debts, stood to make $100 million from the planned 50 comeback concerts.
http://www.fijilive.com/news/2011/12/03/38414.Fijilive
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“It is not an off label use when Propofol is used in the ICU for Mechanically ventilated patients. That is what is called MACU sedations or Monitored Anesthesia Care Unit. It is used in specific cases of severe head trauma to prevent the person from “fighting” the vent.”
Yes, I thought it was used for something of the kind. But whatever you call it the experience of giving propofol for a prolonged period of time and round the clock too and probably for several days means that it is still possible if it is carefully titrated, right?
“I would love to talk about the possible near misses because that is what I think happened the night before Michael was so sick at rehearsals.”
EXACTLY! A very good explanation!
“The reason that I think that is that the symptoms that he was having that day were NOT symptoms of propofol use or benzo use. They are the symptoms of rapid use of Flumazenil.They can be seizures, dizziness, agitation, confusion, drowsiness, emotional lability, fatigue headache, rigors, shivering, paresthesia (a feeling of tingling or heat and cold), nausea, vomiting , hiccups, abnormal vision, and abnormal hearing. That is what happens when too much Flumazenil in a short period of time or too fast administration is done. I think he had a near miss.”
You should turn it into a post!
“I think he gave Michael Ativan and Versed every night, from the sound of that sedation it does not sound like propofol. You go under too rapidly on propofol to have that long of a conversation. It is usually 4-5 seconds and you are out. There is not enough time to make that speech and if he did it would have been clear, not slurred with propofol, so he was using the Ativan and Versed and sedating him. Then he started the propofol.”
An excellent observation! From what we hear of propofol it was impossible for Michael to speak for so long under this drug! Surely it was a combination of sedatives first.
“When it was time to bring Michael out he would use the Flumazenil as an antidote to the benzodiazepines and just stop the propofol. You don’t have to use anything to bring a person out of propofol because it metabolizes so rapidly but the benzos do not…. He got the syringe ready with the Flumazenil and that is when he realized that Michael was not breathing so he started to cover his butt and the rest is history. What makes me think that he did it this way? Because the Flumazenil was there in the first place and not only that it was found in that syringe in that y port. That means he knew very well that he was risking his life every night. You don’t have an antidote ready if you don’t think you will need an antidote.”
Lynette, it seems that it is quite possible to reconstruct the events the way they really were (and not the way Murray described them). You can add to it the fact that Murray was ordering benzodiazepines consistently and not in the last shipment only as David Walgren pointed out. If we have all invoices for those drugs we could also look when Flumazenil was ordered too.
What is absolutely clear is that we have not even scratched the surface of it.
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“I think Murray made the tape because Michael had yet to sign the contract, and the tape was exactly what Judge Pastor called “an insurance policy”.”
You mean to say that if Michael did not pay him he would use the tape as a means to force him to do it? But the contract was not with Michael, it was with AEG. The payment was to be made by AEG.
So the tape was to be used as a way to force Michael to sign the contract? Does it mean that Michael did not want Murray at all and this candidate was imposed on him?
“Does anyone know whether the tape was made after AEG signed their portion of the contract?”
AEG never signed their portion of the contract as a contractor to it. Randy Phillips said the payment was not made because Michael did not sign it. By answering in this round-about-way they imply that they were to sign only after obtaining Michael’s consent. However his consent was not necessary for getting Randy Phillips’ signature. It is a separate subject.
By the way the phrase about need for Michael’s consent was added as the last line in the contract – after all the signatures. It could have been added at any time.
All Murray’s fury at feeling “betrayed” is clearly because he “sacrificed so much” but received no payment for his “services”.
However the most interesting question is – why was Murray to sign a contract with AEG and not Michael?
There are two options here:
1) Either Murray wanted it that way himself, as he was not sure that Michael would pay.
2) Or it was AEG who wanted it that way to be able to exercise control over Murray (and Michael).
And if it was AEG who wanted it, but Michael nevertheless did not sign, then the tape was a way to force him sign the paper imposed on him by AEG.
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Just looking at him in that documentary, I think he enjoyed the power of leaving mj vulnerable…….He said something about it was not unusual for him to make calls in the morning.Who in their right mind would do that ??………
Exactly. The standard of care for administering propofol at home is the same as in a hospital setting (or even more stringent). So if doctors do not allow it for themselves in the operating room, no one should allow it for himself at home. Murray seems not to be able to understand that he was not supposed to talk on the phone AT ALL.
“Mr Walgren saying he wondered how many near misses was very chilling to me because I believe it …seeing the lack of care over the course of time makes me think he was almost hostile toward MJ….”
I think he was. I think he was hostile to Michael because he was not signing his contract with AEG.
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It is not an off label use when Propofol is used in the ICU for Mechanically ventilated patients. That is what is called MACU sedations or Monitored Anesthesia Care Unit. It is used in specific cases of severe head trauma to prevent the person from “fighting” the vent. If not sedated these people will pull at the tubing in an attempt to breathe on their own so they are put on propofol drip that is carefully titrated for their sedation. It is also commonly called a chemical coma. The reason that Propofol is used is because it does not cause increased intracranial swelling.
There is no induction of natural sleep with propofol. It is not sleep and your brain would not have the recovery from propofol that comes with natural sleep. That is why it would have long ago affected Michael to have been using this before Murray even thought of it. Frank Cascio talked about a German Doctor giving Michael propofol one time in Germany after the fall. Was that in a hospital or in his hotel room because that is what Klein says happened? Dr. David Adams used Propofol when Michael had oral surgery for implants and caps on his teeth. It was never outside that office and he was right there. He used it four times for four surgeries to replace his back teeth.
I would love to talk about the possible near misses because that is what I think happened the night before Michael was so sick at rehearsals. From listening to Michael’s voice this is what I think that Murray did every night. I think he gave Michael Ativan and Versed every night, from the sound of that sedation it does not sound like propofol. You go under too rapidly on propofol to have that long of a conversation. It is usually 4-5 seconds and you are out. There is not enough time to make that speech and if he did it would have been clear, not slurred with propofol, so he was using the Ativan and Versed and sedating him. Then he started the propofol, he first bolused in a dose and then hung it in a drip. He would let that run and go about his business whatever it was. When it was time to bring Michael out he would use the Flumazenil as an antidote to the benzodiazepines and just stop the propofol. You don’t have to use anything to bring a person out of propofol because it metabolizes so rapidly but the benzos do not. To get Michael to recover from the over use of the benzos he would use the Flumazenil. Michael would have been very groggy from the benzos if he would wake up at all without the Flumazenil.
I think that morning he had trouble bringing Michael out of the coma he put him in every night. I think he used the Flumazenil but maybe Michael’s respirations were so low that he needed to use more or he used it too fast because Michael was having trouble breathing. The reason that I think that is that the symptoms that he was having that day were not symptoms of propofol use or benzo use. They are the symptoms of rapid use of Flumazenil.They can be seizures, dizziness, agitation, confusion, drowsiness, emotional lability, fatigue headache, rigors, shivering, paresthesia,(a feeling of tingling or heat and cold) nausea, vomiting , hiccups, abnormal vision, and abnormal hearing. That is what happens when too much Flumazenil in a short period of time or too fast administration is done. I think he had a near miss.
I don’t know if Michael would have even been aware of what went wrong but he knew he didn’t feel good. I think the next 2 days Michael wouldn’t let him use anything and he was fine. Then we come to the night that he died. We do not know and we will never know what actually happened that day but I think that Murray started the same thing only this time he didn’t get back in time. He got the syringe ready with the Flumazenil and that is when he realized that Michael was not breathing so he started to cover his butt and the rest is history. What makes me think that he did it this way? Because the Flumazenil was there in the first place and not only that it was found in that syringe in that y port. That means he knew very well that he was risking his life every night. You don’t have an antidote ready if you don’t think you will need an antidote.
@ Teva The tape was made before the contract was even written or discussed.I wonder after that near miss did he use that tape to get Michael to go through with it again? Did he use that tape to get Michael to go through with it after the night that he taped him? If Michael had been doing this for years this would have happened long before it did so that is why I don’t believe for one second that Michael used this outside a hospital for the correct purposes.No one at AEG ever signed the contract with Murray. Neither did Michael the only one that signed it was Murray after Michael died.
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I think Murray made the tape because Michael had yet to sign the contract, and the tape was exactly what Judge Pastor called “an insurance policy”.
Does anyone know whether the tape was made after AEG signed their portion of the contract?
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I think Murray is appealing this because, in his warped mind, he wants to keep his medical license….and thinks he desreves it……I also sincerely think he is a sick sick individual , like a sociopath, who just will never accept he did something wrong …he is the victim because he never really thinks of anyone but himself..he only cried in trial when it was about him , not mj or his kids or his family,,,,,,
Just looking at him in that documentary, I think he enjoyed the power of leaving mj vulnerable…….He said something about it was not unusual for him to make calls in the morning.
Who in their right mind would do that ??………
Mr Walgren saying he wondered how many near misses was very chilling to me because I believe it …seeing the lack of care over the course of time makes me think he was almost hostile toward MJ….had to be top dog……
.to me I think he probably resented the fact that MJ had all this adulation and didnt use it in the manner he would have..as in treating his female fans like trash
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All I see is Michael continues to be on trial. The speculation over why Murray would attempt to represent himself is he’s poor and no “decent” attorney will defend him or no attorney want to have their reputation sullied “again” by trying to go up against a system intent on “PROTECTING” Michael. Now ain’t that a kick in the head. How quickly we forget.
I would advise Murray to do the 2 or minus 2 yrs and forget the appeal, but I am an MJ Fan so he is sure not to listen to me.
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“Does anybody ask why I have issues with Klein when we see garbage like this sentence being used by Murray? Where do you think they got this idea? It was from Klein.”
Lynette, I understand your exasperation with Klein, but let us make it clear whether Murray did really learn about ‘propofol doctors’ from Klein.
1) Murray made a statement to the police on June 27, 2009 or two days after Michael’s death. It was the first time the police learned about Propofol at all. What does Murray say in his statement?
“AND HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT HE HAD TAKEN IT MULTIPLE TIMES. HE USED IT FREQUENTLY ON HIS TOURS. IT WAS GIVEN TO HIM BY MULTIPLE OTHER DOCTORS. … AND HE ALSO SAID HE HAD USED IN GERMANY AND SEVERAL OTHER PLACES BUT NEVER REALLY TRULY DISCLOSED THE DOCTOR’S NAME.”
2) If Klein talked about it, it was much later when the news about Propofol got into the media. Before that nobody really knew what Michael died of.
3) This makes me think that there were indeed doctors who gave Michael propofol.
4) But it was done absolutely professionally, with all the necessary equipment and proper monitoring. This experience left him absolutely alive and even allowed him to perform and perform extremely well. Propofol did no harm to him and when he was off tour Michael managed to go without it as the strain was not that big and he could put up with less hours of sleep.
5) It did not make him an addict (over here Klein is stretching the truth). It probably interfered with his usual sleep pattern (here Klein is right) and disadapted him from natural sleep (which he didn’t have anyway), but while Michael was not on tour it wasn’t that terrible a problem. While not on tour Michael tried other remedies – sleeping pills prescribed by Metzger and others.
6) But when it came to making another tour he applied to the same old recipe as this was the only thing that really helped. For the tour he needed very much energy and this could be raised only through a good sleep.
7) Murray naturally said “it was no problem”. He jumped at the money and said in a letter to his patients that it was “a chance of a lifetime”. He knew of other doctors (Dr. Adams), even contacted him at Michael’s request but didn’t allow him into the picture as he wanted all the money for himself only.
-8) However what other doctors did professionally Murray did in a horrifying manner – totally incompetently and with criminal negligence.
9) Let me once again voice an unconventional point of view that “off-label” use of propofol is possible. If it is given to intensive care patients for keeping them under sedation for a long time (as Dr. White said), it could be very well used for a sleep invalid like Michael. The only condition necessary was PROPER MONITORING.
10) I am also of an opinion that Michael’s insomnia was such a grave case that something had to be done about it. A sleep invalid cannot be left alone to handle his problem on his own – sleep deprivation is lethal. If Michael had not slept during the tour or rehearsals to it, he would have died or at least broken down due to total lack of sleep. He knew it and this is why he desperately needed help.
Only that help should not have been rendered in a totally criminal way it was done by Murray.
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In the video with Walgren and Brazil, there is a small part about juror 4 and I believe she said they all agreed the trial was about Murray not Michael and whether or not MJ was addicted to something it has nothing to do with what Murray did. His past drug problem would not have change the issue of the trial. I think Murray should remember that the DA had experts ready to testify that he wasn’t addicted to Demerol when he died.
If MJ was addicted to something, how does it explain and excuse what Murray did. If the doctors they wanted on the stand, they probably would have said they are the right equipment to do it and that they stayed in the room to watch over him.
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“The judge did not allow them to call to the stand other doctors they believe would testify they used propofol to put Jackson to sleep for years before his death.”
Does anybody ask why I have issues with Klein when we see garbage like this sentence being used by Murray? Where do you think they got this idea? It was from Klein. It was LMP and Grace that gave statements to the police when they believed that it was Demerol that killed him. That is why the Coroner went to Klein’s office. Then Klein goes out there and starts spouting his nonsense about other doctors that used propofol on Michael and who gets a hold of this information and uses it for his gain? Conrad Murray. How long did it take his media team to do this? 4 days? Thank you Dr. Klein for making Michael an addict to propofol. Long term use of propofol would have lead to a fatty liver, pancreas, heart and other organs, because it is in a fat emulsion base. He for sure would have not survived long term use of propofol because of the risks involved with it or hasn’t anyone noticed what those risks are yet? If it had ever been injected IM Michael would have had sores from it all over his body but it would never have had an effect on him. It is a base meaning it is caustic to tissues creating sores at the injection site. That is why it has to be given IV. It would never have gotten to his brain if it was injected IM. It would have been as effective as drinking it, but of course no one looks at the science of it they are just happy to report it.
As for Klein I hope he is happy because he has done nothing different than Murray has when he was out there spouting that Dr’s were doing this for MJ for years. He clearly doesn’t know anything about propofol either or he would know that. I think he is no different than Murray. All of his posturing for the press is just in preparation to make Michael look like an addict to something he could not be an addict to. Klein was and is just using the media machine he knows is in anyones favor but Michael’s.
What Murray is doing is not appealing his sentence. He is appealing his trial. He would like to have a do over with a new jury and he wants evidence introduced about Michael’s past use of drugs either Demerol or Propofol he doesn’t really care as long as he gets to drag Michael through the mud.
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“According to TMZ Murray filed an appeal and will represent himself.”
I wish someone could explain to me why this man does not feel guilty at all. He knows he spoke on the phone while he should have been attending to his patient. He knows he lied and told fairy tales instead of the truth. He knows he ultimately killed a person by his horrible negligence and left three children orphans. He knows all that and he still does not think he did anything wrong.
It seems that he and those who support him are seriously handicapped. In a place where generally people have conscience he and his supporters have an empty space. What happened to the people? How and when did it happen? Why didn’t anyone notice that people lost conscience?
Dr. Conrad Murray files appeal notice
By Alan Duke, CNN
December 3, 2011 — Updated 0513 GMT (1313 HKT)
Los Angeles (CNN) — Dr. Conrad Murray filed notice Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court that he will appeal his conviction last month of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson.
Murray was sentenced to four years in the Los Angeles County Jail on Tuesday, three weeks after a jury found him guilty of being responsible for Jackson’s 2009 death.
“He disagrees with the jury’s findings and the pretrial rulings made by the court,” defense lawyer Nareg Gourjian said Friday.
Murray, who signed his own appeal notice, has not hired a lawyer to represent him in the appellate process, Gourjian said.
The appeal notice was filed “In Pro Per,” legalese that means he’s representing himself. The return address on the document is the jail where Murray has resided since his conviction.
It’s not unusual for appeal notices to be filed in that manner before a lawyer who specializes in the appellate process is chosen, Gourjian said.
Murray’s trial lawyers have complained that a series of pretrial decisions by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor limited their ability to defend the doctor.
Judge Michael Pastor blocked their efforts to introduce evidence and testimony about Jackson’s past drug use and his finances.
The defense argued that Jackson’s fear of financial ruin if his comeback concerts were canceled led him to self-administered the drugs that killed him in a desperate search for sleep.
The judge did not allow them to call to the stand other doctors they believe would testify they used propofol to put Jackson to sleep for years before his death.
Murray’s four-year sentence, unless overturned on appeal, is expected to keep the doctor in jail for only two years since state rules give him credit for two days served for every one day behind bars.”
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/12/02/justice/california-conrad-murray-appeal/index.html?mid=543
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According to TMZ Murray filed an appeal and will represent himself.
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@Vindicatemj
I agree with you, that article is truly wonderful. You know progress is being made when something like that appears in the Sun. I regret reading the awful comments (I always tell myself not to go there but then can’t resist). Jermaine is doing such a tremendous job defending his brother, and then they shoot him down.
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And this is exactly what William Wagener told us about well in advance:
http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2011/11/conrad-murray-hoping-home-christmas-house-arrest?mid=5419
By Jen Heger – Radar Legal Editor
Dr. Conrad Murray could be released on house arrest by Christmas, to serve the remainder of his jail sentence for his role in the death of Michael Jackson, RadarOnline.com is exclusively reporting.
Judge Michael Pastor imposed the maximum allowed sentence — four years in jail — on Jackson’s former doctor on Tuesday, and because of overcrowding in California correctional facilities, Murray wasn’t sent to state prison, but to Los Angeles County Jail. The cardiologist’s sentence was automatically cut in half, and Murray is eligible for house arrest because he is considered a non-violent felon.
“Dr. Murray’s lawyers are actually relieved that Judge Pastor didn’t sentence him to community service, they didn’t want him doing manual labor at the morgue, like Lindsay Lohan is doing. That would have been an absolute nightmare for him, as he would certainly be mocked, and it wouldn’t have been safe for him to be picking up trash on the freeway or cleaning up graffiti,” a source close to the situation tells RadarOnline.com.
“Judge Pastor actually did Murray a favor by maxing him out,”
The decision to release Dr. Murray on house arrest will personally be approved by Sheriff Lee Baca. “The Sheriff will determine when Dr. Murray will be released on house arrest. Dr. Murray is hoping that he will be released by Christmas. His lawyers have told him that is a real possibility,” the insider says.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said on The Today Show, “I think he certainly deserves the full weight of the punishment and he certainly deserves the full four years…How much time he actually serves at the end of the day will be up to the sheriff.”
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Here is an absolutely fantastic article about Jermaine Jackson’s views on the trial published – surprisingly – by the Sun: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/3968500/Jermaine-Jackson-I-hope-Conrad-Murray-is-haunted-by-what-hes-done.html
Jermaine: I hope Conrad Murray is haunted by what he’s done
By PETE SAMSON, US Editor
Published: 30th November 2011
AS much as the headlines may say otherwise, what happened yesterday was not justice.
“Justice” is not having some clown of a doctor act so criminally negligent with Michael’s life that he ends up killing him . . . then receives such a pitiful sentence.
That’s not natural justice.
That’s “justice” on paper for the prosecutors and courts to record as another conviction secured.
For us as a family, it feels like justice — in the true, hard-hitting, let-the-punishment-match-the-crime sense of the word — has been denied by a technicality.
Let me tell you what justice should have — and could have — looked like: Dr Conrad Murray charged with, and convicted of, second-degree murder and sent down for decades.
A life incarcerated for the life lost because of his reckless choices, inept skills and breathtaking disregard of the human life in his solo care.
As someone who sat through the evidence at trial before Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, I know there was enough legal justification to charge this case as second-degree murder.
In the US, the malice is deemed “implied” if a person’s negligence is so unbelievably reckless. As Murray’s was.
I also know the District Attorney’s office in LA seriously considered this route. But they opted for the less risky, more conviction-likely, safer option when the overwhelming evidence screamed for a stronger charge.
That is why, when I watched Murray being sentenced at LA Superior Court yesterday, I felt more like shrugging my shoulders than punching the air.
Because I was witnessing the due process go through the motions for the soft sentence that involuntary manslaughter carries.
I don’t blame Judge Michael Pastor. The maximum sentence could only be four years by law. From the start, this case, its truth and the wider circumstances leading up to Michael’s death, have been placed in a straitjacket.
Judge Pastor’s hands were tied and he gave him the maximum sentence, but four years feels woefully insufficient.
What I appreciated was how the judge “disassociated” himself from all suggestions that Michael would have died with or without Murray’s involvement.
That lie, that Michael somehow self-administered or contributed to his own death, was sent to jail with the rest of Murray’s lies. I just hope that for every long day that Murray does serve in jail, he is haunted by what he’s done in the same way we’ve been haunted by what he didn’t do — keep Michael healthy and alive.
Murray’s recklessness has robbed our family of a son, brother and uncle.
It has deprived Prince, Paris and Blanket of a wonderful father who doted on them.
It has deprived the world of a genius artist whose music would have kept on evolving.
And it denied Michael the greatest comeback of all time — the comeback he had imagined for such a long time.
He was on the verge of turning over a new leaf in his life.
The This Is It concerts in London were just the beginning of a five-year plan to turn things around and restore some financial security. He was even finalising a $15million (£9.6million) downpayment on a home in Las Vegas.
This payment was one of the last things he spoke about at rehearsals before heading home for that ill-fated, sleepless night.
Murray’s recklessness denied Michael the new, exciting future he had his heart set on. I have seen some ill-informed reactions that have painted Murray as some kind of “scapegoat” and that my brother’s death was due to his “addiction to drugs”.
None of which is true — as all evidence proved.
For the record, Michael had no dependency on the painkiller demerol at the time of his death, as was claimed in court.
It’s true that he had a known drug dependency in 1993 and it continued to mess with him for almost a decade. But circumstances in 2001 did not kill him in 2009, despite Murray’s defence team doing its best to link the past to the future.
Bottom line: There was no demerol found in his house or in his body. So much for him being “an addict”.
Michael, a chronic insomniac, died because he wanted to sleep, not because he wanted to get high, and he trusted Murray to ensure this happened by administering an unorthodox measure — the anaesthetic propofol.
Michael regarded this sleep-inducing drug as the only effective solution to an insomnia triggered by touring.
Propofol is like a gun — safe in the right hands but in the wrong hands, it’s deadly. Michael placed his life in Murray’s wrong hands.
One of the toughest aspects of the trial was realising how saveable Michael was.
Had Murray monitored him, instead of wandering off to ring his girlfriends, he’d have seen that Michael had stopped breathing.
Had he had the standard life-saving equipment and rang 911 and not stalled for 15 inexplicable minutes, there was always a real chance of life. Had he not kept hidden from paramedics the vital fact he’d administered propofol. Had he been a trained professional who knew what he was doing, Michael would still be alive today.
I remain haunted by the endless list of “Had he done this . . . ”
I also remain haunted by the wider truths that hide beneath the surface of the Murray case.
This extra, disturbing information is what I discovered when writing my tribute memoir You Are Not Alone: Michael, Through A Brother’s Eyes.
I received some criticism for the timing of the book, but I not only wanted to document the truth about Michael as a human being, I wanted fans to understand what we, the family, have learned about what really happened at the This Is It rehearsals.
It was here — behind the scenes and unseen in the official movie — that Michael’s body first issued distress signals about the gradual poisoning by propofol.
It was being administered to such an extent that it turned my brother’s body toxic. He was, in effect, a dead man walking long before he died.
Michael collapsed on stage, had to be helped up steps, half his body was hot and half was cold and he didn’t even have the strength to lift a lightweight prop during a routine for Thriller.
Something was seriously wrong, but a collective attitude of “the show must go on” prevailed. No doubt assisted by Murray’s lies that Michael was in fine health.
I think the story behind his decline in health and his treatment by certain people — topics that were never fully explored at trial because of the narrow scope of evidence — is troubling.
From what eyewitnesses shared with me for the book, too many people kept their eye on the prize of a money-spinning concert and lost sight of the frail human being at its centre.
Based on the dire condition Michael was in, This Is It should have been shut down by June 20. In other words, he was saveable long before June 25 when he died.
For us as a family, this remains part of a wider neglect of Michael. It is within the arena of a wrongful death civil lawsuit against the concert promoter AEG which is where some wider truths will, I hope, be examined.
The conviction and sentencing of Murray is the first step towards a greater justice.
Nothing can bring Michael back. Nothing can change the meagre reality surrounding Murray’s sentencing. But it is our duty to his memory to bring out the truth of what happened to him.
Maybe then we’ll start to feel better vindicated. Maybe then we’ll feel less empty.
Maybe then we’ll be able to rest, knowing “truth” is sometimes the definition of true justice.
p.samson@the-sun.co.uk
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Thetis, thank you very much for the videos of David Walgren In session interview. I’ve included them into the post and transcribed a couple of things.
Part 2. Here is a partial transcript of the video concerning Conrad Murray’s recording of Michael Jackson when he was falling asleep under propofol:
Q: When you first heard the tape what was your reaction?
Walgren: It had a profound effect on me. It was sad. It was very sad. It was also repulsive to me that Conrad Murray would be sitting presumably by the bedside making his recording while Michael Jackson as a patient was in that type of condition and Conrad Murray’s thought process would be that it was proper to record him.
I would just like to highlight – this was an iphone application on the phone. It needed to be opened up and activated. The button to how to record had to be pushed and then it needed to be recorded and then stopped and saved at an appropriate time.
I’ve heard someone mention to the media this may have been accidental and I find it absolute nonsense. … I think it was clear that Conrad Murray was seated next to Michael Jackson and was recording him for purposes known only to Conrad Murray.
I found it really sad and very troubling that Conrad Murray as a medical doctor would be recording his patient in that manner. And then to just continue two days later with another huge volume of propofol being ordered and shipped to his girlfriend’s apartment..
Q. Conrad Murray’s civil attorney said he inadvertently recorded it. He didn’t even realize it was on his phone. But the judge made very harsh statements why he believed that it was his “insurance policy” – that if anything had gone wrong in his relationship with Michael Jackson that he would have used it. He didn’t use the word “extortion” – but for the purposes to benefit himself. What do you think?
Walgren: I don’t know too many other possible explanations. The recording was not made accidentally. I think it was absolutely intentionally made by Dr. Murray.
This was, remember, a doctor who did not even keep medical records or notes because he didn’t want to document what he was doing with this propofol treatment. So certainly he would not be making this audio recording for any type of legitimate medical notation or record-keeping. So you are left with kind of determine for what reason did Dr. Murray make this recording and not only make it but clearly keep it on his phone. The recording was made in May and was not recovered until some months later.
I don’t know any other plausible explanation. The judge was quite convinced that that [extortion] was the reason for to be made and I haven’t heard or been offered any other explanation that makes sense to me.
Part 3.
Q. Do you think Conrad Murray’s statement was truthful at all about anything?
Walgren: Certainly he acknowledged giving propofol for over two months. He indicated it was to assist Michael Jackson in sleeping. I think that was the case.
As far as the particular events of June 25, 2009 it is very hard to say what he said was truthful and what he said was not. I think most of it was not truthful. It was very likely he was out of the room for a great period of time and that he completely abandoned Michael Jackson. In the interview to the police he said he just went into the restroom and was gone for two minutes. I think that’s absolutely not truthful. I think his attention or his physical presence had been gone for a very lengthy period of time and quite frankly we do not know how long Michael was in the bed not breathing before Conrad Murray even noticed him.
…The propofol shipments, the benzodiazepine shipments do not support any theory of “weaning him off” [ in the last two days as Conrad Murray claimed]. We know that benzodiazepines were ordered consistently and had not just been recently ordered as part of a “weaning off” process. So there are a lot of holes in that story.
Q. If he had testified what would you have wanted to ask him?
Walgren: There were so many contradictions in his statement to the police that any questioning of Conrad Murray would have been extremely lengthy and there would have been many areas I would have gone into. But I think one question would be whether there had been an “accident area”, a “near-miss” with Michael Jackson previously.
In other words “Had there been a moment when Michael had almost died prior to that evening”?
But the [main] question would be, “How could you as a doctor be so completely reckless when you have someone else’s life in your hands?”
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Let me say one more thing.
The prosecution focused on the fact that propofol should not have been used at all and not at home. In their interpretation Murray’s negligence looked more like a supplementary or secondary point.
I think that Murray’s negligence and total lack of attention for his patient should have been made the primary point.
“Off-label” use of the drug is possible in certain conditions but it requires double the effort and care from the doctor.
Even if it turns out that there were other doctors in Michael’s life who gave him propofol, Michael still remained alive in their hands and this is the big difference between them and Murray.
Michael died not so much because of propofol – he died solely due to Murray’s criminal negligence. Murray made a hole in the vile, let the propofol stream, and left the room to make phone calls.
He simply didn’t notice his patient dying, so the actual drug that brought about his death is secondary here.
It is the same as leaving a small child on top of a ladder and then saying you are not guilty for his injury or death.
It is the same as sending an invalid in a wheelchair down the slope to collide with a truck and saying that it is none of your doing.
It is the same as forgetting to leave food or drink to those in your care and they die of thirst or hunger as a result.
You did not kill personally, but your criminal negligence did.
And when Murray did realize what he had done he didn’t take the blame for his negligence upon himself – he tried to conceal the evidence and push the blame onto Michael instead. And he doesn’t feel a morsel of guilt for the committed crime.
How on earth can his behavior be compared to that of other doctors even if they did give him propofol at some point in time???
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“Propofol is used only to sleep for surgery, and not to sleep. This is not a safe drug, because it’s not a cure for insomnia.”
Yes, Maria, at the moment propofol is used only for surgery. But since I practically transcribed the testimony of Dr. White (who is also considered an authority on propofol) I know that drugs are often allowed for “off-label use” – which is the purpose for which they were NOT initially intended for. This is how doctors often find that a drug intended for one thing works for another.
This is of course experimental use of the drug which can be done only 1) with written consent of the patient, 2) with monitoring of such patient to be as strict as it is only possible, 3) medical records thoroughly kept.
This means that this type of experimental treatment could have taken place, only it should have been done properly and propofol should have been dosed precisely.
Many people do not understand that not only Murray neglected to do any monitoring (or even looking at his patient), but he also practically poured propofol into Michael’s body. He made a hole in the vile and propofol almost streamed from it – while the correct way to do it is use a special pump which delivers it by a drop.
The roller clump Murray used for regulating the drop was a joke which is never allowed for serious drugs like that. One extra drop of propofol and people fall into general anesthesia. And Michael didn’t need general anesthesia (when people stop breathing) – he needed minimal doses for moderate sedation, or just enough to dose off.
“It’s also not true that only Murray is guilty of the death of Michael”.
I was probably the first to say that not only Murray was guilty for Michael’s death. There is a whole horde of people who are. But Murray was actually the one who killed.
“Question: Why Michael could not sleep?. No drugs, normal benign medications for sleep does not work for him. It shows how Michael was mentally exhausted”
Yes, ultimately it was the media and people’s viciousness which killed Michael. And they are still killing him by distorting the truth and feeding us lies.
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vindicatemj
I do not agree with you. Propofol is used only to sleep for surgery, and not to sleep. This is not a safe drug, because it’s not a cure for insomnia. It’s also not true that only Murray is guilty of the death of Michael. He directly contributed to this. Question: Why Michael could not sleep?. No drugs, normal benign medications for sleep does not work for him. It shows how Michael was mentally exhausted. During the trial in 2005, Mr. Mesereau said MJ could not sleep. He could also eat. This process was his mental and physical torture. In 2003, when he was arrested also could not sleep. Hurt him back because of the handcuffs, he complained of pain and insomnia in 60 minutes Ed Bradley. Michael wanted to propofol, begged for him, this shows how much he wanted to sleep. Dumping the entire blame on the Murray is very convenient for the media, Sneddon and others. It was a whole series of events and people who contributed to the death of Michael. Murray was the latter. The real killer (media). Here, the media insolence exceeds all bounds.
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They admit Murray was paid for the documentary.
http://www.tmz.com/2011/11/29/j-michael-flanagan-conrad-murray-documentary-mistake/
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Judge Pastor and DA Walgren did a superb job. It is really disturbing that murray has gotten much praise, an ex-dr who according to the judge engaged in medicine-madness. I liked that expression very much.There was some attempts at making Murray´s killing of Michael less,because Propofol was not a controlled substance. I think DEA must have thought nobody would come upon an idea as crszy as murray,using it nightly for insomnia. and at a home! I still wonder what was in that storage he was so keen to have emptied that morning.
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“It’s absolutely disturbing how many words of Praise toward Conrad Murray I have read recently since his conviction and since his recent sentencing. People are saying Michael got what he deserved. Opinions based in tabloid gossip without knowing all the facts. What a world we live in.”
Ashley, I have the impression that the world we live in is absolutely mad. When I see how people are fooled about the simplest things I must confess that I get extremely angry – and not even with the media, but with the people who are too lazy to get familiar with the basic facts and allow themselves to fall for the media lies.
And the media is absolutely revolting. Only recently I heard a CNN journalist saying “if it hadn’t been Murray it would have been someone else”. This is totally wrong! No other doctor would have been as criminally negligent as Conrad Murray. Even if propofol as a sleeping aid is not accepted (yet), it is an absolutely safe drug to use if the patient is properly monitored. So it isn’t propofol which is to blame here, but one specific doctor who killed his patient through his horrific negligence.
And if it hadn’t been Murray Michael would not have died in the hands of other doctors!
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That article is good
When Judge Michael Pastor sentenced Dr. Conrad Murray Tuesday morning, he gave him the maximum of four years in jail for killing Michael Jackson. And Murray didn’t seem the least bit surprised. But why should he? He knew this day was coming.
Murray walked into the courtroom looking like a man ready to face his fate. From what I observed, he looked like he was not expecting a slap on the wrist.
Murray’s team presented no witnesses; the doctor offered no statement on his own behalf. The only person who spoke for Murray was his attorney, Ed Chernoff, who begged the judge to consider what Murray has done with his life, not just this one incident that resulted in Michael Jackson’s death. Chernoff argued that Murray was an illegitimate child who grew up without electricity, yet put himself through college and medical school to become a doctor who served the underprivileged. This story of “beating the odds” was one that justified probation, Chernoff said.
Pastor wasn’t buying it. Addressing the court, the judge focused on Murray’s lies and deceit. He chided him for lying repeatedly on the day Jackson died, especially to paramedics and doctors — the very people that could have saved his patient’s life. What appeared to irk the judge more than anything was Murray’s lack of remorse. He talked about how Murray’s self-serving documentaries and interviews surrounding this trial showed a man who seemed outraged at the victim for putting him in this situation. He talked about how Murray seemed to show no sensitivity for a man who lost his life. And for Pastor, the taped conversation of a drugged Michael Jackson was the ultimate insult; he viewed it as “an insurance policy” in case Murray’s relationship with MJ went south.
During the sentencing, I looked carefully at Dr. Murray. His eyes became wet with tears when Chernoff spoke about his past. He was stoic as the Jackson family lawyer talked about Michael’s children growing up without a dad. Murray’s behavior throughout seemed arrogant. In the documentary filmed during the trial, Murray never seemed to show outward sorrow or empathy for his role in Michael’s death. And he had the gall to visit Jackson’s gravesite with camera crews, forsaking good sense and empathy.
The lying, the hiding and the horrible medical conditions we heard about during the trial are unforgivable. However, Murray’s utter failure to own up to his role in all of this is inexcusable. When his opportunity came to speak to the world about his role, maybe he should have offered some words of kindness to the Jackson family about the death of their son, brother and father. But he didn’t say a word.
Maybe Murray wasn’t surprised at the judge’s comments, or the sentence he received. But then he also shouldn’t be surprised at those who vilify him. Even in failing to appear as something more than a bystander in this case, he didn’t just fail Michael Jackson as a doctor; he failed as a person.
http://www.hlntv.com/article/2011/11/30/ryan-smith-murray-was-arrogant
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It’s absolutely disturbing how many words of Praise toward Conrad Murray I have read recently since his conviction and since his recent sentencing. People are saying Michael got what he deserved, but nine times out of ten, they’re saying this will calling him a freak, etc. They’re placing judgment on a dead man who was vindicated in a court of law because there was absolutely zero proof against him, not to mention, not one of the witnesses was found credible, and the accuser and his brother who allegedly witnessed everything, couldn’t even keep their stories straight. Also add to the fact that the family messed up and accused Michael of abusing the boy when Michael wasn’t even around them, so they changed their story to say he started abusing Michael AFTER the controversial Bashir docu aired…like that makes sense. Yet they’re sitting here feeling sorry for Murray who was rightly convicted because of the charges against him and the evidence, all because they don’t like Michael Jackson because of something they heard about him. Opinions based in tabloid gossip without knowing all the facts. What a world we live in.
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District Attorney Office Press Conference after Conrad Murray Sentencing
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Not sure if this is true, if Murray would be covered under the given provisions or just attached Murray’s name to this piece to draw in readers.
“Why Michael Jackson’s Doctor, a Convicted Felon, Remains on the Medicare Payroll”
“Yesterday in Los Angeles, Dr. Conrad Murray was sentenced to four years in prison for helping to kill Michael Jackson by prescribing him propofol, an industrial-strength anesthetic, for Jackson’s insomnia. California Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor called Murray a “disgrace to the medical profession” who had committed a “horrific violation of trust.” Dr. Murray was convicted on November 7, and the State of California suspended his medical license back in January. But not to worry: Murray can continue to get paid by Medicare.
This factoid is one of many contained in a letter that Senators Orrin Hatch (R., Utah) and Tom Coburn (R., Okla.) sent yesterday to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. In September, Hatch and Coburn sent Medicare chief Donald Berwick a list of 34 doctors and non-physician practitioners who have either been convicted of a felony, or pled guilty to a felony “generally considered detrimental to the Medicare program,” but retained their ability to bill Medicare for patient services, and/or to write orders and referrals.”
The above is an excerpt the rest and the Sentors’ letter can be found on:
http://news.yahoo.com/why-michael-jacksons-doctor-convicted-felon-remains-medicare-142022184.html
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“Just how had Murray used that tape before the police got his phone?”
Maybe it/they were originally part of the Murray “Movie Mess”?
Ian Halperin claimed Murray recorded MJ 160 times. (if true how would he know the exact number?)
Not the most credible source.
http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2011/09/conrad-murray-taped-michael-jackson-160-times-real-reason-ian-halperin
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Here is David Walgren’s interview with the Today Show!
He was also interviewed by Beth Karas from Tru TV, and I’ll post it once it’s uploaded.
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@Dialdancer I think Judge Pastor did an excellent job of summing up what Murray was all about. The problem was when he spoke of the tape being sold he was also admonishing the media outlets that were and would have been all too eager to pay for that tape to bring Michael down again. The reason they called it creepy is to offset their own culpability in that.
There are 2 things that are creepy about that tape:
1) Murray made it in the first place! What no one understands outside the medical community is that in doing so he also broke the law. You must have a signed consent to tape a client. That client must be aware that you are doing it and it must only be done in a therapeutic setting for record keeping. Murray knows that now and he knew that then. There is no other explanation than him doing it for his own gain. No legitimate explanation for it at all!
2.) That just makes him more of a criminal and knowing that he did this when he did on May 9th 2009 before his contract was even drawn up or Michael called and said “offer him $150,000” is frightening. I don’t think it was just an insurance policy for a later date. I think that was what he used to force Michael to hire him in the first place. That is just an educated guess but that is what I think he did it for in the first place. We will never know the truth of what transpired between Michael and Murray because the only one that would have told us the truth is dead. I wonder, did Michael know about that tape? Just how had Murray used that tape before the police got his phone?
The media are the ones that say it is creepy and that shows what their intentions always were and always would have been in Michael’s case. They would have gobbled that thing up and used it over and over again, ad nauseam until they had destroyed Michael again. They are of course upset that they have been called out. What if the rumor that there was more than one tape is true? Does the media know this? If so when Judge Pastor said that about that tape he made them useless because he said they were made with a criminal intent.
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Quotes on the sentencing of Conrad Murray
– “We are not here to seek revenge. There is nothing you can do today that will bring Michael back. But we will keep the love in our heart that Michael embodied throughout his life. His passion was for unifying the world through the gift of his artistry.” – Jackson family statement read by attorney Brian Panish
– “As Michael’s parents, we could never have imagined that we would live to witness his passing. It is simply against the natural order of things. As his brothers and sisters, we will never be able to hold, laugh or perform again with our brother Michael. And as his children, we will grow up without a father, our best friend, our playmate and our dad.” – Jackson family statement as read by Panish
– “Dr. Murray – whether he’s a barista for the rest of his life, whether he’s a greeter at Walmart – he’s going to be the man who killed Michael Jackson.” – defense attorney Ed Chernoff
– “My son is not what they charged him to be. He was a gentle child from the time he was small. ” – Milta Rush, Murray’s mother
– “It should be made very clear that experimental medicine is not going to be tolerated, and 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.” – Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor
– “I can’t even imagine that happening to any of us because of the horrific violation of trust.” – Judge Pastor, regarding a recording of an impaired Jackson that authorities recovered from Murray’s cell phone
– “This is going to be a real test of our criminal justice system to see if it’s meaningful at all,” District Attorney Steve Cooley said about Murray’s four-year sentence automatically being cut in half
– “The egregious conduct of Dr. Murray when ‘treating’ Michael Jackson was bad enough but when coupled with his outrageous lies in trying to cover up his wrongdoing after Michael was dying and/or had died only served to magnify his criminal actions. Michael Jackson was the one of the greatest entertainers that ever lived and he will be missed by millions.” – Statement issued by estate of Michael Jackson
-“For those of us who knew Michael and loved him this is not a day of celebration. It is a day of continued pain because of the loss of a great artist and friend. I do hope it sends a signal to those that would prostitute their professional skills for money and pleasure while violating the oath of their profession.” – Rev. Al Sharpton
http://www.bradenton.com/2011/11/29/3687877/quotes-and-reaction-to-jackson.html#ixzz1f8a2s6gG
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Judge: Murray’s secret recording designed to blackmail Jackson
November 29, 2011
In sentencing Conrad Murray to a maximum of four years behind bars, Judge Michael Pastor had particularly harsh words for the doctor for the surreptitious iPhone recording of a heavily drugged and slurring Michael Jackson.
Jackson can be heard on the recording, taped a month and a half before the pop star’s death and first played during opening statements in the case, rambling almost incoherently about his plans for a comeback.
Deputy Dist. Atty. David Walgren argued that the recording was proof Murray was aware of the singer’s “state” but continued providing him drugs.
But Pastor had an even harsher assessment of the secret tape, calling it the piece of evidence against the doctor that “stuck out the most.”
“I have repeatedly asked myself why did this happen and for what reasons,” Pastor said. One conclusion, he said, was that Murray kept the recording to blackmail Jackson in case they had a falling out. “That tape recording was Dr. Murray’s insurance policy…. It was designed to record his patient surreptitiously at that patient’s most vulnerable point.”
Pastor called the recording “offensive” and said it violated the doctor-patient relationship between Murray and Jackson.
He cited it as one of the reasons why he denied probation to Murray, saying it was another failure of Murray’s character.
Pastor sentenced Murray to four years behind bars — the maximum punishment possible — for his part in Jackson’s death, saying the doctor’s role in the singer’s fatal overdose was “money-for-medicine madness.”
In blistering and lengthy remarks, Pastor lambasted Murray for failing to express any remorse for the pop star’s death and suggesting in a recent documentary that Jackson bore responsibility for his own demise.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/11/judge-murrays-secret-recording-designed-to-blackmail-jackson.html
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The full video of Murray’s sentencing
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/video?id=8448449
and here is the Estate’s statement:
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well, Murray gave his statement to the police and It was one of his downfalls. All the lies came out in court out of his own mouth. His hopeful documentary, I’m sure he thought would give him the good life after this was all over, only served to show more of his coldness and greed. Again out of his own mouth he showed the world what he was made of.
He is his own worst enemy I will not watch his documentary, but saw a clip of it on tv. The little bit I saw was enough for me. No regrets, no guilt, and that is what judge Pastor saw. I got so sick hearing that tape over and over of Michael’s slurred speech. The media played the hell out of that, talking about addiction. It was so obvious to anyone with the ability to think, that there was something really sinister going on there. That wonderful judge was the only one I heard that was bold enough to call it what it was. Murray’s insurance.
It would be interesting to go back over Judge Pastor’s speech to count how many times he used the words, lies or lied. He got it, and obviously has no respect for Murray. It was nice to see some reputable people standing up for Michael for a change and treating him as a human being deserving respect. Walgren and his team did an awesome job, but I’m convinced the saga of Michael Jackson is still not over. The media will find more ways to profit off his name for a long time.
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“EXACTLY. They were partners in the crime when they played the recording a thousand times on the first day of the trial – they mocked at Michael’s voice but never mentioned the true goal of that tape. They needed the judge to tell them that it was blackmail.”
I attempted to record the reaction and reports from as many as I could. On CNN a female report used that old saw: “That “creepy” tape”.
What the hell was so creepy about it. True it is not every day you get to hear the voice of someone or yourself while going under, but that does not make it creepy. It is not “creepy” to have a doctor do this to a patient without their knowledge or consent; it is unlawful and unethical….. but not CREEPY.
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Judge Pastor gave Murray the max.The beauty of it is that murray himself provided the the most condemning facts,the ones he hoped would help him.
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“The media are personally offended by the Judge’s words because they would have bought the tape if Murray had intended to sell it. They would have been his partners in crime and they know it! Actually they were his partners in crime when they aired his documentary. Luckily it backfired.”
EXACTLY. They were partners in the crime when they played the recording a thousand times on the first day of the trial – they mocked at Michael’s voice but never mentioned the true goal of that tape. They needed the judge to tell them that it was blackmail.
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The judge also said that one aspect was standing out in Murray’s case – it was the recording done by him. Made at a point when his patient was in his most vulnerable state, the judge said that it might have been Murray’s “insurance policy” (or blackmail to put it in simpler words).
It was a horrible violation of trust. “Had there been a conflict between Conrad Murray and Michael Jackson what value would have been placed on that tape recording?”, the judge wondered.
During the press conference David Walgren said that blackmail was a very possible explanation why Murray made and kept that recording.
Let me add that the keeping that recording is especially striking in the absence of medical records concerning treatment of Michael Jackson. It wasn’t Murray’s habit to make medical records by recording them on tape, so recording Michael while he was falling asleep under propofol was a totally extraordinary thing to do which could be done with a purpose of blackmail only.
All his life Michael was betrayed by someone. And this final touch makes the picture of this betrayal absolutely complete.
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@ Susanne
The media are personally offended by the Judge’s words because they would have bought the tape if Murray had intended to sell it. They would have been his partners in crime and they know it! Actually they were his partners in crime when they aired his documentary. Luckily it backfired.
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The judge finally got the point with that recording ! I applaud him for that ! If the venom media is “outraged”, he did everything right, because he hit a nerve !
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It’s really interesting to see the immediate reaction of the media to Judge Pastor’s words and sentencing. I heard them criticize the Judge for his statements regarding the audio Murray made of MJ (he called it Murray’s “insurance policy” and a “violation of trust”). I heard media people calling Pastor’s summing-up “venom”. The media seem personally offended by the Judge’s decision and explanations.
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“Praise the Lord, another huge piece of justice for Michael. And a big message to the media!”
Yes, the judge made extensive use of Murray’s documentary. If Murray had simply not testified his silence could have passed for remorse or something of the kind. But since he said he didn’t feel guilty the judge called it a factor which caused his tremendous concern. He noted that Murray had absolutely no sense of guilt or fault. “Murray is offended by his patient dying, says he feels betrayed and even blames his victim!” The judge said Murray acted as if here a bystander who came upon the scene. He concluded that Conrad Murray was a threat to the community.
So the documentary came in very handy for the sentence. And this is of course is nothing but the hand of God.
Only the Almighty is capable of turning human cunning schemes into punishing the guilty and defending the innocent. And this is the best argument for those modern Pharisees who pass themselves off as “good Christians” but seed hate for Michael instead of love. All these miraculous developments in Michael Jackson’s case show on whose side the Lord is.
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Four years in LA County Jail minus 46 days time served credits. That doesn’t seem like much but the statement from Judge Michael Pastor was Murray’s true punishment. Let it ring in the ears of the media forever reminding them that Michael was a human being that deserved so much more from them.
I like the idea of the restitution because it puts it in the hands of his children no one else. It will go into trust and it will be only for them instead of someone else in that family.
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So the sentence is 4 years. But legal analysts already say that under the California law Conrad Murray will serve only 2 years. And since prisons are overcrowded even the 2 years term may be reduced.
No restitution has yet been determined because the judge said he could not take a decision on the basis of three lines he received from the Prosecution asking for the restitution of $100 mln.
This sum will have to be itemized and broken down into concrete figures of lost wages and earnings. The restitution hearing is set for January 23, 2012 and will take place in the absence of Conrad Murray. If it is televised we will have a chance to learn something about the contract with AEG – however it will naturally be reflected from a positive side only.
Okay, so the study of the AEG contract will have to be postponed until after the restitution sum is determined.
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Praise the Lord, another huge piece of justice for Michael. And a big message to the media!
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List of online site for televisied or radio live streaming of Murray’s sentencing:
So if you are having problems with one there are others to turn to.
MJJC Legacy, CBS and ABC will be live streaming.
http://www.mjjcommunity.com/the-peop…conrad-murray/
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/category/news/
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/livenow?id=8366366
http://www.ontheredcarpet.com/livevideo?id=8361777
Online Radio
http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2011/11/29/conrad-murray-to-be-sentenced-tuesday-morning.html
Yes CNN is live streaming.
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“This is America. The country, a great power against one, innocent, gentle, man. America.”
Maria, I understand your resentment, but America is also Thomas Mesereau and those hundreds of families who did not answer media calls to slander Michael despite huge money offered to them. And also millions of fans who stood by him in his darkest hour. I for one am not worthy of these people because two and a half years ago I half-believed those stories myself.
But as to the media I agree – the vehemence with which they attacked Michael is something unheard of. I never expected civilized people to behave like that either. Frankly, the only place and time which the whole thing reminded me of was the worst times of Stalinist regime in my own country when totally innocent people were slandered and harassed in the same manner.
However there is a big difference too. The legal system in the face of Thomas Mesereau and the jury proved its worth and took the upper hand, and it was only public opinion which remained unaffected by the non-guilty verdict. It looks like we foreigners believe in the American judicial system more than the people of this country.
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I love Diane Dimond, she made me laugh each time she open her mouth. It’s just another example of her “talent and integrity” as an investigative journalist. How is she able to find a job?
I believe in France, she probably wouldn’t find a job even in a tabloid.
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It was a lynching. America – human rights, constitution, democracy?. An innocent man was crucified. For what?. America, the great world power against the man, whose children called apple-head. Against a man gentle, innocent. The whole machinery of American media against one, the good man . 70 police, raid on Neverland, handcuffs. America, the great world power against Mr. Apple- Head.
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This is America.
The country, a great power against one, innocent, gentle, man. America.
Sh*t !!!!!
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No mercy.
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American journalists are the most brutal people living on our planet. American journalists are like Nazis. It monsters dressed in suits and jackets. They murdered Michael in 1993. They had no mercy for him.
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Kris H
You’re kidding. The loss for America. America has no moral right to speak the name of Michael. Media in America killed Michael. American journalism – shit !!!!.
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Well, there are certainly many glowing letters collected by the defense from Murray’s supporters, most of them portraying him as super-doctor and wonderful father who is vitally important to his communities, wherever they may be. All of them insure the judge that CM is profoundly sorry for what happened and feels totally devastated. I wonder why he needed these people to tell that to the judge, when the judge gave him the opportunity to speak up for himself. Funny that none of these letters mentions the mistresses, strip clubs, and the parentage of his many children. According to his supporters, he is destined for sainthood or at least a few humanitarian medals. One pastor even had the nerve to include that due to his lifestyle Michael would have died sooner or later anyway, so why should CM be blamed for the inevitable. I sincerely hope every Jackson has written a separate letter supporting Michael and explaining their loss and grief. And I hope Judge Pastor realizes what a profound loss Michael’s premature passing is to America and the rest of the world.
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Murray’s mother letter to the judge is on TMZ,…She says he doesn’t drink or smoke..She mentions his children …etc…
A mothers plea …
At least, no matter what, for this woman , she can visit him, for a short time in jail..
Michael s family just has the cemetery for the rest of their lives…
I don’t think her words will help her only son…, her first born…..,as she refers to him in her letter ..
If he had any concept of responsibility , I don’t think he would use his Mother to try to avoid serving a minimal sentence anyway …
..
As much as I detest that he and his lawyers made that documentary,… it certainly is damning… ..
It shows what this man is made of , same as his statement to police did…….
Many people, including myself, sent the uncut version shown in England to the prosecutors and a letter to the judge saying they had no regard for his gag order.
Even if he were to just get house arrest …he would violate it, because for him,… the rules just dont apply …..He cant help himself , which is why he wants to keep talking…
sociopath…….
He is arrogant , narcissistic and I do believe he is still a threat to society ..
I wish the authorities would take a close look at the books of his clinic in Texas..
Frankly I cant believe a man who is so superficial as to have that many girlfriends so adept with a pole…… doesnt have an ulterior motive such as bilking medicaid to go from the glamor of Vegas to a rural area in Texas to have clinic…Surely there are people in Vegas who could have used a clinic also..sentimental value to his Father or not…
Has to be something more in it for him..
I have been boycotting NBC..but I hear Walgren will be on the Today Show Wednesday..
I hope he takes the opportunity to call them out on the exploitation of Michael s death during the interview..
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Yes, Helena, it seems to be a miracle how things turn out for Michael now – after he is no longer with us. The first time experts (apart from fans) are standing up for him. We will see tomorrow how well it worked, but I’m confident. When it turns out the way we hope, it will not only be a heavy blow for Murray, but also for the media.
@Teva: I agree very much: A man who is unable to see his huge guilt, his downright wrongdoing, seeing no mistakes on his part, and also involves God in a blasphemous way, is definitely a threat to society.
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I watched the former doctor Murray mockumentary again, and I think the judge will give him the maximum sentence. If Judge Pastor saw that mockumentary the same thing that disturbed should disturbed him, and that is Murray/Murphy does not recognize, or accept culpability for the death of Michael Jackson. It is an unbelievable thing to watch this man qoute scripture, yet does not see how his abandonment caused the direct death of a human. If he cannot see that he is truly a threat to society.
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Tomorrow we will see how much time he gets.I think you can count on your fingers the words of truth Murray has uttered.I wonder what was in that storage he ordered to be emptied the morning of 6/25. I doubt he will, or would is the correct word, have sold Propofol in the street. There would have been deaths and he would have been traced. Pills would have been the easiest. But who knows about this stupid crook.
What remains to be determined is where he has gotten all the money for his fine, well fitting suits and other expenses during the past 2 1/2 years.
Wathcing the documentary on-line: Flanagan murmurs dinnertime;”I have never lost a case for such a certifiably innocent client.”
It was Chernoff who refused having Murray on the stand. These are causes for their break-up.None of his lawyers will represent him on appeal.He needs more than 4 years.Can he still be sued for drug offences?
–It is sad we can´t say: Long live Michael, but we can say Long Live the Memory of Michael!
appeal.-Just thought of it, maybe he collected money in that storage. Crazier things have happened. And why was it so urgent to be emptied.
Here we had a woman who was sentenced for killing her husband,she sat for some months, then on appeal she was freed due to lack of sufficient evidence.Soon enough she was in court again for other crimes that had co surfaced during her imprisonment.
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“All the Media and Calif lawyers are much aware of the duplicitous conduct surrounding any Michael Jackson case that went unacknowledged and unpunished. They thought it would be business as usual.”
Dial, many people – Murray, his lawyers, his witnesses (Dr. White), the media – must have thought that Murray’s case would run “as usual”. And in a way you can understand their confidence – Michael Jackson was harassed non-stop for how long? For at least 15 years! And all those who told lies about him during that long period got away with it without any consequences for themselves. ALL OF THEM.
None of these liars were ever punished and most only profited by their lies – those false witnesses were always sought after and were offered huge sums, and the bigger the lie was the higher was the sum. Actually the media taught people to lie about Michael – they were raking around for volunteers offering them $100,000 (like the Newt family) and urging them to tell dirty stories about Michael.
The only person who was more or less punished for his lie was Victor Gutierrez who was fined to pay some $2,7ml. But even he had a happy end. He fled to his country, filed for bankruptcy there and happily returned back to the US to be employed by Dateline to work as a consultant during the trial and by ABC to be an assistant to Martin Bashir in the second documentary he made about Jackson. And none of his employers ever deducted a cent from his salary though he was supposed to pay that fine to Michael Jackson as a result of a court ruling.
In short slandering Michael was always a step to fame and success, always paid and always paid well.
Therefore Murray and everyone else (including the media) had every reason to believe that it would be the same in this case too. He tells his lies to the police, portrays Michael as an addict who died of his own hand and here you are – everyone gets what they wanted to. The media – their final sensation, Murray – profitable deals for interviews, documentary and lastly a book, lawyers – fame for setting free the man who rid the world of Michael Jackson…
And you know what? Initially it worked!
It worked for full two months until ONE person – the coroner, Dr. Christopher Rogers had the courage and honesty to turn everything around (summary of Dr. Roger’s testimony is here: https://vindicatemj.wordpress.com/2011/10/11/conrad-murray-trial-week-3/ ). He determined that the case was Homicide and this is when the well-tested scenario suddenly took an unexpected turn.
My feeling of the miracle that took place in Murray’s case is that time has finally come for honest people to talk and act. It is them who are changing everything in respect of Michael. Dr. Rogers (the coroner), Dr. Anderson (toxicologist), Dr. Steinberg (cardiologist) and of course Dr. Shafer (anesthesiologist). And Prosecutors David Walgren, Deborah Brazil (and their boss Steve Cooley) too. Their honesty, professionalism and the truth behind them were the power which smashed Murray, his false witnesses and the media who expected things to be “as usual”.
Up till this case there was only one honest person in Michael’s life – Thomas Mesereau and a couple of true friends like Frank Cascio whom no one listened to. And now all of a sudden there is a whole team of honest, credible, highly professional people standing by Michael!
You can call it whatever you like, but I think that it is nothing but a miracle.
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“The charges that were filed against Michael in 2003 also hold monetary fines as part of the sentencing. It would have benefitted the Arvizo family, and any attorney that they had”
Lynette, how very interesting! I didn’t think of it.
If the Arvizos had been named “victims” the document called Victims’ Bill of Rights” David Walgren is referring to now could have applied to that family too!
Let us read it once again:
On June 8, 1982, the ‘Victim’s Bill of Rights” was passed. This initiative amended the California Constitution to read:
“It is the unequivocal intention of the People of the State of California that all persons who suffer losses as a result of criminal activity shall have the right to seek and secure restitution from the persons convicted of the crimes causing the losses they suffer. California Constitution, art. I, section 28(b)(13)(A)”.
Additionally, California Constitution, article I, section 28(e) defines a crime victim as:
“Any person who suffers direct or threatened physical, psychological, or financial harm as a result of the commission or attempted commission of a crime or delinquent act. The term “victim” also includes the person’s spouse, parents, children, siblings, or guardian, and a lawful representative of a crime victim who is deceased…”
So we can very well imagine that the Arvizos would have claimed many-million restitution for “physical and psychological harm done” as a result of “the comission or even attempted comission of a delinquent act”. And both the parents (Janet Arvizo) and their lawyer could have easily benefitted from that too.
It seems that they did not need a civil suit at all!
And if you come to think of it Jordan Chandler did not need a civil suit either. If they had cooperated with the authorities in the criminal proceedings and if Michael had been charged with a crime and if the criminal trial had taken place and if he had been found guilty, that “Victim’s” Bill of rights could have applied to Jordan Chandler too.
Only there were too many ifs in that case and the Chandlers didn’t want to take those risks and never went for a criminal trial – hence their insistence on a civil suit only from the very start of it.
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I happen to think they just asked for a high bail for MJ because nothing that happened in Santa Barbara was ever fair , reasonable or normal when it came to MJ…
Jordan description doesnt match MJ genitals ?? no problem,
time line needs to be changed in order to compensate for the Arviso family to continue this charade ??no problem, still moving forward.
Bail gets set at 3 million because MJ is so rich even though in their case , they say the reason he was so desperate to control the Arviso family , is because he is broke.
They just did that kind of stuff , because they could..
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@ Dialdancer. I hope they were not listening privately to anything he had to say. He was a witness and a judge or prosecutor cannot hear unsubstantiated hearsay from a witness regarding a matter that he was not involved in like the requests for a reduction in bail. The hearings for that were in July and November of 2004 so I don’t think that Jermaine had even hatched that crazy thought yet.
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“I wish Tom Mesereau would write a book about about the trial and the evidence that they found. It would make life so much easier LOL.”
Oh that it would. Maybe he will, once things quiet down and he finds the time. (chuckle) Guess we better keep working and researching.
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Thanks Lynette,
Reading from here and a site by a former prosecutor has me asking new questions. Concerning the 3 mil bail, is it possible the judge was not solely influenced by the DA’s animosity, but due to a supposed family friend who may overheard or was told of Jermaine’s wild ideal to spirit MJ out of the country? Someone who had access to the family and the DA’s ear? Someone like S. Brown?
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I wish Tom Mesereau would write a book about about the trial and the evidence that they found. It would make life so much easier LOL.
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“But the same old proven pattern of behavior which worked so well for Ray Chandler suddenly backfired for Murray.”
This says it all. I believe Flanagan had hands all over this stunt. All the Media and Calif lawyers are much aware of the duplicitous conduct surrounding any Michael Jackson case that went unacknowledged and unpunished. They thought it would be business as usual. What I am hoping for is a major kick in the ass for Murray’s attorneys. The kind that will make the next ambulance chaser with a deceitful client think twice.
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@ Dialdancer yes the court can order victims compensation in other cases as well. The charges that were filed against Michael in 2003 also hold monetary fines as part of the sentencing. The fines would have been adjusted to take into account what was spent by the county for the prosecution. That could be an indicator as to why Michael’s bail was set at 3 million which is just a little shy of what the trial cost the people of Santa Barbara County. It would have benefitted the Arvizo family, and any attorney that they had, if Michael had been ordered by the court to reveal all of his finances because they would have been entitled to a percentage just like Larry Feldman wanted to know how much he could ask for in 1993 when he requested Michael’s financial records to make sure that “Jordan” got his fair share or the appropriate percentage of his income.
It is also a fallacy that the Arvizos never took money for their story. They were paid $4000.00 by David Gardner for their story on Feb 4th 2003 just one day after the British LWMJ was aired. That is when they contacted Evvy Tavasci and told her that the tabloids were offering her money for her story. Evvy must have contacted someone to get in touch with Michael and that is how they ended up in Florida in the first place. I have found the original one that was written for the British Tabloid on High Beam and saved a copy.
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Lynette?
Can compensation be awarded by the court to the victim or family for other criminal offenses, such as child molestation if the defendant is found guilty?
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I agree Michael was long dead ..I just think that because Murray was the only one in the room and he gave his statement to police and paramedics that he was only gone two minutes, saw the event etc..they simply used the scenario he created himself, to hang him with his own words,Flanagan pretty much admitted that when he was cross examining Dr Anon Steinberg?
And the wonderful doctor on the stand wasnt having it..He just kept saying he could have saved him because Murray said he had a thready pulse.. ..Murray knew that.
I loved that doctor btw
I also think the reason he wanted to supposedly testify in court, after all his obvious lies, is that he is a sociopath and thought he was so intelligent , he could talk his way right out of this mess.One scarey guy..
It was just another day for Murray,,He drugged him up, did some emails, called his bimbos, and went in to wake MJ at his usual time to go to rehearsals and found his golden goose dead..Hence the fake resuscitation attempt..with the lame cpr..
I figured that was why the two women in Texas people thought were disposing of evidence, was not brought up as it might have confused the timeline the prosecution was going with…
I wondered if he had bought some of that propaful and shipped it down there to sell on the street or something..I think his clinic in Texas is probably scamming medicaid or something shady..Wouldnt put it past this guy..
Walgren was right when he said it is amazing Michael managed to live as long as he did under this doctors care
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Sometimes I do not understand why the penalty for someone that has been trial for manslaughter is only a few years – we are talking about a human life here – how come there are higher penalties for other crimes like robberies etc. I am very grateful to the team that represented Michael and I know they did an excellent job — The media should be penalized for insulting Michaels memory and disrespect toward his family
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“I don´t recommend it,but..”,words often uttered by Murray in the documentary.Everything he did or did not do comes after that “but”.
That documentary in it´s 2-3 versions are uploaded on a certain blog.
I don´t recommend it but to those of you who watched the trial.It is a tragi-comic piece and he put his foot in his mouth,both feet and thumbs as well.What comes through is his knack of telling tall stories,ie lies, and he is not totally bereft of talent in acting.I doubt every word he says. It is quite possible that Michael had been dead for a while when murray noticed it.The fire was on in end of June in California and the room was hot. His 2 nurses or female friends were emptying his storage somewhere, following his instructions in the morning. Usually time of death is determined by the internal temperature of the dead person and the outside temperature. This would of course not be correct if death occurred in a warmed up room, and the dead person (I cannot bring myself to write the correct word c…..) then transported to the hospital.
The bladder full to capacity at death points to Michael having died without regaining consciousness. Murray then had to create a big drama around the unforseen death-some delay calling 911 and you know the rest.
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I have always felt listening to his tape of him telling the detectives what happened , people were buying it due to the junk we have all been fed about him for years……masks, baby dangling , crazy……..It is like white noise , otherwise HOW on earth would his lawyer let him go in there and talk to them..??
But I am just so glad he did!!!
.
His defense team wanted to pick up a little fame for being associated with MJ even in a notorious aspect.Thought it would be a cake walk..
Backfired for sure ..I hope it effects Flanagans reputation also ..He just appears half drunk most of the time…
Murray comes off as a narcissist and just plain evil at times as he tries to smear his MJ again….
And the arrogant look on his face when he says his making phone calls in the morning was nothing unusual, he did it all the time…(when he had put MJ down all those nights !!), makes me feel he had an almost dislike or resentment toward MJ..
I wrote Judge Pastor a note telling him he was an excellent jurist and that Murray and his defense team showed no regard for his gag order , or his patient ..
They may not admit it , but it is hard to ignore fans , email, banners flying…Even during closing arguments Walgren referred to MJ wanting to repay his loyal fans…
I really hope Judge Pastor takes public opinion into his consideration for sentencing unlike the judge that just let anna nicole smith guy walk.
In my mind I have done a side by side of atty Walgren and Tom Sneddon..two men with the same kind of job who couldnt be further apart in integrity as far as I am concerned..
What might have been if someone like Walgren were in charge in Santa Barbara.
.
btw..i wonder how the daily beast reporter hooked up with them.. he resembles Flanagans wife to me .i wonder if he is a relative….
Thanks for putting this up))
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“I think that people like Dr. White and Murray were led by the many years of public harassment of Michael Jackson into thinking that no matter how ridiculous their stories of Michael Jackson were, the public (and the jury) would believe anything told about him.”
Absolutely VMJ. They believed the labels “addiction” and “addicted” (and other labels) that have been used during several years by the media would help them to say anything about MJ.
Dr. White might have been in this not only to serve Murray but more than him. We will see in the future.
Lynande wrote something important about CM who might not have used all the Propofol he bought on MJ. He might have sold part of it on the street. I have always suspected that. Probably, CM bought a big quantity of Propofol partly to show MJ that he can, that “he was the man for the job”; a trap of course.
Perhaps, he got her “instrument” pregnant too to show her to MJ and buy trust for himself.
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“The above documents are the just reward for his internationally televised hubris.”
Well said, Kris!!!
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“You wrote about the deputy district attorney David Walgren and the strong and wonderful work he did. The media was and is still shocked. They cannot recover from the fact that Walgren defended Jackson.”
MOA, I can imagine what a shock it was for Dr. White too to find that David Walgren was being serious in his job. He would never have ventured his fantasy stories about a drawn-up syringe conveniently left by Murray for MJ to push it or him walking with an IV set attached to him, if he had known in advance how seriously Walgren would handle Murray’s case. Dr. White definitely expected Walgren to do only a make-belief job of prosecuting Murray.
I think that people like Dr. White and Murray were led by the many years of public harassment of Michael Jackson into thinking that no matter how ridiculous their stories of Michael Jackson were, the public (and the jury) would believe anything told about him. And indeed Dr. White’s crooked charts were a decided improvement on, for example, the stories Maureen Orth told about Michael taking blood baths – but there was a time when people believed even that!
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The true beauty of victim compensation is that it does not have go to trial like a civil court. It has already been determined that he is guilty and this is like a fine and reimbursement for the losses incurred. If this is imposed on Murray the monies must first be paid by him directly. Whatever he would or could possibly earn in the future must first go to pay this if it is imposed. Any money he made prior must now be turned over to the court in determining the amount of said fine and reimbursement to the kids. If it is not he is guilty of the crime of defrauding the court. The world will now know what he made from that documentary and where it went.
The second thing that should be looked into is an investigation by the DEA into Murray diverting and trafficking the Ativan and Versed. They are Schedule IV drugs, a controlled medication and when he ordered them to his girlfriends’ house saying that it was a medical clinic he knew full well that what he was doing was illegal. Then when the Ativan and Versed arrived he transported them to Michael’s house from that apartment and administered them himself. That also is a crime and a crime with knowledge and forethought. You have to know that it is illegal to do it if you go to so much trouble to hide it. Every Doctor in the US knows this is very illegal because you have to know the law before you get your DEA number to prescribe.
A DEA investigation is a Federal investigation not a state investigation. If a Doctor does this it is a Federal Crime. None of the Ativan and Versed found was bearing a prescription label of the name of the person that it was intended for and the prescribing Physician. Unlabeled medications can be resold illegally on the street by anyone that finds them. Their value on the street is usually ten times greater than it is for medical personnel. There is no documentation proving that Murray did not do this or that he used all that he ordered. He could very well have been ordering it and not using all of it on Michael and selling it on the street. The DEA should really look into the evidence and charge him with trafficking and diversion. Now how many times did he order the Ativan and Versed, 3 times or 4 times? That is one count for each order for each drug it is not divided by the number of vials. That leaves us with the possibility of 6-8 charges of drug trafficking.
http://criminal.laws.com/drug-trafficking
http://www.justice.gov/dea/agency/penalties.htm
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Thank you VMJ. I had just read the memorandum and wanted to post the link on the blog, when I saw your post.
Yes indeed, there is several similarities between the Chandler brothers and Conrad Murray. Jackson’s detractors have always studied the previous one to know how to do it. And of course, the Chandlers have been a great help for all of them.
You wrote about the deputy district attorney David Walgren and the strong and wonderful work he did. The media was and is still shocked. They cannot recover from the fact that Walgren defended Jackson. They hoped Murray’s “documentary” would help but it was seen by less than 2 million worldwide. What a disaster for Jackson’s detractors.
Fingers crossed until November 29, the sentencing day.
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What better site to post this blog than VINDICATEMJ? Murray brought this entirely on himself. That mockumentary was a figurative spit in the face to the entire justice system, to Judge Pastor, to David Walgren and Deborah Brazil, to Michael’s family, and to the fans. Now it becomes very clear why Judge Pastor took such great care to encourage Murray to testify in his own behalf. No one attempted to ensnare him–he trapped himself due to his own tireless, unmitigated arrogance. Obviously, he needs some quiet time away from civilization to rethink the rest of his life. And most definitely, due to the same arrogance, this man should never again be allowed to practice medicine. He would excuse himself with “patient entrapment” and “patient betrayal” all over again. One death is quite enough. The above documents are the just reward for his internationally televised hubris.
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