Jackson doctor jailed for maximum four years

Dr. Conrad Murray. AP FILE PHOTO

LOS ANGELES—Michael Jackson’s doctor Conrad Murray was jailed for the maximum four years Tuesday over the star’s 2009 death, as a judge lashed the medic’s behavior as “money-for-medicine madness.”

Judge Michael Pastor also said Murray should pay compensation to Jackson’s family, although he made no ruling on a prosecution call for the amount to be set at $100 million, putting off a decision until January.

Jackson’s mother Katherine hailed the sentencing, but added: “Four years is not enough for someone’s life.

“Four years won’t bring my son back, but that’s the law so… I thank the judge,” she said, adding: “At least he got the maximum. I thought the judge was very, very fair.”

In reality the medic — convicted of involuntary manslaughter three weeks ago — could spend much less than the four years behind bars, notably due to California’s prison overcrowding, prosecutors warned.

Judge Pastor, giving a scathing summary of the case against the 58-year-old doctor, said: “It should be made very clear that experimental medicine is not going to be tolerated.

“And Mr. Jackson was an experiment. The fact that he participated in it does not excuse or lessen the blame of Dr. Murray who simply could have walked away and said no as countless others did.

“Dr Murray was intrigued by the prospect and he engaged in this money-for-medicine madness that is simply not going to be tolerated by me,” he added.

Murray was found guilty on November 7 after giving Jackson an overdose of the powerful hospital anesthetic, propofol, on June 25, 2009 at the star’s plush Holmby Hills mansion. The drug was purportedly to help the singer fight chronic insomnia.

The trial heard evidence that Murray was on the phone with a series of girlfriends at the crucial time Jackson was on his deathbed, and that he delayed calling 911 and failed to tell paramedics what he had given the star.

Jackson, aged 50 at the time of his death, had hired Murray at a salary of $150,000 a month to look after him as he rehearsed and embarked on a series of “This is It” planned comeback shows in London.

The judge said he agreed that Murray should have to pay restitution to Jackson’s estate and three children, and scheduled a new hearing for January 23.

The prosecution had asked for Murray to pay $100 million to compensate Jackson’s family for the lost earnings the singer would have made from the London comeback shows.

Defense lawyer Michael Flanagan said the amount of compensation set was academic, since Murray could not pay.

“Everything over a couple of dollars he’s not going to have the ability to pay anyway,” he said.

Murray’s actual time behind bars in an LA County jail is likely to be much less than four years, as the LA County Sheriff typically cuts jail terms due to prison overcrowding and other issues.

The judge noted that Murray had already served 46 days, while LA District Attorney Steve Cooley warned his “sentence might be very short,” noting that actress Lindsay Lohan recently spent just five hours in jail for a 30-day term.

Defense lawyer Flanagan, asked how Murray would cope with his jail time, said: “He’s an honorable man, and he will get through it.”

In a statement read in court before sentence was passed, Jackson’s family said it was not seeking revenge.

“As Michael’s parents we could never have imagined that we would live to witness his passing. It is simply against the natural order of things,” it said.

“As his brothers and sisters we will never be able to hold, laugh or perform again with our brother Michael. And as his children we will grow up without a father, our best friend, our playmate and our dad.”