Murray’s conviction unjustly exempts all other culprits

It was the tragedy of Michael Jackson to have been so successful that he became an industry that supported so many that they were prepared to look the other way as his life slowly sunk deeper and deeper into the abyss.

By SHMULEY BOTEACH
Michael Jackson 311 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Michael Jackson 311
(photo credit: Courtesy)
One can only imagine the sigh of relief on the part of all those who contributed to the death of Michael Jackson. With the conviction of Dr. Conrad Murray, there is an official scapegoat and the finger-pointing can now end. We’ve found the culprit. Now he has been justly punished and we can put the matter rest. Jackson’s killer has been identified and sent to jail.
If only.
For years, an entourage that surrounded the superstar stood idly by as his life deteriorated, in the fear that, if they opened their mouths, they would be cast out of the celebrity’s inner circle. The publicists he paid, the managers who took their percentage, and the handlers who got their cut, watched and said nothing as he dangled a baby from a balcony, confessed on international television to sharing his  bed with a child, and squandered his fortune on useless purchases. They did nothing to stop their alleged friend as he withered away.
Jackson’s addiction to prescription medication was well known, yet few cared to get him the help he needed. Worse, he was lethargic and uninspired, at times requiring serious counseling to get his life in order.
The only action this inner circle’s took was to persuade Jackson to agree to 50 concerts in London – a staggering feat for even the most well-balanced performers – not for the performer’s own benefit, but to rake in even more money to stuff into their pockets. Regardless of the consequences, the troubled golden goose had to continue to lay some golden eggs. 
Much of it came out in the trial. There was the testimony from concert director Kenny Ortega who said, "My friend wasn't right. There was something going on that was deeply troubling me. He was chilled. He appeared lost. Just sort of lost and a little incoherent and, although we were conversing and I did ask him a question and he did answer me, I did feel though that he was not well at all." Ortega went so far as to email AEG CEO Randy Phillips that Jackson was seriously unwell.
“My concern is, now that we brought the doctor into the fold and had played the 'Tough Love, Now or Never' card, is that the artist may be unable to rise to the occasion due to real, emotional stuff… He appeared quite weak and fatigued this evening. He had a terrible case of the chills, was trembling, rambling and obsessing. Everything in me says he should be psychologically evaluated. If we have any chance at all to get him back in the light, it's going to take a strong therapist to help him through this as well as immediate physical nurturing."But, if Ortega felt this way, why was he prepared to proceed with the concerts? Why did he not resign and declare that he would not contribute to Jackson’s decline?
The role of AEG has similarly escaped serious evaluation. If the director you’ve hired is warning you that the artist you’ve contracted to do 50 concerts is in psychological turmoil, why were the concerts not canceled or, at the very least, postponed? Was profit a factor in the decision to proceed, regardless of their performer’s mental state?
To be sure, Jackson was an adult and as such bears responsibility for his actions. But, if he was not prepared to heal himself, it should have been the responsibility of all those who benefited from being in his orbit to get him the help he needed, and, if that failed, they should have at least had the decency not to contribute further to his self-destruction.
Is only the doctor who gave Jackson the lethal drug to blame? What about the doctors who continued to give him plastic surgery to the point that his body was falling apart? Even though it wasn’t illegal per se, how could they feel not the least bit ashamed?
It was the tragedy of the King of Pop to have been so successful that he became an industry that supported so many that they were prepared to look the other way as his life slowly sunk deeper and deeper into the abyss. Conrad Murray was the person most responsible for Jackson’s death, but let's not forget a host of others who also played a significant role in his downfall. They ought to thank their lucky stars that the sins of the many have fallen on the shoulders of one.
The writer is the author of The Michael Jackson Tapes: A Tragic Icon Reveals his Soul in Intimate Conversation. Follow him on Twitter @RabbiShmuley.


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