Long Live the King of Pop

I remember exactly where I was when I heard that Michael Jackson had died.

I was working as a waitress at Chili's Bar & Grill back at home in Massachusetts when the news broke in our restaurant. Customers and staff watched in shock and disbelief as the devastating breaking story flashed across the TV screens in the bar and the lounge area.

At first, I thought it was a joke. I have never really been a diehard Michael Jackson fan, but I know and enjoy his music. Even I couldn't believe it. It has always been a funny concept to me, how people get so depressed after hearing a celebrity has died, even if they have never met the person.

But it was sad. I never really looked much into the whole molestation controversy but I had heard other people talk about it and I guess I made a judgement about MJ without knowing the facts. After his death, I read more into it and his life and was deeply saddened. I truly felt bad for him and now believe that the whole thing was made up by someone who wanted a little bit of MJ's money.

Two years later and now people think that Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's physician, is guilty of involuntary manslaughter and is now facing up to four years in prison. Murray was hired by Jackson to issue him his sleeping medication during the time he prepared for his comeback concerts.

I understand that people may want to put the blame for MJ's death on someone, and who better than the man who gave Michael the drug that killed him? But involuntary manslaughter? I feel that may be a bit harsh.

Michael Jackson was paying Murray for his medical services. $150,000 a month, to be exact. Murray knew he was working for a pop icon who was about to make a huge comeback. He could not have believed he would have gotten away with manslaughter, involuntary or not, when essentially the entire world had their eyes on MJ.

Obviously, it was extremely unfortunate that Michael passed at such an early age and at the point of his life where he could have gone out with a bang. But to convict someone of manslaughter when they were being paid to give MJ the drugs that killed him seems a little odd. The fact that MJ needed such a strong prescription to help him sleep makes me think that his body just couldn't handle the stress it was under.

I'm glad the Jackson family has been to find closure in all of this but I do not believe that "justice was served." Now there is a man who worked his whole life to become a doctor facing years in prison for something that may just be an accident. I guess we will never know the actual truth so let's hope everything works out in the end. And to MJ, may he rest in piece.

By Kayla Ward