Conrad Murray Jury Deliberates

"First do no harm"

I was waiting for a verdict before blogging about this.  But, the jury has had six hours and they haven’t reached a conclusion.  After watching the OJ Simpson and Casey Anthony trials forgive me if I have lost faith in the jury system.  I suppose I should be grateful that they did not come out after 10 minutes and say “not guilty.”  But I have to wonder what could be taking so long in such a clear cut case?

The testimony of several doctors about how Murray broke medical protocol and standards and committed SIX acts of gross negligence doesn’t seem to be enough to sway the jury into making up their minds?  Really?  The fact that he waited to call 911, something that even a 5 year old knows how to do, isn’t enough?  It only takes six minutes to go over the damning evidence in this case and there is no other conclusion to reach.  There was no defense either.  How can you defend the indefensible?  

The fact of the matter is that Conrad Murray was hired by Michael Jackson because he was willing, for the salary of $150,000 a month, to do what no ethical doctor would agree to do….medicate him with highly dangerous drugs on a regular basis.  Murray did it for the money and as a doctor he knew the life threatening consequences of his actions, it didn’t stop him.  Hell we all know how lethal propofol is and we don’t even have medical degrees.  Did he intend to kill Michael Jackson?  Of course not.  That would put an end to his pot of gold.  But even though it wasn’t intentional, it was foreseeable that it was inevitable, given the physical state of Michael Jackson and his long-term severe addiction.  

So we sit and wait for a verdict, maybe later today.  It better be the right verdict because as it stands, he is not going to be too severely punished for his actions, even if found guilty.  I just wonder what is taking so long?  Maybe the jury wants to come in this morning, dressed to the nines, to announce it and then go home?  

If I was on that panel I would repeat the words that kept haunting me this whole trial: “first do no harm.”  That is what doctors are supposed to do and it seems to me Murray did plenty of harm in this case.