Conrad Murray found guilty in death of Michael Jackson

The Takeaway

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A jury in Los Angeles has convicted Conrad Murray, the personal physician to Michael Jackson, in the death of the pop superstar.

The verdict came Monday after 22 days of testimony, though less than two days of deliberation. Murray, 58, faces up to four years in prison and will automatically lose his medical license, the New York Times said.

For Murray, it is a lengthy fall from his status as personal physician to Jackson. The Los Angeles Times reported that Murray confessed to giving Jackson the drug that ultimately killed him — after Jackson begged repeatedly, he testified — as well as two other drugs that Jackson took that day.

“This is a crime where the end result was the death of a human being. That factor demands rather dramatically that the public should be protected,” L.A. County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor said in the LA Times.

Since the conviction, Murray has been placed on suicide watch at the Los Angeles County Jail.

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“The Takeaway” is a national morning news program, delivering the news and analysis you need to catch up, start your day, and prepare for what’s ahead. The show is a co-production of WNYC and PRI, in editorial collaboration with the BBC, The New York Times Radio, and WGBH.

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