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Michael Jackson trial prosecutor: 'Conrad Murray interviews hurt him'
Published Wednesday, Nov 30 2011, 16:45 GMT | By Justin Harp | 1 comment
The prosecutor in the Michael Jackson manslaughter trial has criticised Conrad Murray's recent television interviews.
Murray was sentenced to four years in jail on Tuesday for contributing to Jackson's death, but he will likely serve at most half that time due to prison overcrowding.
Prior to being found guilty on November 7, Murray taped a television documentary and also discussed the case in an interview with NBC News.
In his discussion with NBC, Murray insisted that he acted only in Jackson's best interest and holds no responsibility for the popstar's death.
"I don't feel guilty because I did not do anything wrong," Murray said at the time. "I am very, very sorry for the loss of Michael. Michael was a personal friend. It's heartfelt [and] it's been painful."
Murray's prosecutors David Walgren and Deborah Brazil appeared on Today on Wednesday (November 30) and suggested that the doctor's refusal to admit any wrongdoing hurt his public image.
"I certainly don't think it helped him," Walgren told Savannah Guthrie. "In that interview, he expressed a complete lack of remorse [and] a complete lack of personal responsibility."
Walgren continued: "[Murray] blamed it again on Michael Jackson rather than himself. He explained that he was entrapped - that he, Conrad Murray, was actually the victim and not Michael Jackson. I think it just showed a complete failure to recognise what he did."
The Jackson family have also reacted to Tuesday's sentencing, appearing to be less than satisfied by Murray's four-year jail term.
Michael's mother Katherine Jackson commented that the sentence is "not enough" punishment for Murray, while Jermaine Jackson said that the physician should have been charged with murder rather than manslaughter.
> Conrad Murray: 'I felt entrapped, betrayed by Michael Jackson'
> Conrad Murray: 'I loved Michael Jackson as much as anyone'
Watch the reading of the guilty verdict in Conrad Murray's manslaughter trial below:
Murray was sentenced to four years in jail on Tuesday for contributing to Jackson's death, but he will likely serve at most half that time due to prison overcrowding.
© Rex Features
© Rex Features / Startraks Photo
Prior to being found guilty on November 7, Murray taped a television documentary and also discussed the case in an interview with NBC News.
In his discussion with NBC, Murray insisted that he acted only in Jackson's best interest and holds no responsibility for the popstar's death.
"I don't feel guilty because I did not do anything wrong," Murray said at the time. "I am very, very sorry for the loss of Michael. Michael was a personal friend. It's heartfelt [and] it's been painful."
Murray's prosecutors David Walgren and Deborah Brazil appeared on Today on Wednesday (November 30) and suggested that the doctor's refusal to admit any wrongdoing hurt his public image.
"I certainly don't think it helped him," Walgren told Savannah Guthrie. "In that interview, he expressed a complete lack of remorse [and] a complete lack of personal responsibility."
Walgren continued: "[Murray] blamed it again on Michael Jackson rather than himself. He explained that he was entrapped - that he, Conrad Murray, was actually the victim and not Michael Jackson. I think it just showed a complete failure to recognise what he did."
The Jackson family have also reacted to Tuesday's sentencing, appearing to be less than satisfied by Murray's four-year jail term.
Michael's mother Katherine Jackson commented that the sentence is "not enough" punishment for Murray, while Jermaine Jackson said that the physician should have been charged with murder rather than manslaughter.
> Conrad Murray: 'I felt entrapped, betrayed by Michael Jackson'
> Conrad Murray: 'I loved Michael Jackson as much as anyone'
Watch the reading of the guilty verdict in Conrad Murray's manslaughter trial below:
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