L.A. Prosecutors receive National Award for Excellence in Murray's case
Today, a national coalition dedicated to reducing prescription drug abuse recognized Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorneys David Walgren and Deborah Brazil for their excellence in the prosecution of Conrad Murray.
A jury unanimously found Murray guilty last November and Murray received the maximum sentence, four years in prison.
The not-for-profit Center for Lawful Access and Abuse Deterrence (CLAAD) praised Walgren and Brazil’s "sophistication in handling complex issues" related to the prescribing and dispensing of prescription medications. CLAAD is a coalition of some 30 health and safety organizations committed to reducing prescription drug abuse while protecting patient access to medical care.
"The successful prosecution of Dr. Conrad Murray by Deputy District Attorneys David Walgren and Deborah Brazil was professional and impeccably presented to the jury," said Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley. "Their work serves as a guide to other deputy district attorneys as we in Los Angeles County prosecute ‘Dr. Feelgoods’ whose indiscriminate dispensing of prescription drugs so often results in needless deaths."
CLAAD commended Cooley for his national leadership in implementing the policy recommendations set forth in the National Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Strategy, which urges prosecutors to exercise moderation and to analyze facts in prescription drug cases from a medical perspective.
"Cooley’s office has set an example for other prosecutors across the country," stated CLAAD spokesman Michael Barnes, a Washington, DC attorney and drug policy advisor. "Walgren and Brazil obviously did their homework. They handled complex medical and legal issues with extraordinary preparation and professionalism," added Barnes, who analyzed the Murray trial for television networks CNN and HLN.
As part of CLAAD’s award for excellence, the organization presented Walgren and Brazil with engraved plaques and made a donation in their honor to the non-profit of their choice, Children’s Home Society & Family Services of St. Paul, Minnesota.
Murray committed 17 egregious violations of the medical standard of care during the hours before Jackson’s death, according to an expert who testified during the trial.
"As a practicing physician, I find Conrad Murray’s behavior abhorrent and an embarrassment," said Lauren Trainor, D.O., of Huntington Beach, California.
Primary among the deviations was the prescribing of Propofol, a powerful anesthetic, to mimic the effects of sleep. A coroner’s investigation identified an overdose of Propofol and other controlled substances prescribed by Murray as the cause of Jackson’s death.
Prescription medications are increasingly used for purposes other than those for which they are intended and approved. The U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has labeled prescription drug abuse a national epidemic. More than 40 Americans die every day from overdoses involving pain relievers alone.
"The conviction of Conrad Murray sends a strong signal to rogue prescribers that there is no defense for their actions," Barnes said.
MJFS - claad.org