Dr. Conrad Murray, the man who was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson, was recently released from the Los Angeles jail where he served two out of his four sentenced years, as reported by CNN.
CNN also reported that Murray was driven away from the jail in a sheriff’s car as a measure of “safety and security” for the jail and its inhabitants.
As can be expected, fans of the late Jackson were anything but impressed with the special treatment Murray was given by the prison — which seemed appropriate, considering the poor treatment Murray was found guilty of giving to Jackson.
Then again, it’s safe to assume that Murray’s career — as, well, anything, other than an extra in a Hollywood-based horror flick — is over, especially as a medical practitioner.
That seems like fitting retribution for the man that was reported as possessing a complete void of empathy and remorse in the role he played in Jackson’s death.
According to The Examiner, Judge Michael Pastor refused to grant Murray probation at the time of his sentencing on these same grounds.
“You can’t have probation when there isn’t an acknowledgment of rehabilitation or responsibility and remorse,” Pastor said.
Added Pastor, “Dr. Murray engaged in a recurring, continuous pattern of deceit, of lies — and regrettably, that pattern was to assist Dr. Murray.”
Speaking of complete and utter soullessness, Murray was quoted as having said, “My entire approach may not have been an orthodox approach, but my intentions were good,” in an interview on Anderson Cooper 360.
Obviously, this in itself isn’t an inflammatory statement. However, the absence of any sort of contrition makes statements like these a little too detached in nature for a man whose high-profile patient just died by his hand.
So it’s nice to know there’s a sense of lasting retribution for Murray. Most of us will never have the pleasure of knowing whether Jackson was a vengeful man, but it seems fitting for the man responsible for his death to be barred from ever again practicing medicine.
Unless, of course, Murray was reported as saying that he aims to get his medical license reinstated in California, Texas and Nevada as soon as possible. That couldn’t be true.
CNN reported it as being true, but that couldn’t possibly be true.
Even if it is, there’s nothing out there stopping us from all crossing our fingers and hope that a simple Google search of “nation’s least-visited physician” or “man who got laughed out of Texas, California and Nevada” will someday yield us the result of Dr. Conrad Murray.
It might be something that’ll give us that warm, fuzzy feeling of retribution in our bellies — but it won’t bring back the King of Pop, may he rest in peace.
Senior staff columnist Cara Smith is a communications junior and may be reached at [email protected]
