Verdict should be read at 1 p.m. PT. By Gil Kaufman Dr. Conrad Murray Photo: Pool/ Getty Images After just more than nine hours of deliberation, the jury in the involuntary manslaughter case against Michael Jackson ‘s former doctor, Conrad Murray, reached a decision Monday morning (November 7). The seven-man, five-woman jury rang a buzzer three times following nearly three hours of deliberation Monday to indicate that they had reached a unanimous decision in the felony case against the Houston cardiologist. The 10:56 a.m. buzz came after jurors deliberated for seven hours on Friday and came to no conclusion. The verdict is slated to be read in court around 1 p.m. PT. The jurors listened to six weeks of testimony in the trial and were tasked with deciding if Murray was criminally negligent in his treatment of Jackson, including if his administration of the surgical anesthetic propofol as a sleep aid to the 50-year-old pop icon was a factor in the singer’s death. The jurors had to weigh the opinions of a number of medical professionals called by the prosecution, who painted a picture of a physician who did not follow accepted protocols and who they claimed was motivated by a big payday. The defense countered with former patients of Murray’s who attested to his generosity and attention, as well as experts who refuted the prosecution expert’s claims that it was Murray who provided the final, fatal dose of sedatives and propofol that sent Jackson into cardiac arrest on June 25, 2009. In his closing statement Thursday, prosecutor David Walgren said the evidence that Murray was responsible for Jackson’s death was “overwhelming” and “abundantly clear.” Defense counsel Ed Chernoff countered that that it was Jackson who caused his own death, not Murray. Murray is facing up to four years in prison and the loss of his medical license if convicted. MTV News will be covering the Conrad Murray verdict live. Go to MTVNews.com for breaking news, reactions and analysis from Los Angeles or tune to MTV for the latest updates. Related Photos Michael Jackson: A Life In Photos Related Artists Michael Jackson
New track is second to be released through band’s ‘Singles Club.’ By James Montgomery Paramore’s Hayley Williams Photo: MTV Last month, Paramore made good on their promise to release new music in 2011 when they officially launched their “Singles Club,” a delightfully old-school (and direct) way of getting a trio of singles to their fans. They’ve since premiered the first of those tracks, “Renegade,” and on Monday (November 7), they unveiled the second, “Hello Cold World,” a bounding, poppy tune that features frontwoman Hayley Williams urging the listener to action, singing, “You can’t just stay down on your knees, the revolution is outside/ You want to make a difference, get out and go get it.” It is very much a rallying cry and a definite departure from the darker territory they’ve been exploring on the other new songs they’ve released since the departure of Josh and Zac Farro late last year, in particular “Monster,” their snarling single from the “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” soundtrack. The third and final installment of the Singles Club, “In the Mourning,” is set to be released in December and will have to tide fans over for the foreseeable future. As Paramore revealed when they announced the Club, they’ll be spending 2012 working on the follow-up to their Brand New Eyes album. “We really wanted to do something special for all of you … to thank you for making 2011 so amazing and sticking with us as we go into 2012 and start working on a new album,” they wrote. “Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for believing in us.” What do you think of the latest Paramore song? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos ‘Paramore: The Last Word’ Related Photos Fueled By Ramen 15th Anniversary Concert: Paramore Live Photos Related Artists Paramore
‘We Found Love’ and ‘You da One’ are two of the 14 songs on the November 21 release. By Jocelyn Vena Rihanna Photo: WireImage Come Thanksgiving week, Rihanna will “We Found Love,” “You da One,” “Watch n’ Learn,” “Ride Me Out,” “Cockiness,” “Talk That Talk,” “Drunk on Love,” “Farewell,” “We All Want Love,” “Red Lipstick,” “Fool in Love,” “Where Have You Been,” “Do Ya Thang” and “Birthday Cake.” But the list Rihanna provided may be out of order as several blogs are reporting a different finalized version of the track list. According to Idolator , the album kicks off with “You da One,” followed by “Where Have You Been,” “We Found Love (feat. Calvin Harris),” “Talk That Talk,” “Cockiness,” “Birthday Cake,” “We All Want Love,” “Drunk on Love,” “Roc Me Out” and “Watch n’ Learn,” and ends fittingly with a song titled “Farewell.” The deluxe bonus tracks are reportedly “Red Lipstick,” “Do Ya Thing” and “Fool in Love.” A rep for the singer had not responded to MTV News’ request for confirmation by press time. For those wondering just what the TTT era of Rihanna will look and sound like, her “We Found Love” video director, Melina Matsoukas , told us about the vibe of the video. “I think it sets up definitely the imagery for the album and it’s in line with what they’re doing,” she said. “So that’s good, and I’m sure there’s plenty more, hopefully. I’m not sure, but [we’ll see]. She called me after, and she loves it and I love it.” “There’s definitely some more music coming out and I’m sure we’ll do some more collaborating. I definitely would love to,” Matsoukas said. “I’m excited that I got to do the first one off her new album, the first single. I’ve never done that, so that was good.” Related Artists Rihanna
‘Went out and celebrated at the @LMFAO after party,’ Bieber tweeted following Belfast awards show. By Jocelyn Vena Justin Bieber at the 2011 EMA Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic It was the weekend’s hottest party, and some of the biggest winners at the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards took to Twitter to thank their fans for showing them some love at the show, which was hosted by Selena Gomez . The whole thing went down in Ireland at Belfast’s Odyssey Arena. Lady Gaga took home the most hardware with four prizes; other highlights included Gaga’s television debut of her new single, “Marry the Night,” and performances from LMFAO, Bruno Mars , David Guetta and Coldplay , to name a few. Gomez wasn’t up for any awards, but she had plenty of other responsibilities on her mind as the night’s MC, an experience about which she seemed overjoyed. “Thank you MTV for having me host the EMA this year,” she wrote . “Thank you to all that followed me throughout this weekend. Thank you to everyone who tuned into this year’s MTV EMA I had such an amazing time!!! I love you all.” Speaking of the night’s host, Justin Bieber showed his lady some love. “Great job tonight @selenagomez tonight at the EMA’s. proud of u,” he wrote before tweeting about his post-show partying. “3 BIG WINS!! and shoutout to my guy @BrunoMars for winning Best new Artist. well deserved. was a little stunned when i won. THANK U. went out and celebrated at the @LMFAO after party and did a little shufflin with the fellas. #goodtimes” So who else did Bieber party with? “My party crew 2nite was #REAL – @selenagomez @alfredoflores @carinmb @scooterbraun @JENNIWOWW @haydenpanettier – #greatpeople #superrandom,” he shared. “WE WENT IN!! haha. Great night. Thank you Belfast and Thank you MTV and the EMA’s – GREAT TIME. and most of all THANK YOU TO THE FANS!! I LOVE YOU and I wouldn’t be here without you. NEVER SAY NEVER. @LMFAO Everyday I’m SHUFFLIN!” Katy Perry snagged the award for Best Live Act thanks to her theatrical California Dreams Tour, and she graciously thanked her fans. “Thank U to all the AMAZING Katycats who voted me best LIVE! Thank u for the commitment!” she wrote . “Tomorrow I play Dublin, over 120 shows for the CDT!” Bruno Mars won for Best New (Artist) and gushed about attending the show, despite usually hating these types of things. “Im not the biggest fan of red carpets or Live TV but for the first time last night I really enjoyed myself. Thanks MTV that was fun as sh–,” he wrote .
Most critics are lukewarm on the Eddie Murphy, Ben Stiller caper flick. By Kevin P. Sullivan Ben Stiller and Gabourey Sidibe in “Tower Heist” Photo: Universal Pictures The 99 percent finally have their own heist movie! In “Tower Heist,” Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller team up to take back money from an evil executive who Ponzi-ed it away from the staff of his New York apartment building. The reviews certainly aren’t glowing, and most paint it as a less entertaining “Ocean’s Eleven” but admit there are some laughs to be had. We’ve rounded up some of the reviews to give you an idea of what the critics are saying. Take a look below to find out if you should join in on “Tower Heist.” The Story “The employees at a gilded Manhattan apartment complex, led by manager Ben Stiller, decide to rob the ass of a Madoff-like billionaire in the penthouse (a supremely slimy Alan Alda ). Why? He’s bilked them out of their pensions. Stiller recruits a bankrupt resident ( Matthew Broderick ) and a bellhop ( Michael Pe
Two lawyers watching the case weigh in on who presented strongest argument in Conrad Murray trial. By Gil Kaufman Dr. Conrad Murray (file) Photo: Getty Images It’s up to the jury now. After six weeks of testimony , the seven-man, five-woman jury in the involuntary manslaughter case of former Michael Jackson doctor Conrad Murray began their deliberations Friday morning (November 4). They’ve heard from 49 witnesses, including some of Jackson’s former employees, a number of Murray’s girlfriends and patients, medical experts, police investigators and ER workers. In closing arguments on Thursday, prosecutor David Walgren told them the evidence the state presented was “overwhelming” and showed that it was “abundantly clear” that Murray caused Jackson’s death by acting in a negligent manner in providing the singer with the surgical anesthetic propofol in a non-hospital setting. It capped weeks of prosecution testimony that pointed to the many alleged breaches of professional conduct by Murray, who Walgren painted as an opportunist lured by a big payday into providing medical services that were out of the norm, dangerous and, ultimately, deadly. Defense attorney Ed Chernoff countered with arguments that investigators were sloppy in collecting evidence and that it was Jackson, not Murray who was to blame because, according to the defense, the 50-year-old singer self-administered the fatal propofol dose that took his life on June 25, 2009. As we await the jury’s verdict, we asked a pair of lawyers not affiliated with the case to break down both sides’ arguments and weigh in on how each did in presenting their cases. “If he’s convicted, I’m not sure it will be due to any tactical errors on the part of his defense team,” said Robert Weisberg, a law professor at Stanford University and faculty co-director of the school’s criminal justice center. “This case does not jump out at me as one where there was any alternative strategy. If he’s convicted, it’s because he’s guilty, and based on the evidence it’s not looking good for him.” Weisberg praised the prosecution’s case, pointing out the strength of the rebuttal testimony of prosecution anesthesia expert Dr. Steven Shafer, who was recalled to the stand to poke holes in the alternate death scenario laid out by defense witness Dr. Paul White . Los Angeles-based criminal defense attorney Mike Cavalluzzi said he thought the prosecution told a “great and very tight” story over the course of the trial, beginning with Jackson’s longtime confidant and director/choreographer Kenny Ortega . It was the “This Is It” director who opened testimony in late September by telling the jury “my friend wasn’t right,” setting the chaotic scene at the rehearsals for the show. As for the investigative mistakes that Murray’s lawyers pointed out during their cross-examination of prosecution witnesses, Cavalluzzi said he felt those arguments were “grasping at straws” by the defense and had no real relevance to the negligence accusations against Murray. “Those felt like red herrings,” said Cavalluzzi, who has worked a range of criminal matters in L.A. courts from misdemeanor battery to homicide. “There was very compelling evidence from doctors about the extreme deviations from standard care by Murray even before June 25, by administering propofol in a residential setting and then laying out, piece-by-piece, how many deviations there were.” He also said that the testimony of nurse practitioner Cherilyn Lee , who was called by the defense, was very compelling. “I’m not sure it helped the defense,” Cavalluzzi said. “She said Jackson was begging for propofol and she knew never to accede to that request. It made the defense position so difficult when every objective medical professional said the conduct Murray engaged in was extremely dangerous.” What could the defense have done differently? Weisberg said he wouldn’t fault them for the case they put up, aside from what he called the very unusual tactic of voluntarily having Murray speak to police in a taped interview two days after Jackson’s death. The jury has to bring back a unanimous verdict on the single felony count, and Cavalluzzi said what they most likely took away from the testimony of the doctor and nurses who took the stand for the defense is that Murray should not have been administering propofol to any patient, let alone someone who clearly had substance abuse issues like Michael Jackson. “The character witnesses were brought up to make you think that Dr. Murray is a nice person, but involuntary manslaughter is not a crime of moral turpitude,” Cavalluzzi explained. “It is not a crime which bad people engage in bad behavior. Nobody is accusing Dr. Murray of stealing or intentionally harming anyone. What they’re saying is that he may have been a good man who made a horrible mistake and that the mistake that he made rises to criminal negligence, which makes him guilty of involuntary manslaughter.” If Murray gets off, though, Cavalluzzi predicted it would be because of his generous reputation as laid out by former patients , which could cause some doubt as to whether Murray did something that killed Michael Jackson or if Jackson administered the fatal dose himself. “It’s a very, very tough case,” he said. “I think it’s compelling in so many ways, as an insight into the genius of Michael Jackson and the price he paid … he wanted to deliver such an extraordinary concert and that, it killed him.” MTV News will be covering the Conrad Murray verdict live. Go to MTVNews.com for breaking news, reactions and analysis from Los Angeles or tune to MTV for the latest updates. Related Videos Remembering Michael Jackson – One Year Later Related Photos Michael Jackson: A Life In Photos Related Artists Michael Jackson
‘It was a really cool car — in ’87,’ he says on latest episode, airing Saturday at 11 a.m. ET/PT on MTV. By Henna Kathiya Mike Posner Photo: MTV News ” Cooler Than Me ” singer Mike Posner wasn’t exactly all that cool when he was 17. He recalls driving around in his first car on this week’s episode of MTV’s “When I Was 17,” airing Saturday at 11 a.m. ET/PT on MTV. The singer gives a shout-out to his great aunt on the episode — which also features Estelle and AnnaLynne McCord — for being gracious enough to give him her old car when he was 17. “My Great Aunt Dorothy — hi, Aunt Dorothy! — she gifted to me her ’87 Volvo,” he recalled. “And it was a really cool car — in ’87. The only problem was, I got it in, like, 2005.” The “Please Don’t Go” singer would try to assert himself on the road but found it hard with his clown-car horn. “The great thing about this car was that it had this kind of clown horn. I would be really mad, like people would cut me off, and I’d hit my horn, and it would be like ‘beep beep’ and I was just like, ‘Ugh.’ ” We’re sure Mike has updated his vehicle now to something a little cooler with a more aggressive horn to help ward off aggressive drivers. “When I Was 17” — this week featuring Estelle, Mike Posner and AnnaLynne McCord — airs on Saturday at 11a.m ET/PT on MTV. Related Videos Sneak Peek ‘When I Was 17’ Featuring Mike Posner Related Artists Mike Posner
Special airs Saturday at 6 p.m. ET; Also, activist Davey D gives MTV News an inside look at the fiery Occupy Oakland protests. By Uptin Saiidi Bryan in “True Life: I’m Occupying Wall Street” In the weeks since Americans fed up with the status quo hit New York’s Zuccotti Park to protest issues like economic inequality and social injustice, the movement has spread around the globe. On Saturday at 6 p.m. ET, MTV’s special “True Life: I’m Occupying Wall Street” will introduce viewers to a handful of the young demonstrators trying to bring about change. But if there’s another U.S. city that has taken to the spirit of the Occupy protests to the next level, it’s surely Oakland, California. In downtown Oakland, about 7,000 activists turned out on Wednesday for a general strike, which led to arrests and business shutdowns; the nation’s fifth largest port was even forced to close. Activist and journalist Davey D , an associate of MTV News correspondent and Oakland native Sway Calloway, has been covering the events since they first started. He told us that Wednesday’s events made a major statement. “Shutting down the port of Oakland is a huge thing that hasn’t happened in decades and hasn’t happened in Oakland in over 65 years,” Davey said. “It makes $8 million a day and the money goes toward the 1 percent. It’s a tangible movement — each day you shut down something, it delays things.” The Occupy movements are being driven largely by young Americans at a time when the unemployment rate among youths under 25 is 18 percent compared to the national rate of 9 percent. In a recent MTV survey of young adults (ages 18 to 29), 72 percent said they were afraid they might not live up to their potential, while nearly three-quarters of people agreed with the statement, “things are unfair for my generation because we have to start our careers during this economic crisis.” MTV’s special “True Life” episode follows a few supporters who fit that description, including Bryan, a high school grad from Massachusetts who doesn’t see the long-term benefit of attending college when there are few jobs to had post-graduation. When viewers meet him, he’s working to get Zuccotti Park clean after word comes down that the private park’s owners want to temporarily evict the protestors in order to fix up the property themselves. Panic spreads as Occupiers fear the eviction will be permanent. College students Kait and Caitlin, who are so nervous about not being able to find a job that they’ve recruited friends into the rally, are also featured. MTV’s ‘True Life: I’m Occupying Wall Street’ airs November 5 at 6 p.m. ET. Click through to “Voices From Occupy Wall Street” — our interactive photo gallery — and get to know 20 young demonstrators’ motivations, hopes and goals. Related Videos ‘True Life: I’m Occupying Wall Street’ Preview
Special airs Saturday at 6 p.m. ET; Also, activist Davey D gives MTV News an inside look at the fiery Occupy Oakland protests. By Uptin Saiidi Bryan in “True Life: I’m Occupying Wall Street” In the weeks since Americans fed up with the status quo hit New York’s Zuccotti Park to protest issues like economic inequality and social injustice, the movement has spread around the globe. On Saturday at 6 p.m. ET, MTV’s special “True Life: I’m Occupying Wall Street” will introduce viewers to a handful of the young demonstrators trying to bring about change. But if there’s another U.S. city that has taken to the spirit of the Occupy protests to the next level, it’s surely Oakland, California. In downtown Oakland, about 7,000 activists turned out on Wednesday for a general strike, which led to arrests and business shutdowns; the nation’s fifth largest port was even forced to close. Activist and journalist Davey D , an associate of MTV News correspondent and Oakland native Sway Calloway, has been covering the events since they first started. He told us that Wednesday’s events made a major statement. “Shutting down the port of Oakland is a huge thing that hasn’t happened in decades and hasn’t happened in Oakland in over 65 years,” Davey said. “It makes $8 million a day and the money goes toward the 1 percent. It’s a tangible movement — each day you shut down something, it delays things.” The Occupy movements are being driven largely by young Americans at a time when the unemployment rate among youths under 25 is 18 percent compared to the national rate of 9 percent. In a recent MTV survey of young adults (ages 18 to 29), 72 percent said they were afraid they might not live up to their potential, while nearly three-quarters of people agreed with the statement, “things are unfair for my generation because we have to start our careers during this economic crisis.” MTV’s special “True Life” episode follows a few supporters who fit that description, including Bryan, a high school grad from Massachusetts who doesn’t see the long-term benefit of attending college when there are few jobs to had post-graduation. When viewers meet him, he’s working to get Zuccotti Park clean after word comes down that the private park’s owners want to temporarily evict the protestors in order to fix up the property themselves. Panic spreads as Occupiers fear the eviction will be permanent. College students Kait and Caitlin, who are so nervous about not being able to find a job that they’ve recruited friends into the rally, are also featured. MTV’s ‘True Life: I’m Occupying Wall Street’ airs November 5 at 6 p.m. ET. Click through to “Voices From Occupy Wall Street” — our interactive photo gallery — and get to know 20 young demonstrators’ motivations, hopes and goals. Related Videos ‘True Life: I’m Occupying Wall Street’ Preview
Special airs Saturday at 6 p.m. ET; Also, activist Davey D gives MTV News an inside look at the fiery Occupy Oakland protests. By Uptin Saiidi Bryan in “True Life: I’m Occupying Wall Street” In the weeks since Americans fed up with the status quo hit New York’s Zuccotti Park to protest issues like economic inequality and social injustice, the movement has spread around the globe. On Saturday at 6 p.m. ET, MTV’s special “True Life: I’m Occupying Wall Street” will introduce viewers to a handful of the young demonstrators trying to bring about change. But if there’s another U.S. city that has taken to the spirit of the Occupy protests to the next level, it’s surely Oakland, California. In downtown Oakland, about 7,000 activists turned out on Wednesday for a general strike, which led to arrests and business shutdowns; the nation’s fifth largest port was even forced to close. Activist and journalist Davey D , an associate of MTV News correspondent and Oakland native Sway Calloway, has been covering the events since they first started. He told us that Wednesday’s events made a major statement. “Shutting down the port of Oakland is a huge thing that hasn’t happened in decades and hasn’t happened in Oakland in over 65 years,” Davey said. “It makes $8 million a day and the money goes toward the 1 percent. It’s a tangible movement — each day you shut down something, it delays things.” The Occupy movements are being driven largely by young Americans at a time when the unemployment rate among youths under 25 is 18 percent compared to the national rate of 9 percent. In a recent MTV survey of young adults (ages 18 to 29), 72 percent said they were afraid they might not live up to their potential, while nearly three-quarters of people agreed with the statement, “things are unfair for my generation because we have to start our careers during this economic crisis.” MTV’s special “True Life” episode follows a few supporters who fit that description, including Bryan, a high school grad from Massachusetts who doesn’t see the long-term benefit of attending college when there are few jobs to had post-graduation. When viewers meet him, he’s working to get Zuccotti Park clean after word comes down that the private park’s owners want to temporarily evict the protestors in order to fix up the property themselves. Panic spreads as Occupiers fear the eviction will be permanent. College students Kait and Caitlin, who are so nervous about not being able to find a job that they’ve recruited friends into the rally, are also featured. MTV’s ‘True Life: I’m Occupying Wall Street’ airs November 5 at 6 p.m. ET. Click through to “Voices From Occupy Wall Street” — our interactive photo gallery — and get to know 20 young demonstrators’ motivations, hopes and goals. Related Videos ‘True Life: I’m Occupying Wall Street’ Preview
