Conrad Murray walks free from jail

Michael Jackson's disgraced doctor Conrad Murray has walked free from jail after serving two years for involuntary manslaughter.

The physician was released from prison in Los Angeles in the early hours of Monday morning (28Oct13), according to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department. He has been incarcerated since 2011 after being found guilty of administering the fatal dose of anesthetic which claimed the King of Pop's life in June, 2009.

His release comes days after his lawyer filed court documents in Texas in a bid to prevent state officials from revoking his medical license.

His Texas lawyer Charles Peckham lodged a civil petition in Travis County on Friday (25Oct13), asking a judge to halt medical boardmembers' efforts to invalidate his permit pending Murray's criminal appeal in California.

Peckham fears that if Texas officials ban Murray from practising medicine, California authorities could use the case to fully revoke his permit there, too, causing "irreparable harm" to his client, whose license was suspended in both states following his involuntary manslaughter conviction.

Peckham tells the New York Daily News, "There is a clear potential for a domino effect... Dr. Murray has an unquenchable desire to help people, and no matter where it is, he will return to his given profession of healing. The truth is that a man like Dr. Murray who's dedicated his life to helping people will find a place to do it. If it's in Texas or the U.S. or we don't know where, you can be sure he will find a place to help people."

Members of California's Medical Board have also taken steps to revoke Murray's license in the state, but proceedings have stalled until the physician's appeal is complete as convictions are not considered final until all challenges are over.