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Judge bashes Murray as ‘disgrace’ as doctor

LOS ANGELES

The doctor convicted in the overdose death of Michael Jackson was sentenced to the maximum four years behind bars Tuesday by a judge who denounced him as a reckless physician whose actions were a “disgrace to the medical profession.”

Dr. Conrad Murray sat stoically with his hands crossed as Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor repeatedly chastised him for what he called a “horrific violation of trust” while caring for Jackson.

However, Judge Pastor conceded his sentence was constrained by a recent change in California law that requires Murray to serve his sentence in county jail rather than state prison.

Sheriff’s officials later said Murray will serve a little less than two years behind bars while housed in a one-man cell and kept away from other prisoners.

The judge was relentless in his bashing of the 58-year-old Murray, saying he lied repeatedly and had not shown remorse for his actions in the treatment of Jackson. Judge Pastor also said Murray’s heavy use of the powerful anesthetic propofol to help Jackson battle insomnia violated his sworn obligation.

“It should be made very clear that experimental medicine is not going to be tolerated, and Mr. Jackson was an experiment,” the judge said. “Dr. Murray was intrigued by the prospect, and he engaged in this money-for-medicine madness that is simply not going to be tolerated by me.”

Judge Pastor also said Murray has “absolutely no sense of fault, and is and remains dangerous” to the community.

A probation report released after sentencing said Murray was listed as suicidal and mentally disturbed in jail records before his sentencing.

However, Murray’s spokesman Mark Fierro said a defense attorney visited the cardiologist in jail last week and found him upbeat.

Effort aims to save zombie-movie chapel

EVANS CITY, Pa.

Horror-movie fans are trying to save a southwestern Pennsylvania cemetery chapel featured in several scenes of the cult classic “Night of the Living Dead.”

A sound engineer who worked on the 1968 George Romero film is trying to raise $50,000 to repair the chapel at Evans City Cemetery.

The cemetery association had planned to tear down the boarded-up building but delayed those plans to see if Gary Streiner can come up with the money.

Cemetery association President Ron Volz tells the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette the building will have to come down if the fund-raising effort falls short. Streiner has raised about $7,000 so far.

Streiner says he hopes the chapel could be used as a movie museum or rented out for events, such as zombie-themed weddings.

Vindicator wire services