Conrad Murray Receives Guilty Verdict, Currently on Suicide Watch

Convicted of involuntary manslaughter, Conrad Murray, the doctor to the late “King of Pop” Michael Jackson, has been placed in the medical ward of the Los Angeles County Jail and is on suicide watch.

Murray has served eight days of a 22-day stay behind bars before his sentencing on November 29.

Steve Whitmore, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, reported that "a person's medical or mental health status in the Los Angeles County Jail is protected under the law,” but the restraint showed by the officials involved in this case is not being exercised by the doctor’s lawyers and media representatives.

J. Michael Flanagan, Murray’s defense attorney, reported his frustration after he waited for over an hour this morning at the jail to see his client, but was informed that Murray had been taken to the medical unit of the prison. "He didn't think he would be found guilty," said Miranda Sevcik, Murray’s media representative. In Sevcik’s opinion, Murray "didn't mentally prepare himself” for the guilty verdict he received. “He is a very positive person and he didn't prepare for this outcome….When someone isn't prepared, it hits them doubly hard." She continued to state that Murray is "obviously distraught" in the facility he currently resides in.

Before the guilty verdict was bestowed on Murray, he had insisted that he felt no guilt for the death of Michael Jackson, as he did not “do anything wrong”.

Murray was accused of changing his story concerning how the pop star passed away in his own home under Murray’s care, as the doctor told the police officers who arrived on the scene that he had left the pop star alone for only two minutes to use the bathroom, but he later changed his story to say that he left for a longer period of time to make a phone call.

Further, the fact that Murray did not call 911 or any other emergency services immediately upon finding Jackson in distress was frequently called into question by those following the case. Murray defending this action—or non-action—by stating that he is a trained cardiologist and is capable of performing the same duties the paramedics would have performed.

When Murray was asked if he regretted leaving the Jackson alone in his room that day, Murray answered that he regretted “that Michael has passed."

Murray’s attorneys have expressed their hope that, despite his guilty conviction, Murray will not be sent back to jail after he is sentenced on November 29 by Judge Michael Pastor. Murray has not been labeled a flight risk or a danger to society, and has consistently cooperated with the investigations into his case.

"To say that he is a danger to the community and public is outrageous,” reported his attorneys.