Jamaicans react to Jackson’s trial verdict
JAMAICANS have begun weighing in on the guilty verdict handed down yesterday against Michael Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray, who is to be sentenced for the pop singer’s death.
The Grenada-born Murray, 58, could face up to four years in prison as well as losing his medical licence, when the sentence is handed down on November 29.
Reggae artiste Junior Reid who recorded a cover of Jackson’s Dirty Diana, was among those who commented on the verdict as delivered in a Los Angeles courtroom.
Reid noted: “If it was the doctor that caused Michael’s death, then he deserves judgement… him and all who are involved, because it could not have been only him. The death of Michael Jackson is a big loss to the music fraternity.”
Reggae crooner Tarrus Riley was surprised at the guilty verdict handed down to Michael Jackson’s doctor Conrad Murray. Although a bit hesitant to express his feelings on the verdict, he sympathised with the convicted doctor.
When informed by the Observer of Dr Murray’s conviction, a surprised Tarrus Riley reacted: “Really? Them find him guilty? Wow, I don’t even know if I love that.”
Riley, a great admirer of Jackson, spoke glowingly of the late American pop idol.
“The world know Michael Jackson is the best performer… One of the biggest thing Michael Jackson did is to spend the most money on charity. People seh him bleach and him dis and him dat, but nobody nuh spend money in Africa like Michael Jackson. Him is a real humanitarian and him neva talk it, him show it.”
His admiration for Michael Jackson led to his covers of Human Nature and Good Thing Going. “The two of them were two tributes to Michael Jackson, to tell you the truth,” Tarrus explained.
“Human Nature was a tribute to Michael Jackson before he passed away,” Riley said. “Some brethren from Japan did link up with Mr Fraser (Dean) and them decided to do an album. Them basically done and everything and them tell Dean them want me to do a part of it. So me tell Dean the only way me would do it is if I get to sing my favourite song which is Human Nature. Mr Fraser produced it and me sing it and it did very well. I put it on my album Contagious and it’s the number one album.”
