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Michael Jackson’s physician to be charged on Monday
by Pankhuri kapoor - February 6, 2010 - comments
Michael Jackson's physician has been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Los Angeles, February 6 -- Michael Jackson’s physician Dr Conrad Murray will be charged of involuntary manslaughter on Monday, for administering drugs to the legendary singer, prior to his demise on June 25 last year.
Jackson had appointed Dr Murray as his personal doctor as he was preparing to make a comeback in the world of music through a series of concerts in London.
Official confirmation of the criminal prosecution in the Jackson case came Friday in a press release issued by the district attorney’s office.
The court documents stated that Murray accepted the fact that he gave Jackson a dose of propofol, a powerful anesthetic, shortly before his death.
The drug is intended for use in operating rooms by trained anesthesiologists. Murray told police that the singer had a long history of using the drug to sleep and he was trying to wean Jackson from it the week he died, the documents state.
The prosecution
Prosecution attorney Brian Oxman says that late Michael Jackson’s family considers the charges against Dr Conrad Murray as ‘a slap on the wrist.’
He says, “Dr. Conrad Murray displayed recklessness in dispensing powerful drugs to help Jackson sleep, warranting a second-degree murder charge. Involuntary manslaughter, the charge prosecutors reportedly plan to seek carries a maximum jail sentence of just four years.”
“That is just a slap on the wrist, and a slap in the face, because Michael Jackson was someone who we knew was in danger of being brought to his knees, brought his death, by the use of these medications,” he added.
It may be noted that the case was supposed to be filed by the prosecution on Friday but it got postponed to Monday due to the dispute with Murray’s defense team on Thursday over the doctor’s surrender.
The defense
Defense attorney Ed Chernoff has said that the doctor was ready to surrender to the authorities but no one had asked him to do so till now.
“We are going to be at the courthouse at 1:30 (p.m.) for his surrender. We see no reason to perpetuate the arbitrary situation any longer,” informs Miranda Sevcik, spokeswoman for Murray's legal team.
She further adds, “We know he's going to be charged with involuntary manslaughter and we are ready with a counterargument. He's not guilty -- that's our argument.”
Michael Jackson’s brother unhappy with the proceedings
Jermaine Jackson, brother of the late singer, is not at all happy with the way his brother’s death proceedings are going on.
He was quoted as saying, “Delays in getting the star's doctor into court are putting daggers into our hearts.”