Jackson’s personal physician was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

How did Michael Jackson die? Revisiting the singer’s 2009 death — and his doctor’s conviction

Jackson's personal physician was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

By Chris Snellgrove

April 25, 2026 12:00 p.m. ET

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Michael Jackson. Credit:

Dave M. Benett/Getty

Michael Jackson died in 2009, but the King of Pop's final years won't be portrayed in *Michael*, a new biopic that focuses solely on the singer's rise to fame and years dominating the charts with singles like "Thriller" and "Beat It."

It goes without saying, then, that the movie also neglects any exploration of the multiple allegations of child sexual abuse Jackson faced throughout the 1990s and 2000s.

“Michael is a complicated person, people have complicated opinions, and that’s fine," screenwriter John Logan said in a recent interview with *The Hollywood Reporter*. "We chose to tell the uplifting story of his triumph in the movie, and that’s what we did.”

This choice is sure to satisfy fans, but others may find it to feel incomplete. Jackson's death, after all, was a profound cultural event in and of itself, as ** noted in its aftermath.

"In death Michael Jackson quickly proved to be as colossal as he was in life," we wrote at the time. "As word spread around the globe, Internet sites seized up and crashed. TV networks preempted their prime-time lineups to air (and sometimes re-air) minor-chord retrospectives of the King of Pop’s soap opera life. Heavy sales of his back catalog quickly vaulted him to the top of the charts again, and radio play of his songs increased a staggering 1,735 percent."

Below, we revisit Michael Jackson's death, the doctor who was charged with having a hand in it, and the reaction of fans worldwide.

How did Michael Jackson die?

Michael Jackson at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Nov. 8, 2007, in Beverly Hills.

Dr. Billy Ingram/WireImage

On June 24, 2009, Michael Jackson visited the Staples Center in Los Angeles to rehearse for his upcoming This Is It comeback tour. The rehearsal lasted until midnight, and the singer arrived to his Holmby Hills home roughly 30 minutes later, according to Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, whose interview with the Los Angeles Police Department following the pop star's death was released by the* Los Angeles Times*,

Jackson was reportedly suffering from insomnia, and Murray, was called on to provide a number of drugs intended to help Jackson sleep. According to the BBC, this included Valium, lorazepam, and midazolam.

Unfortunately, these drugs did not help the singer get to sleep. Murray claimed that, after several hours, Jackson began requesting propofol, which is typically used as a surgical anesthetic. Jackson had used this drug to sleep many times before, but Murray was hesitant to give it to him, as he was hoping to wean Jackson off the powerful sedative.

Around 10:40 a.m., Murray gave Jackson 25 milligrams of propofol that had been diluted with lidocaine. Jackson was finally able to get to sleep.

Unfortunately, he never woke up. Murray said that he left the room for roughly two minutes to use the restroom, and returned to discover that Jackson had stopped breathing.

Both Murray and paramedics provided CPR, but they were unable to revive Jackson.

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What was Michael Jackson’s official cause of death?

In August 2009, a Los Angeles coroner declared that Jackson's official cause of death was acute intoxication of propofol and lorazepam, which caused the singer to go into cardiac arrest.

Furthermore, Jackson's death was ruled a homicide, and authorities began a manslaughter investigation into Murray.

What were Michael Jackson’s last words?

Michael Jackson at the Peterson Automotive museum on May 23, 2008, in Los Angeles.

Tiffany Rose/WireImage

Speaking with detectives following Jackson's death, Murray relayed that Jackson asked for "milk," which was the pop star's pet name for propofol.

"Please, please give me some milk so that I can sleep, because I know that this is all that really works for me," Murray recalled Jackson saying. These were among the singer's last words before he died.

Murray claimed that he had been giving Jackson 50 milligrams of propofol every night to help him sleep. On the night of Jackson's death, however, he only gave him 25 milligrams, as he had already given the singer other sedatives. Unfortunately, this still proved to be a lethal dose.

Who was charged in Michael Jackson’s death?

Conrad Murray arrives for his arraignment at the Airport Courthouse on Feb. 8, 2010, in Los Angeles.

Frederick M. Brown/Getty

Murray, Jackson's personal physician, was charged with involuntary manslaughter in February 2010, roughly eight months after Jackson's death. He pleaded not guilty, and his case went to trial in September of the following year.**

As reported by PEOPLE, the trial presented two different interpretations of Murray’s actions. The prosecution presented Murray as greedy and reckless, noting that he was paid $150,000 a month to help Jackson get ready for his upcoming This Is It tour. Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney David Walgren alleged that, for this sum of money, Murray had violated the Hippocratic oath, engaging in “bizarre behavior” that rose to the level of “extreme criminal negligence.”

Murray’s defense argued that Jackson took additional propofol and lorazepam while the physician’s back was turned, leading to his sudden death. They also contended that Jackson’s care was complicated by regular Demerol injections from another physician, as well as intense pressure to perform 50 concerts for his sold-out tour. Ultimately, the defense argued that Jackson bore more responsibility for his death than Murray.

Murray said as much during a 2011 interview with *Today*. "Nothing that I gave Michael should have ended his life," he said.

The jury did not agree. After 10 hours of deliberation, Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. He received the maximum sentence of four years in prison, but was released early after one year and 11 months.

Murray’s medical licenses in Texas, California, and Nevada were suspended following his conviction. After his release, he moved to Trinidad and Tobago. There, he registered to practice and, in 2023, founded the DCM Medical Institute.**

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