Conrad Murray: Conrad Murray Faces Sentencing in Michael Jackson's Death

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (KTLA) -- Michael Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray is due back in court on Tuesday for sentencing, after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the pop star's death.

Murray faces up to four years in prison, but his attorneys have asked a judge to give the doctor probation and community service.

Murray's lawyers described Michael Jackson's death as "an isolated aberration to an otherwise exceptional medical career."


They claim Murray has already been punished severely by the loss of his medical license and with public contempt.

Murray is being held in a cell in the medical services building where there is a higher ratio of guards to inmates for his safety.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor ordered Murray to be held without bail until his sentencing.

"This is not a crime involving a mistake of judgment ... This was a crime where the end result was the death of a human being," Pastor said in explaining his decision to remand Murray to police custody.

"That factor demonstrates rather dramatically that the public should be protected."

Legal experts say that, based on the judge's decision to remand Murray into custody, they expect he will impose the maximum sentence.

Due to overcrowding, however, it's likely that Murray would only serve half of a four-year sentence, or about two years.

Murray served as Jackson's personal physician as Jackson prepared for his comeback concerts, with Murray giving him the surgical anesthetic propofol to help him sleep nearly every night for the last two months of his life, according to testimony.

Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, was caused by "acute propofol intoxication" in combination with two sedatives, the Los Angeles County coroner ruled.

The verdict followed about nine hours of jury deliberations.

The seven men and five women on the jury heard 49 witnesses over 23 days, including Murray's girlfriends and patients, Jackson's former employees, investigators and medical experts for each side.

The prosecution argued that Murray was responsible for Jackson's death because his reckless use of propofol to treat the pop icon's insomnia in his home was criminally negligent.

Defense lawyers contended the matter was a negligence case that should instead be heard by the state medical board.

Jurors were left to decide if the propofol overdose was infused into Jackson's blood by a steady intravenous drip, as the prosecution contended, or if Jackson injected himself using a syringe left nearby by Murray, as the defense argued.

Minutes after the guilty verdict was read, a stone-faced Murray was handcuffed and led out of the courtroom.

Family members exited the courthouse after the verdict was read to cheers from supports gathered outside.

La Toya Jackson spoke to reporters on the way out of the courtroom. "Michael was looking over us," she said.

Brother Tito pumped his fist in celebration.

Jackson's mother Katherine told reporters, "Justice was served, I thank the jury for the doing the right thing."

What's on Your Mind...