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Top 15 entertainment events in 2011

By Zhang Rui: 0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, January 2, 2012

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6, Michael Jackson's personal physician "guilty"

On September 27, 2011 in Los Angeles, the high-profile trial began of Michael Jackson's personal physician Conrad Murray. Murray was charged with involuntary manslaughter of the pop legend and On November 7, 2011, the jury found Murray guilty after around eight hours of deliberation.

The "King of Pop" Michael Jackson died of acute propofol intoxication on June 25, 2009 after going into cardiac arrest at his home in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. On August 28, 2009, the Los Angeles County Coroner ruled that Jackson's death was a homicide. Immediately before his death, Jackson was gearing up for a series of 50 comeback concerts in London. According to testimony during the trial, the huge pressure of the impending tour turned Jackson into an insomniac, so he turned to drugs and Dr. Murray. But the doctor allowed his medical judgment to be swayed and recklessly ordered a huge amount of propofol, which he administered to Jackson for a period of two months to help him sleep. However, the drug is actually a surgical anesthetic which should only be used in a medical setting and is not a solution for insomnia. At the time, Conrad Murray used his phone to record a slurred phone message from Jackson who was clearly under influence of the drug. It is not known why Murray did this, and the shocking recording was played during the court proceedings.

Before his death, Jackson had been administered propofol, along other drugs including two anti-anxiety benzodiazepines: lorazepam and midazolam, by Murray. Murray was actually talking to several female friends on his mobile phone while Jackson's life ebbed away. And when he found out that Jackson was not breathing, he didn't bother to call 911 or ask anyone to call 911 for help. He did administer CPR and mouth-to-mouth on Jackson but his bumbling attempts were futile. The 20-minute delay in calling for medical help meant that it was too late for paramedics and other doctors to revive Jackson. The prosecutor David Walgren told jurors that "misplaced trust in the hands of Murray cost Jackson his life".

The trial consisted of 33 prosecution witnesses and 16 defense witnesses. Murray chose not to testify in order to avoid prosecutors' cross-examination. However, he chose, from as early as late 2009 to the end of his trial, to film a documentary in which he defended himself and his actions and showed no remorse. This move angered many including Jackson family, prosecutors, fans and the judge, who sentenced him to a maximum four years in prison on November 29, 2011.

However, like many legends, Michael Jackson's death did wonders for his album sales. Since October 2010 the King of Pop has earned a whopping US$170 million from his posthumous entertainment empire. This makes Jackson not only the top-earning dead celebrity, but also the second highest paid star -- dead or alive-- overall this year, after U2. His Cirque du Soleil show, "Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour," has been a bankable hit since it premiered on October 2, grossing over US$100 million thus far.