Four years doesn’t seem like a very long sentence for the death of one of America’s icons, but it is still heartening that Michael Jackson’s doctor is being held responsible for his role in Michael Jackson’s death. The best part of the sentence is that hopefully it will serve as a wake up call to others in the medical profession who are unethical or careless when prescribing medication at fatal or near-fatal doses to their patients.

Superior Court Justice Michael Pastor totally rocked in both the verdict and the sentencing of Dr. Conrad Murray; the judge’s comments ranged from a statement about the doctor blaming the victim to a more serious statement indicting Murray as “a disgrace to the medical profession.”

The gross negligence displayed by Murray in his treatment of Michael Jackson is reprehensible; as a member of the medical profession, Murray should have taken responsibility for his actions, but didn’t. Murray’s lack of remorse was taken seriously by Pastor, who denied Murray’s request for probation.

Unfortunately, Murray won’t be going to prison, but to a county jail. Apparently, the doctor’s role in Michael Jackson’s death is not enough to get him a trip to a real prison. While this is ostensibly because of prison overcrowding and a new law orchestrated to “ease prison crowding,” it’s probably more likely due to the doctor’s wealth and socio-economic status. The crimes of doctors, are after all, white collar crimes. No one knows yet how much of his sentence Murray will actually have to face.

In a time when many doctors across the land have become little more than drug dealers, it’s important to take note of doctors who are irresponsible in their treatment of patients. Exchanging money for prescriptions doesn’t just happen at the celebrity level and whatever you think about Michael Jackson, his death was at the hands of a doctor who was supposed to have his best interests at heart.

It’s irrelevant whether Michael Jackson asked for the prescription which eventually killed him; Murray, like all common drug dealers, needs to take responsibility for his actions as not only a legal matter, but an ethical matter. Patients are likely to ask for many drugs, but it’s the job of the doctor to choose which medications to prescribe and to monitor the  patient’s use of certain medications.

I hope that Murray serves his full sentence and that this helps dissuade other doctors from making the same mistake(s).