Conrad Murray Placed Under Suicide Watch After Being Found Guilty, Report Says

Dr. Conrad Murray (R) stands next to his attorney J. Michael Flanagan during his hearing at a Criminal Court in Los Angeles April 5, 2010. (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES – Conrad Murray was spending his first night in jail Monday on suicide watch after being found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of pop star Michael Jackson.

After the guilty verdict was read earlier Monday in a Los Angeles courtroom, Murray was immediately handcuffed and taken into custody.

When he arrived at the Los Angeles County Jail the 58-year-old was placed on suicide watch, according to a law enforcement source who spoke to the Los Angeles Times on condition of anonymity.

The 12-person jury took less than two days to reach the guilty verdict and Murray faces up to four years in prison for the felony conviction.

A sentencing hearing was set for Tuesday, Nov. 29, and Judge Michael E. Pastor ordered Murray to be remanded in custody until that date.

"This is a crime in which the end result was the death of a human being," Pastor said. "Public safety demands that he be remanded."

Crowds of supporters outside the courtroom erupted as the verdict was announced and Jackson's mother Katherine cried and was hugged by one of his brothers.

Murray had admitted to giving Jackson a small amount of propofol to help him sleep, but not the massive amount of the drug -- which is normally only used in a hospital setting, as an anesthetic -- found in his body. Jackson died on June 25, 2009.

In the spring and early summer of 2009, Jackson was struggling with insomnia as he prepared for a long string of "comeback" London concerts. The pop star had plucked the little-known cardiologist from Houston to be his personal physician.

"Justice was served," his brother Jermaine said as he and the rest of the family braved huge crowds to leave the building, while sister Rebbie added, "Nothing will bring him back, but I'm happy [Murray] was found guilty."

"VICTORY!!!!!!" tweeted La Toya. "We're Most Proud of The WALGREN team, U did a EXCELLENT JOB N UR quest 2 seek justice 4 Michael & my family," referring to prosecutor David Walgren.

Murray's defense lawyer Ed Chernoff made no comment about whether Murray will appeal against the criminal conviction, AFP reported.

Murray could be sentenced to anything from probation to four years behind bars, according to the New York Post.

But even if Pastor hits Murray with the maximum sentence, he will likely walk free within months. Under new California guidelines targeting prison over-crowding, judges must send non-violent felons to county jails instead of state prisons.

And with the Los Angeles County's jail system also bursting at the seams, Murray could end up with little more than a wrist slap. For example, a mid-term, three-year sentence might amount to less than six real months behind bars, several legal analysts said.

"He could also serve a sentence on house arrest, or other possible alternatives to incarceration," said Julia Mezhinsky Jayne, vice chair of the Criminal Law Section of the California Bar.