Legal News

Doctor for King of Pop Hit With Involuntary Manslaughter Charge

By Ashby Jones

Well, it sure took a while. But in a move that had long been rumored, discussed and debated; debated, discussed and rumored, the Los Angeles district attorney finally took action against Michael Jackson’s personal physician, Conrad Murray (pictured).

Prosecutors on Monday charged Murray with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the King of Pop’s death in June. Click here for the WSJ story; here for the NYT story; here for the LAT story.

In charging Murray with a single criminal count, which carries a maximum four-year prison sentence, prosecutors alleged that the physician killed the 50-year-old pop star “without malice.” Even so, proving the charge won’t be easy; it will require prosecutors to show that the physician’s actions amounted to more than a series of mistakes. Murray, who pleaded not guilty, has consistently denied wrongdoing. He was released after posting $75,000 in bail.

Authorities last year determined that Jackson died from a lethal combination of the anesthetic propofol and other medications. Murray acknowledged giving propofol to Jackson on the morning he died.

Laurie Levenson, professor at Loyola Law School here, told the WSJ that prosecutors could have a difficult time proving “gross negligence” against Murray, though she said that task could be made easier if they can show he violated some law or regulation in how he obtained or administered the propofol. Levenson said the defense would likely argue that even if Murray made mistakes, the result was a “tragic accident,” which doesn’t rise to the level of criminal conduct. The trial “will probably be a battle of experts over the use of propofol,” said Levenson, who isn’t connected to the case.

Lawyers from Stradley, Chernoff & Alford in Houston will represent Murray, according to this National Law Journal story.

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on February 09, 2010 (boomark / email).