Conrad Murray guilty of Michael Jackson manslaughter

By Greg Dawson
Newsbeat US reporter in Los Angeles

It had just gone 11am on the ninth floor of the courthouse in downtown Los Angeles when the three buzzes were heard.

It came from the jury room and was the signal to say they had reached their verdict.

Bored journalists waiting around inside suddenly grabbed their phones and scrambled for the exit.

After more than six weeks the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, was about to reach its climax.

It took just a few seconds for the news to filter through to fans gathered outside.

There were excited screams and cheers with one man yelling: "This is it for Conrad Murray. Now's the time."

Hundreds of fans gathered outside the court in downtown Los Angeles

The judge ordered a two-hour delay before the verdict was read to give the families involved and the media time to prepare.

During that period the hardcore Michael Jackson fans who'd been there every day were joined by dozens more people, many of them just curious to see what all the fuss was about.

With the pavement getting busier and the chants of "guilty" getting louder, Michael Jackson's family pulled up in a fleet of blacked out limousines.

His mother and father waved to the crowd as they made their way inside.

Tears at verdict

Fans then huddled around their smartphones and laptops trying to get a signal to watch the live feed from inside the court.

Most of them were unsuccessful but some managed to watch the moment the verdict was read.

Jayda Bates, 17, was emotional when the decision came through

At first just a couple of people yelled, "he's guilty", before a ripple of cheers became an eruption when everyone realised the outcome.

Jayda Bates was in tears: "I'm just so happy that Michael has finally got some justice. Conrad Murray deserves this moment.

"He's had it coming for a long time."

Shortly afterwards an ambulance arrived to treat someone who had fainted.

Lesley Cole was outside the court for most of the trial: "It's crazy here right now but I'm so glad I didn't miss it. Justice is going to be served now, I hope."

'Tension'

While the majority of fans were outside, a few had managed to get tickets to watch the verdict inside the courtroom.

Felicia Gilliam was one of them: "I was sitting on the edge of my seat. There was a lot of tension in there.

Felicia Gilliam was sitting near the Jackson family in the courtroom

"My stomach was boiling and bubbling just waiting for the verdict to be read.

"I was looking at the jury to see who they were, how they looked.

"I was two seats away from the Jackson family. One of the Jackson nieces hollered out and you could see Michael Jackson's mother holding her hand."

After a couple of hours the police were getting impatient with Michael Jackson fans blocking the pavements outside court and asked them to leave.

Many of them will be back in a few weeks on 29 November when Conrad Murray is sentenced.

He's expected to serve up to four years in prison.