Jackson Doctor Pleads Not Guilty to Charge

Los Angeles - Michael Jackson's personal physician was charged with involuntary manslaughter today in connection with the pop superstar's death from an overdose of a powerful prescription sedative.

Dr. Conrad Murray, 56, pleaded not guilty to the felony charge at a brief arraignment hearing this afternoon at the Airport Branch Courthouse. The charge carries a potential four-year prison term.

His bail was set at $75,000 -- above the $25,000 requested by defense attorneys but far less than the $300,000 requested by the District Attorney's Office. Murray was taken into custody at the end of the arraignment hearing, but he posted bond after being booked and was released.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Keith L. Schwartz ordered Murray to surrender his passport and told the doctor he may not administer any heavy sedatives to patients -- particularly propofol, the powerful sedative that killed Jackson. He will still be allowed to write prescriptions for other medications.

Schwartz scheduled another court hearing for April 5, when a preliminary hearing date will be set. Murray's next hearing will be held at the Criminal Courts Building in downtown Los Angeles.

Murray was expected to return to Las Vegas, his attorney, Ed Chernoff, told reporters after the hearing.

"He going to keep practicing," Chernoff said. "He'll be back in Vegas this week. He'll open his medical practice. He continues to operate his medical practice in Houston and he's looking forward to getting back to his patients."

The California Attorney General's issued notice that it is petitioning the state medical board to revoke Murray's medical license, a move that Chernoff called "piling on."

"If this goes the way I think it will, once he's acquitted, that will be out in the fog and will make no difference whatsoever," he said.

Murray entered his plea inside a packed courtroom. Among those in the audience were some of the singer's family, including his parents Joe and Katherine; brothers Randy, Jackie, Jermaine and Tito; and sister LaToya.

According to the criminal complaint, Murray "did unlawfully, and without malice, kill Michael Joseph Jackson ... in the commission of an unlawful act."

Jackson, 50, died June 25, 2009. He was pronounced dead at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center about two hours after he was found not breathing at his rented Holmby Hills estate. The coroner's office determined that the singer's death was the result of "acute propofol intoxication."

A group of Michael Jackson fans, some carrying signs and a large banner reading "The King of Pop: Michael Jackson Gone Too Soon," gathered across the street from the Airport Courthouse, which was virtually surrounded by media crews from around the world. One Jackson fan waved a sign that read, "Conrad Murray is a murderer. Arrest him in handcuffs."

Chernoff said the frenzy outside the courthouse was a "shock" to Murray.

Murray was the focal point of a seven-month investigation that began after Jackson's death last year. At the time, he was serving as Jackson's personal physician while the singer prepared in Los Angeles for a series of 50 concerts at London's O2 arena.

Jackson, 50, was staying at a rented estate in the Holmby Hills while he was rehearsing for the performances. On June 25, the singer was found unresponsive in his bedroom and rushed to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead around 2 p.m.

The Los Angeles County's coroner's office blamed Jackson's death on "acute propofol intoxication." The powerful sedative is normally administered by an anesthesiologist in a hospital setting. In a complete report released today, a coroner's investigator wrote that the "standard of care for administering propofol was not met," adding that there was no equipment at Jackson's estate for monitoring the patient, ensuring exact dosages and resuscitation.

According to search warrant affidavits filed in Houston and Los Angeles, Murray told Los Angeles police detectives that he had been giving Jackson 50 milligrams of propofol every night using an intravenous line for about six weeks,

Murray claimed, however, that he feared Jackson was becoming addicted to the medication and was trying to wean him off the drug. He said he lowered the dosage to 25 milligrams and administered it along with two other sedatives - - lorazepam and midazolam, according to the court documents.

According to the court papers, Murray told investigators that on the morning of Jackson's death, he tried to induce sleep without using propofol, administering a variety of drugs at various times throughout the morning instead. When those medications failed, Jackson repeatedly demanded the propofol and Murray administered 25 milligrams of the drug, causing Jackson to fall asleep, according to the court document.

Murray told investigators he left Jackson for about two minutes to go to the bathroom, and when he returned, he found Jackson not breathing.

The success of a criminal case against Murray