Nearly eighteen months after the tragic loss of her son, Katherine Jackson has finally received closure. Leaving the court after Michael Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray, was sentenced to the maximum penalty, the mother of ten and grandmother of 21 appeared weary but thanked the court for its decision. She said: "Four years is not enough for someone's life. It won't bring him back but at least he got the maximum. I thought the judge was very, very fair and I thank him.
"Four years won't bring my son back, but that's the law. So the judge gave him the maximum, so I thank the judge and I thank the prosecutors and I think everything went well."
At the sentencing, Deputy District Attorney, David Walgren, said Dr Murray had played "Russian roulette with Michael Jackson's life every single night".
The physician remained unemotional for much of the proceedings, but closed his eyes after Judge Michael Pastor delivered the four-year sentence. Explaining his decision, the judge condemned the doctor for "abandoning his patient".
"Dr Murray created a set of circumstances and became involved in a cycle of horrible medicine," he added. During the trial, the cardiologist refused to take to the stand to defend himself. In a move which proved to be his downfall, he then appeared in a documentary in which he absolved himself of blame. "I don’t feel guilty because I didn’t do anything wrong" he said. However, the broadcast angered Judge Pastor, who said that his decision to refuse probation was ultimately based on the programme.
An LA court official has also revealed that the sentence will automatically be halved because of legislation designed to ease overcrowding in California jails.
So the medic will serve a total of two years - minus the 47 days he has already been in custody.The case centres on the fact that he administered lethal doses of the anaesthetic propofol in order to treat the singer's chronic insomnia. As well as his prison term, the doctor also stands to lose his medical license.Special Report: Tragic doctor seduced by the Hollywood lifestyle