Conrad Murray guilty of Michael Jackson manslaughter
Michael Jackson's personal physician, Dr Conrad Murray, has been found guilty of the involuntary manslaughter of the star by a jury in Los Angeles.
A panel of seven men and five women took two days of deliberation to reach a verdict.
Michael Jackson died on 25 June 2009 from an overdose of the powerful anaesthetic propofol.
Murray, 58, could now receive a maximum prison term of four years and lose his licence to practise medicine.
There was a shriek in the courtroom as the verdict was read.
Outside the courthouse, the BBC's Peter Bowes said that at the moment the verdict was read, the crowd along the street erupted with cheers and chanting.
Jackson's family sat in the courtroom, weeping quietly.
LaToya Jackson told the Associated Press news agency the family was overjoyed at the verdict.
"Michael was looking over us," she said.
During the trial, Dr Murray's lawyers argued that Jackson self-administered a lethal dose of the drug while he was out of the room.
Dr Murray was remanded in custody without bail until he receives his sentence, set for 29 November.
Explaining his decision, the judge said Dr Murray was now a convicted felon and had considerable ties outside the state of California, meaning he could not guarantee that the doctor would remain in the state.
Dr Murray sat silently in court, shifting slightly in his seat as the verdict was read out.
Court officers began to handcuff the physician as the judge made his final announcements, before leading him away into custody.
'Drug addict'
The jury - made up of one African American, six whites and five Hispanics - deliberated on Friday and through the morning on Monday.
Outside the court, fans of Michael Jackson were cheering and chanting, "Guilty! Guilty!" in the run-up to the verdict being announced.
During the six-week trial, 49 witnesses and more than 300 pieces of evidence were presented to the court.
Michael Jackson, who had been out of the public eye for several years, died in 2009 as he was preparing for a series of comeback performances at the O2 arena in London.
In his closing argument last Thursday, the prosecution said Dr Murray had caused the star's death through negligence, depriving Jackson's children of their father and the world of a "genius".
The defence argued that Jackson was a drug addict who caused his own death by giving himself an extra dose of propofol while the cardiologist was out of the room at the star's rented mansion in Los Angeles.
However, lawyers for Dr Murray dropped a key argument midway through the trial - that the pop superstar had drunk the propofol. But they continued to argue that Jackson had somehow dosed himself otherwise.
Each side of the trial called their own expert witness on the anaesthetic drug,
There is no law against administering propofol, but the prosecution's case rested on the argument that Dr Murray was grossly negligent by doing so outside a hospital setting and without the proper monitoring equipment.
In some of the more shocking moments of the trial, the jury heard a recording of Jackson, sounding incoherent and slurred, speaking about his upcoming concert series, as well as viewing a photo of a lifeless Jackson on a gurney.
DMX Visits Dr. Drew and Touches the Life of Young Troubled Youth
On an upcoming episode of “Dr. Drew’s Lifechangers,” trouble prone rapper DMX opens up about his past, his childhood growing up with an abusive mother, and growing up to be a troubled young man.
But now that he’s matured and has faced his demons, DMX is touching lives.
On the show, he reached out to a troubled young man who was on a dangerous path that could lead to death, prison, or a wasted life. The young man is also given the opportunity to work with the show’s producer to get him on the right path.
The two-part episode includes a performance of the rapper’s hit gospel single, “Keep Ya Head Up,” which will air on Wednesday Nov. 9 at 3 p.m. EST on The CW.
'Puss in Boots' pounced on 'Tower Heist' and 'Harold & Kumar' at the box office.
The DreamWorks 3-D animated film, distributed by Paramount Pictures, earned US$33 million in its second weekend, according to studio estimates yesterday. The PG-rated film centred on the swashbuckling feline voiced by Antonio Banderas from the Shrek series surprisingly toppled the weekend's two new releases, bringing its total haul to US$75 million.
Universal's PG-13 revenge romp Tower Heist starring Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy snatched US$25.1 million in the No. 2 spot, while the Warner Bros. R-rated sequel A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas with John Cho and Kal Penn unwrapped US$13 million at No. 3.
Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com, said family films are tough to beat out.
"From the re-release earlier this fall of The Lion King to Dolphin Tale and now Puss in Boots, it seems that the family audience is the one you can really count on right now," said Dergarabedian. "I think the cavalry is definitely on the way though. We've got Immortals and another Twilight coming up, as well as a bunch of big releases in December."
Anne Globe, head of worldwide marketing and consumer products at DreamWorks, said the decision to move up the opening of Puss in Boots to last weekend is one reason why the film experienced just a 3 per cent drop, the smallest ever for a non-holiday film, ahead of the 10 per cent dip for Twister during its second weekend of release in 1996.
"To be No. 1 again is really extraordinary," said Globe. "It's really an unparalleled hold driven by our two-weekend release strategy, which was pretty unprecedented in and of itself. That and the amazing word of mouth has given us tremendous momentum into November, which is a better play period for an event-level movie like Puss in Boots."
Another animated film dominated outside of North America.
The Adventures of Tintin, which is being distributed overseas by Sony Pictures and Paramount Pictures, scooped up US$40.8 million as it grew from 19 to 45 international markets.
The 3-D film, directed by Steven Spielberg and adapted from the Belgian comic series, opens December 21 in the United States.
The 20th Century Fox science-fiction thriller In Time starring Justin Timberlake fell to No. 5 in the U.S. after opening at No. 3 last weekend. In Time clocked better numbers overseas, earning US$16.6 million in 53 markets for a second-place finish behind The Adventures of Tintin, while Puss in Boots scratched out third place with US$15 million in five international markets.
Jackson Family Comments on Murray’s Guilty Verdict
One by one, members of Michael Jackson’s family filed out of the courthouse in downtown Los Angeles following this afternoon’s guilty verdict in the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the King of Pop’s death.
As the family members made their way to waiting cars, HLN’s Jane Velez Mitchell was able to nab quick quotes from Jermaine Jackson, La Toya Jackson and Rebbie Jackson (whose daughter Yashi Brown screamed out inside of the courtroom when Dr. Murray was pronounced guilty.)
Jermaine Jackson: Justice was served. It wasn’t enough time, though. Michael is with us. Michael is with us.
Rebbie Jackson: I’m just so happy it’s over with. Nothing will bring him back, but I’m happy [Dr. Murray] was found guilty.
La Toya Jackson: Thank you America. Thank all the fans, thank the prosecuting team, Walgren you were great, everybody was wonderful. I just want to thank you. Michael loves everybody out here, I love him, we all love him. And guess what, he was in that court room and that’s why victory was served.
When Rebbie’s daughter Yashi was asked to comment on the guilty verdict, she smiled and said one word: “Handcuffs.”
Also commenting on the verdict was Paris Hilton’s mother Kathy Hilton, a longtime Jackson family friend who grew up with the siblings in the same neighborhood. Hilton said she’s “thrilled,” that justice was served, “but still, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson and their family are leaving today without their son.”
Boxing ex-world champion Joe Frazier dies
Former world heavyweight boxing champion Joe Frazier has died after a brief battle with liver cancer, his family said.
Frazier - also known as Smokin' Joe - had been receiving hospice care in Philadelphia after being diagnosed with cancer several weeks ago.
The 67-year-old was the first man to beat Muhammad Ali in 1971, but lost his next two bouts with Ali.
He held the world title between 1970 and 1973.
On Sunday, Frazier's manager Leslie Wolf said the boxer's condition was very serious but that doctors and Frazier's team were "doing everything we can".
Frazier won an Olympic gold medal in 1964 after going to the Games as a replacement for Buster Mathis, who had beaten him in the trials but could not attend the Games due to an injury.
He won the heavyweight title in 1970 by defeating Jimmy Ellis in New York. Three years later he lost the title to George Foreman.
But the boxer is perhaps most widely-known for three great fights with Ali, including the epic Thriller in Manila in 1975.
Yacht Rally Racers Rescued From Stormy Seas
The North American Rally To The Caribbean’s [NARC] Newport-Bermuda race has been disrupted by the weekend’s savage storms, with the cargo ship “Oleander” [pictured] picking up four survivors from one abandoned yacht yesterday [Nov.6].
And another participating vessel was helped into the island by the pilot boat “St. George” and the tug “Powerful” this morning [Nov. 7]
Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre reported this morning that continuing high winds and occasional gale-force conditions at sea had played havoc with the cruising rally participants who set out from Rhode Island for Bermuda on October 30.
“At approximately 3:30 pm yesterday, the crew of M/v ‘Oleander’ was involved in the successful recovery of four survivors from the 46 foot sailing vessel “Elle” a NARC rally participant, located approximately 200 miles northwest of Bermuda,” said a Maritime Operations spokesman.
The captain of “Elle” decided to abandon their vessel having encountered steering failure & subsequent injury to a crew member — bruised ribs — in 30-35 knot winds with seas ranging from 20 – 30 feet.
“The ”Oleander’, en route, from New Jersey to Bermuda was diverted to the distress position and has since arrived in Hamilton Harbour this morning where the crew members were landed ashore. One of the survivors wished to express his gratitude for the professionalism shown by the captain and crew of the Oleander during the rescue operation.”
The “Oleander” is operated by Bermuda Container Lines.
Early this morning another NARC rally participant, the 49-foot “Riot” suffered steering failure on final approach to St. George’s Harbour and issued a distress call.
“Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre tasked the Pilot boat ‘St. George’ and tug ‘Powerful’ to assist the vessel with winds averaging 30-35 knots during the rescue operation and attempts being made to keep the sailing vessel clear of the reef structure.” said the Marine Operations spokesman. “The yacht ‘Riot’, with six persons onboard, was safely guided into St. George’s Harbour a short while later.
The annual NARC rally attracts veteran offshore sailors and professionally crewed boats and is described as “a grass-roots” affair for seasoned mariners.
In Bermuda the St. Georges Dinghy and Sports Club is hosting NARC participants who, after filling up on fuel, were then scheduled to head to the final rally destination, St. Maarten in the Caribbean.
The crew of another sailing vessel not entered in the rally, “Spring Moon”, were also rescued 550 miles southwest Bermuda yesterday.
“At 12.20 local time on Sunday [Nov 6.], Cable ship ‘Ocean’ was diverted to a position 550 miles southwest of Bermuda to recover three crew members from sailing vessel ‘Spring Moon’,” said Marine Operations. “Cable ship ‘Ocean’ is due to disembark the three survivors at the east end of Bermuda tomorrow afternoon.
Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre said it is also in contact with a number of other sailing vessels presently offshore which have suffered rigging failure or are hove to due to present weather conditions.
Source-BERNEWS
Windies take the lead
Losing Kieran Powell and Kraigg Brathwaite in the closing stages eroded some of the gains West Indies made, after they claimed a 95-run first innings lead over India on another riveting day in the first Test yesterday.
Powell fell for a duck and Brathwaite for two, as the Windies reached 21 for two in their second innings for an overall lead of 116, as 17 wickets fell on the second day at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.
Kirk Edwards was not out on 15 and unrelated compatriot Fidel Edwards was not out on zero at the close, after West Indies put India on the backfoot, dismissing them for 209, in reply to the visitors’ first innings total of 304, about half-hour before the scheduled close.
Windies captain Darren Sammy was his side’s most successful bowler, grabbing three wickets for 35 runs from eight overs and sparking a revival for the visitors after Virender Sehwag hit the top score of 55 and Gautam Gambhir made 41 in a rollicking 89-run first-wicket stand. (CMC)
NBA offer/deadline
Commissioner David Stern gave NBA players an offer and a deadline: Accept a chance to earn up to 51 per cent of basketball-related income by Wednesday or get ready for a deal that's a whole lot worse. He wouldn't call it an ultimatum, but it didn't sure sit well with the union.
"The players will not be intimidated," attorney Jeffrey Kessler said early yesterday after eight hours of negotiations stretched late into the night. "They want to play, they want a season, but they are not going to sacrifice the future of all NBA players under these types of threats of intimidation. It's not happening on Derek Fisher's watch; it's not happening on Billy Hunter's watch; it's not happening on the watch of this executive committee."
Kessler said the proposal was really 50.2 per cent for the players, and called the chance of them ever reaching 51 per cent a 'fraud' and an 'illusion'.
Fisher fears the entire NBA season will be lost.
St.Kitts Basketball Administrator calls for the revival of LIBA and OECS tournaments
On the heals of a call by Former Antiguan Administrator Fitzroy Brann, former St.Kitts Amatuer Basketball Association Vice President and current Club Manager of the local multi-time SKABA Champions Ghetto Roots, Wallis Wilkin is also adding to Brann’s call for the revival of sub-regional tournaments particularly the Leeward Islands Basketball Association tournament or LIBA as well as the OECS National and Club Championships.
“The dormancy of both the LIBA Tournament as well as the OECS Club Championships has left a huge void in sub-regional basketball and has resulted in the decline of the standard of basketball in the sub-region,” said Wilkin Brann told an Antigua media outlet that he gives Antiguan basketball at this time a failing grade. He attributed much of the failure of Antiguan Basketball to the absence of a sub-regional tournament as well as a sub-regional and local youth programmes and tournaments. There has not been a sub-regional youth tournament since 2003 with the LIBA youth tournament.
Both Bran and Wilkin agree that the standard of basketball in both islands and the sub-regiona will be greatly enhanced by the resurrection of the LIBA.
“St.Kitts has not had a national team since 2006 . Other islands including Anguilla, St.Maarten, Monsterrat I am certain have not had national teams in some time either. Antigua has taken part in CBC for the last few years but they have not been performing well and even the coach of the team Adonis Henry said in an interview that he feels one of the problems facing Antigua basketball is the lack of sub-regional tournaments,” Wilkin continued.
The LIBA Tournament was a fixture on the sports calendar of the region during the mid 80’s right up to 2000 when the last LIBA tournament was held in which St.Kitts defeated the BVI to win their 2nd straight LIBA title. During that time period was also the popular OECS Club Championships which saw very memorable match-ups and rivalries between teams like Antigua’s Skillville, St.Kitts Hitters and Grenada’s Sisson Sparklers.
“The closest thing we have had to a sub-regional tournament in the last 7 years was the SKABA organized and hosted Caribbean Basketball Club Invitational which I was fortunate to have led the organizing committee of that tourney which saw 8 Champions club teams from Antigua, Trinidad, Dominica, St.Kitts, St.Maarten and Grenada . The St.Kitts Fig Tree Revellers won that tournament by beating Antigua’s Defense Force Warriors in the finals. Every year since that tournament teams, players and regional associations have been asking for another such tournament as they obviously see the need for more sub-regional basketball,” said Wilkin.
The St.Kitts Amateur Basketball Association has recently announced their intentions to actively pursue and or support any efforts to either revive the LIBA tournament or initiate a tournament which is very similar that would feature the top national teams from the sub-region.
SKABA will this weekend be hosting the Dominica National Team who will be engaging a number of local teams including the the St.Kitts-Nevis All Star team which they will face on Sunday November 13th.
Italy's Berlusconi faces key vote amid economy fears
Italy's PM Silvio Berlusconi is set to face a crucial vote on the budget, amid fears that Italy could be the next victim of the Eurozone debt crisis.
Borrowing costs for Italy's government have soared because of fears it may be unable to repay its huge debts.
On Monday, Mr Berlusconi, who has survived dozens of confidence votes during his tenure, dismissed reports he planned to resign.
Meanwhile, European finance ministers are due meet in Brussels for talks.
Concerns over Italy are overshadowing developments in Greece, where political leaders are wrangling over the formation of a new unity government to impose austerity measures in return for international loans.
Defections?
Italian 10-year bond yields rose to a euro-era high of 6.67%, with markets viewing Italy's ability to repay its debt as increasingly doubtful.
While Italy's deficit is relatively low, investors are concerned that the combination of Italy's low growth rate and 1.9tn euro ($2.6tn) debt could make it the next to fall in the Eurozone debt crisis.
On Monday, Mr Berlusconi denied on Facebook reports that he was about to resign.
Stock markets across Europe bounced up on the chance of the Italian premier's departure but returned to negative territory at Monday's close.
Correspondents says there is speculation that Mr Berlusconi no longer has a majority in parliament, after reports that some MPs from his government have defected.
Mr Berlusconi has remained defiant, insisting that his government has all the support it needs.
"I don't understand how rumours of my resignation are circulating," Mr Berlusconi was quoted as saying by Libero newspaper, AP reported.
But if Mr Belusconi were to lose the budget vote then it is hard to see how he could continue in power for long, says the BBC's Alan Johnston in Rome.
Our correspondent says is certainly worth remembering that Mr Berlusconi is a master deal-maker and political infighter, having survived more than 50 confidence motions in the past.
But this crisis is different as it goes beyond Italian politics - it is instead linked to the international money markets, which have lost faith in Mr Berlusconi ability to fix Italy's economy, our correspondent says.
The markets now forcing this country to pay interest rates that could eventually ruin it, which means the pressure on Mr Berlusconi is extraordinary, he adds.
On Monday, finance ministers from the Eurozone met in Brussels to push ahead with a deal put together late last month.
After their meeting they called on the new government of Greece to approve in writing the terms of the international bailout in exchange for the release of the next tranche of funds.
They are also said they welcomed the monitoring of Italy to reassure the markets, and said they were seeking further clarification of when it would pass the economic reforms it has promised.
The European Union's Economic Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn said he wants answers from Italy by the end of the week.
"It is essential now that Italy will stick to its fiscal targets, ensure their implementation and intensify the structural reforms that can boost growth," he said on Monday, according to AFP.
On Tuesday, finance ministers from all 27 EU countries will meet.
However, the BBC's Europe correspondent, Chris Morris, understands there will be no agreement on details of the expanded European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) bailout fund.
Leaders have agreed in principle to boost the EFSF from its current 440bn euros (£375bn) to 1 trillion euros, in order to tackle debt problems in Italy and Spain.