King of Pop - Michael Jackson
To many devoted fans of the great Michael Jackson, the news of Dr Conrad Murray receiving the maximum sentence under the law for manslaughter in California was no surprise. Yes, Grenadian born Dr Conrad Murray was handed down four years for his part in Michael’s untimely death on June 25th 2009.
It all seems strange that a man who never really knew his dad, grew up in both Grenada and Trinidad as a child and witnessed his mother, Milta, doing what she could to earn a decent living, would foil a relationship with a reasonably wealthy and supremely connected super star in Michael Jackson, the King of Pop.
From all accounts Dr Murray was a gifted man who worked hard and was ambitious. Like his dad, Rawle Andrews a physician in Texas until his death in 2001, Conrad dreamt of studying medicine while he lived with his maternal Grenadian grandparents in Trinidad. Conrad who was born in the town of St Andrews Grenada on 19th February 1953 immigrated to the United States in 1980 to meet his dad.
Following a period of study he opened his medical practice as a cardiologist and personal physician in 1999. Many in his Houston area where he practiced would attest that he was very generous and in some ways a ‘Saint’ as he helped many poor patients on a daily basis, something he picked up from his dad.
It wasn’t long before word got out about his dedication and professionalism and he received a call from Michael Jackson who was very concerned about an unknown medical condition contracted by one of his children. We learn it wasn’t long before Conrad and Michael became friends and before you knew it Conrad was appointed Michael’s personal physician commanding a salary of a staggering $150,000 a month. All of this is believed to have been around the time Michael was making arrangements for his heavily publicised 2009 concert tour.
Convicted felon - Dr Conrad Murray
Many of us have heard over the years of Michael’s difficulty sleeping but none of us had a clue he relied on methadone, fentanyl, percocet, dilaudid, and vicodin to help him sleep. It’s believed its Conrad’s access to these drugs that formed the basis of this unlikely friendship.
It now stands to reason that Michael’s insomnia would have proven resistant to these marginally potent drugs creating the need for more effective alternatives. Who better to provide these ‘alternatives’ than a trusted and highly qualified friend? Though refused by his trusted registered nurse and nutritionist, Cherilyn Lee to provide the anaesthetic Propofol, Michael used his charm to get Dr Murray to administer the drug by intravenous drip. We’re not clear if the doctor actually supplied it.
Well we all know how that all ended…in Michael’s untimely death. Following a six-week trial and a two-day deliberation process, a Los Angeles jury found him guilty of involuntary manslaughter on November 7, 2011 and on Tuesday November 29, he was given the maximum sentence of four years in prison. In the sentencing, Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor called Murray “a disgrace to the medical profession” and said he showed a “continual pattern of deceit.”
Four years! Four long years for a 58 year old man in a state penitentiary is not exactly four years at summer camp… ‘that’s hard, man!’ as we’d say in the Caribbean. The writer suspects he may not have to serve the entire amount for various reasons including his propensity to behave, so good behaviour would definitely be a factor. But what do you think…? Do you think he deserves what he got…? Is he a Saint who did his best to save a friend or is he a monster motivated by profit? Let us know your thoughts…
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