Conrad's Karma

I got a bit exuberant on Twitter the day Conrad Murray was being sentenced for KILLING (yes, killing) Michael Jackson. With a name like ZenWoman (and on six or seven Buddhist lists), I am fully aware of how UNzen-like it may seem to cheer for maximum punishment. Let me explain.

First of all, the MAX was a four year jail sentence (not life or death), and because of overcrowding in Los Angeles, it will be two years, or less. The time will be served in a jail, not a state prison, and Murray may very well get out much sooner (think Lindsey Lohan.) This is a ridiculously minor term, IMHO, for killing someone, especially when the someone killed was the King of Pop, worldwide icon, and single parent of three young children.

Yes, I know this raises two additional points: 1) should punishment be more harsh for killing a celebrity, and 2) why do I insist he was killed. The answer to the first point is no, however you cannot deny that there was more outrage over the killing of JFK and MLK than an unknown person. There was moral outrage over the loss of Michael Jackson for millions of fans worldwide. And this brings me to my final point. I felt all along that MJ was killed because use of anesthesia by a cardiologist in MJ's bedroom was "gross negligence." His autopsy confirmed it was the propofol and not some other drug or substance. MJ would not have died had Conrad Murray simply refused to administer the anesthesia.

Why am I revisiting all this? Why did I feel glad and even cheer that justice was served? I guess because it was so wrong; just as it was so wrong for Natalie Wood to drown with NO justice. Murray showed no remorse for his actions, even played on the beach during the trial. Now we hear that Robert Wagner may have been negligent or god forbid responsible for Wood's death? It raises ALL the issues of judgement, compassion, and karma. I continue to work on my karma, kleshas and compassion. And once again this brings to mind what HHDL would say in these and all cases of extreme injustice: "How can we not feel compassion for someone who faces such unfortunate rebirth as a result of his actions?" (You can just as easily view this as feeling compassion for someone who will 'burn in hell' in Christian terms.) And that really raises the whole issue of morality, doesn't it?