Dr. Conrad Murray was released from Los Angeles County Jail early Monday morning after serving two years for manslaughter in the death of pop-star Michael Jackson.
Murray was released “safely and securely” from custody at 12:01 a.m., Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Steve Whitmore said.
The doctor was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Nov. 2011 and was sentenced to four years in county jail. Due to California sentencing rules, he became eligible for parole in half that time.
Murray is accused of administering a fatal dose of propofol to Jackson in June 2009. The doctor still maintains that he was trying to ween the pop star off the drug and that Jackson self-administered the deadly dose.
The physician’s practices were recently at the center of an 80-day wrongful death trial filed by Jackson’s mother, Katherine, and his three children against concert promoter AEG LIve.
Katherine Jackson claimed AEG Live negligently hired Dr. Conrad Murray to care for the singer as he prepared for his ill-fated “This Is It” comeback concert series.
A jury ultimately found AEG not liable in the singer’s death on Oct. 2 and determined the company did hire Murray to care for Jackson but did not find the physician unfit or incompetent to perform the work for which he was hired.
Murray’s medical license remains suspended in California, however his attorney believes Murray will practice medicine again.
“I believe he will practice medicine again someday, somewhere,” Valerie Wass said, adding that she would allow Murray to be her personal physician.
The Jackson family issued a statement Monday about Murray’s release:
“AEG hired Dr. Murray and he killed Michael. It is hoped that Dr. Murray never practices medicine again and has the chance to hurt anyone. He has shown no remorse and the consequences of his actions will last forever.”
Murray is challenging his manslaughter conviction in the state court of appeals.
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