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Judge Tells Conrad Murray He Is A Danger To The Community Denies Bail
California Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor, the same judge who presided over the manslaughter trail of Conrad Murray, and sentenced him to immediate incarceration upon his guilty verdict and 4 years in prison, rejected the felon’s request to be released on bail pending appeal on Friday of last week.
Citing a poor chance that the appeal would be successful as one reason bail will continue to be denied, the judge went on to say that his opinion of Murray and his actions, which he made clear in no uncertain terms at the time of sentencing, are as severe now as they were then. See the video of Judge Pastor dressing down Murray during sentencing HERE. Pastor told Murray that the simple truth is he killed his patient Michael Jackson with his poor medical care…that it was not some unfortunate accident or mistake, but manslaughter when he handed down the maximum allowable sentence for the offense he was found guilty of. Pastor also made a statement of seeming regret that the law did not allow him to sentence Murray to state prison rather than county jail. The judge also expressed displeasure with Murray’s lack of remorse or responsiblity shown in post-trial interviews for a TV documentary.
Murray continued to defend his care of the pop star and proclaimed that his use of propofol in Jackson’s home was ‘appropriate’ despite every medical expert witness at trial stating the opposite, and his conviction. “I didn’t tell Dr. Murray to give an interview for a documentary,” the judge said. “When he did, I listened to it and saw it and I was concerned about his attitude toward the use of propofol in the home. … What he believes scares me.”
In his conviction appeal, Murray is blaming Jackson for killing himself as a result of stress and claiming he was prevented from preventing the evidence of that stress at trial. This tactic ignores the fact that the moment Murray brought propofol into Jackson’s home he strayed so far afield of acceptable medical practice that any adverse events flowing from his negligence were forseeable and his responsibility. His appeal has no chance of being successful in over turning his conviction in this Blog’s opinion. And we haven’t been wrong yet in this case.
“Mr. Jackson was in debt approximately 440 million dollars and desperately needed to fulfill a contractual commitment at the O2 arena in London,” TMZ quotes Murray’s appeal filings. “He was on the verge of losing his entire estate to foreclosure. The pressure to fight through his insomnia, to rehearse and be the entertainer he was in his earlier years was overwhelming. His motivation and resulting desperation were relevant to show a likelihood or reason to act in a manner inconsistent with good judgment,” the statement read. As a result, Murray contends, Jackson self administered his own fatal dose of propofol. Something the evidence at trial did not substantiate, but no matter thinks team Murray….somehow presenting evidence of stress in Jackson’s life would have turned the tide in favor of the good doctor (former doctor at this point). How his attorneys can even say this with a straight face is mind numbing.
Defense attorney J. Michael Flanagan had petitioned for Murray to be released on bail, his own recognizance or house arrest with an electronic ankle bracelet. Both he and appellate attorney Valerie Wass said Murray should be free during his appellate phase. Pastor was having none of it, saying Murray is a danger to the community and a flight risk to his native country of Trinidad. The judge also cleared up any ideas he would be changing his mind on the issue should it appear before him again. “This is my last statement on this matter,” he said.
Outside the courtroom Murray’s attorneys held a pity party for their client bemoaning an alleged 30 pound weight loss, his confinement in a jail cell with little freedom, seven children in need of support, yada, yada, yada. In other words, ‘our client’ is experiencing the consequences of being sentenced to jail for killing someone’. Even now under current policies in California Murray is likely to serve no more than 2 years in jail which may see him released before his appeal is even heard. How sad. Sad that 4 years is the maximum for the crime he was convicted of that is….and pathetic that it appears he will never take responsibility for his actions. On the upside, this attitude may well prevent his regaining a medical license in the years to come.
Related Posts
- Texas Medical Board Suspends Conrad Murray’s Medical License
- Conrad Murray Asked To Surender His Calif MD License
- Watch Harsh Words Delivered By Judge Pastor At Murray Sentencing [VIDEO]
- Anesthesiologist Expert In Murray Trial In Contempt, Fined
- Cardiologist Buries Conrad Murray During Testimony
