Dr. Conrad Murray Convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter in Michael Jackson's Death
Michael Jackson's former personal physician Dr. Conrad Murray was convicted on November 7 of involuntary manslaughter over the overdose and death of the pop singer in 2009. After six weeks of testimony and deliberation, jurors concluded that Murray was guilty of criminal negligence that led to Jackson's death, according to The Los Angeles Times. Murray, a cardiologist, was convicted of administering a fatal dose of the surgical anesthetic propofol to the pop star.
Testimonies and arguments between the defense and prosecution in the Los Angeles jury trial focused on whether blame should be placed on Murray or Jackson, who was a willing participant in receiving the propofol doses, and whether or not Jackson gave himself the fatal overdose. In the end, jurors found that although Jackson agreed to the doses, Murray was responsible for administering the dose, neglecting to take care of Jackson, and responding incorrectly when Jackson suffered cardiac arrest. Murray was denied bail and now awaits sentencing on November 29 where he could face up to four years of imprisonment.
In California criminal law, involuntary manslaughter is the unlawful killing of another without malice aforethought, often due to actions taken without caution or thought. Involuntary manslaughter has the smallest amount of consequences of all the convictions that deal with the killing of another person. According to California Penal Code Section 193 (b), "Involuntary manslaughter is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for two, three, or four years." In contrast, voluntary manslaughter can be punished by 3, 6, or 11 years of imprisonment.
Even though involuntary manslaughter receives the least amount of penalties, all criminal charges dealing with the killing of another are serious and can have a life-long impact on a person's life. If you or a loved one is facing manslaughter charges, contact the Century City manslaughter defense lawyers at the Law Offices of Daniel Kann. Call us today at (310) 954-9356 for a consultation on your case.
Source: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-conrad-murray-20111108,0,4044841.story
