Houston: Conrad Murray, the personal
physician of Michael Jackson, was sentenced to four years in
jail for his role in the death of the music icon.
Judge Michael Pastor gave Murray the maximum sentence
yesterday, saying the evidence in the case showed a
"continuous pattern of lies and deceit" by the doctor.
Murray, 58, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter
earlier this month.
Several members of the Jackson family attended the
sentencing hearing.
In a statement, the family said they hope Murray`s
punishment,"Reminds physicians that they cannot sell their
services to the highest bidder and cast aside their
Hippocratic oath to do no harm."
Murray will likely serve only half his sentence due to
automatic credit for good behaviour, Los Angeles County
Sheriff`s spokesman Steve Whitmore said.
The judge gave a 30-minute explanation of why he was
sentencing Murray to the maximum jail time, even though the
doctor was technically eligible for probation.
Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor reprimanded Murray
for his "horrific violation of trust" in caring for the pop
superstar and called the heavy use of propofol "medicine
madness".
Murray treated Jackson like a "medical experiment," the
judge said, which factored into his decision to hand down the
maximum sentence.
"Four years is not enough for someone`s life," Katherine
Jackson, the singer`s mother, said after sentencing. "It won`t
bring him back, but at least he got the maximum."
Jermaine Jackson said he would miss playing music with
his brother Michael and being a family.
"One hundred years is not enough," he said.
Several members of Jackson`s immediate family attended
the sentencing, including his mother Katherine and siblings
LaToya, Jermaine, Randy and Rebbie.
Murray`s mother and girlfriend also attended proceedings.
Michael Jackson`s oldest two children, Prince and Paris
were "extremely pleased and relieved" that Murray was found
guilty of killing their father.
As soon as the verdict was read in court, Katherine
Jackson met privately with Deputy District Attorney David
Walgren, and "broke down in tears as she thanked him for
bringing Michael`s children justice.
It was very emotional.
Walgren had hammered home the point to the jury that
Michael`s three children didn`t have a father because of
Conrad Murray.
Katherine gave the DA one final hug before leaving and
said, "Now I can go home and tell the children that he has
been found guilty."
Katherine wanted to get home as quickly as possible
after the verdict had been announced so she could tell Prince,
Paris, and Blanket that Murray was found guilty and behind
bars.
PTI
