The last person to see Michael Jackson alive has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the pop king's death, ending months of speculation and legal wrangling. Prosecutors announced the charge Monday against Dr. Conrad Murray, a Houston cardiologist who was with Jackson when he died June 25. He faces up to four years in prison if convicted.
Murray pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to TMZ. Bail was set at $75,000 and the doctor is expected back in court in April.
Members of Jackson's family also appeared at the courthouse to witness the arraignment. The singer's father, Joe, and several brothers and sisters were spotted by TV cameras entering the building shortly before noon.
When asked why he was there, Joe is quoted by MSNBC as saying, "because that's my son."
On Friday, following a tense week of conflicting reports that he'd be charged, the district attorney's office said they were delaying any action amid talk that police wanted to arrest Murray and escort him to court in handcuffs.
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Murray's attorneys wanted to avoid the spectacle, so negotiations carried on throughout the week. They felt the sight of Murray being dragged to jail in chains would influence potential jurors for his trial.
A group of Michael Jackson fans have threatened to hold a protest at the courthouse if Murray was allowed to surrender on his own.
Murray has been the focal point of a police investigation since Jackson died last June 25 at age 50. Murray acknowledged that he administered the hospital anesthetic Propofol and other sedatives as Jackson, a chronic insomniac, struggled to sleep.
According to the coroner's report, which was kept under seal until any charges were handed down, Jackson died as a direct result of the Propofol that Murray administered him. The report also says that the standards for administering the drug were not met -- including a lack of necessary monitoring equipment.
The doctor maintains nothing he gave Jackson should have killed him. A trial would be expected to involve expert medical testimony on the use of Propofol and whether there was gross negligence involved in its use at a private home. It is normally administered in hospital settings.
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