Dr. Conrad Murray appeared before Judge Michael Pastor on Tuesday for sentencing, after being convicted three weeks ago of involuntary manslaughter in the death of pop singer Michael Jackson.
Facing a maximum sentence of four years in prison and a minimum sentence of probation and community service, all eyes were on the judge.
Judge Pastor sentenced Murray to the maximum sentence of four years imprisonment, to be served in the Los Angeles County Jail, based upon state guidelines that preclude incarceration in a state prison for those convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
The sentence will be reduced immediately, under sentencing guidelines, to half that sentence — or two years maximum. He is also immediately eligible to home confinement at the discretion of L.A. County jail officials.
Prior to sentencing, a lawyer for the Jackson family read a statement that spoke of the depth of the loss that has been suffered by the parents, siblings and children of the deceased.
Prosecutors suggested that Murray should be made to pay $100 million in restitution to the Jackson children and $1.8 million for funeral costs. His own lawyers wanted leniency, describing the death as “an isolated aberration to an otherwise exceptional medical career.”
Katherine Jackson said in a previous interview, “I don’t believe that he intended for Michael to die.” Nonetheless, she felt the only just verdict is for the doctor to receive the harshest sentence possible.
The judge gave Dr. Murray the opportunity to address the court before sentencing but he declined to do so, remaining stoic throughout the court proceedings.
Check out the sentencing video below beginning at 0:40 on the slider:
Photos: WENN