The Murray Verdict

There is no question - NONE - that Conrad Murray was guilty of malpractice in the death of Michael Jackson.  Medically speaking, the things he admitted to doing were imcomprehensibly reckless and stupid - truly inexcusable.  He deserves to loose his medical license (what many of the fans-prancing-around-the-Courthouse-declaring-the-world-is-safer-because-it's-minus-another-bad-doctor don't seem to understand, is that he can probably, at some point in the not too distant future, get it back). 

But for a while, after more & more evidence surfaced showcasing Jackson's addictions (that made Elvis look like a rank amateur), I struggled with the notion that Murray was criminally negligent . . . given that Jackson's beyond-wacked-out world was not your world or mine.

The biggest problem I had with zeroing in on Murray as "the man who killed Michael Jackson" was that all of the other $oul-$ucking $ychophant$ in Jackson's life . . . including the other "doctor$" who $lowly carved his face into a macabre ma$k AND who turned the King-of-Pop into just another pathetic drug addict . . . including the never-ending parade of intimate parasite$ - and yes$ men & women - who looked the other way no matter what Jackson did (or who he did it with) . . . including the mercile$$ concert promoter$ . . . and including his own almost deliberately obliviou$ family (Mother/abu$ive Father/$hamele$$ly-attention-$eeking $ibling$) . . . will self-righteously walk away from this mess chanting that justice has been served.

All that being said, in the end, Murray was a doctor, not a scapegoat.  He was held to a higher standard (of care) because he should be. 

Murray had a duty - and the responsibility - to say to his "friend" and (at the time) only patient, "Not NO, Michael, but HELL NO".   He could have stood up to the promoters and demanded more/better medical AND psychiatric care for his patient - in appropriate facilities.  In the alternative, he could have walked away from the glitz-by-association and all  of that lovely money . . . and gone back to serve the many ordinary patients he left behind . . . patients he/his lawyers later used to try and defend the indefensible.

Conrad Murray fell into the trap of doing what the patient wanted - instead of what was best for the patient.  In theory, it's actually not a lot different from prescribing an antibiotic/other drug that you don't think the patient really needs - but that the patent's Mama (or Gandmama) wants or she'll cause a very ugly scene in your waiting room and slow down your patient flow - or write your boss, telling him/her you're a terrible doctor.

Been there, done that.  I've said yes (any doctor who says they haven't is lying).  I've also said no.  And saying no is much harder/more likely to HURT you. 

I've digressed.  I think the verdict was appropriate (involuntary manslaughter is actually a perfect description).  The jury got it right.  It was the doctor.  In the bedroom.  With a needle.  Not a great day for medicine.

But it's not a great day for "justice" either.  Real justice is an illusion.  Too many guilty parties - accomplices - are walking away from this one - and writing books..  There just isn't anything to cheer/dance/sing about.

And if Michael Jackson was in the Courtroom - if he was the man all his fans say he was - if going into the light really releases the demons and imparts wisdom/truth - I think he might have been rooting for the defense.

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.  I feel sorry for Conrad Murray.  He is in a hell of his own making.

But he had LOT$ of help getting there.