娱乐英语新闻:MJ ex-physician's bail request denied

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Michael Jackson's former personal physician would remain jailed while appealling an involuntary manslaughter conviction stemming from the King of Pop's 2009 death from an overdose of the powerful anesthetic Propofol, a Los Angeles judge ruled on Friday.

Citing a "flight risk" by Conrad Murray, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael E. Pastor rejected Murray's request for freedom while his appeal is pending.

The judge made the decision based on a documentary which included an interview with Murray, during which the 59-year-old cardiologist asserted that Propofol was safe to administer in a home setting.

Pastor said he was concerned about Murray's overall attitude about the use of medicine in a home setting, particularly Propofol -- the drug that resulted in Jackson's death on June 25, 2009 at the age of 60.

"My decision is to deny the application for bail on appeal in this case," he said.

Murray, as a convicted felon, "no longer has the presumption of innocence," Pastor said, adding that Murray is not automatically entitled to bail while he works on his appeal.

Murray, who was sentenced Nov. 29 to four years in county jail, did not appear at the hearing at a downtown courthouse.