Doctor charged over Michael Jackson's death

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Michael Jackson fans, from left, Monique Ransome, 26, of Temecula, Calif., Michelle Perell, 26, of Los Angeles and Joanna Ramos, 26, of Los Angeles gather at the Airport Courthouse where Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, is expected to appear in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)

Michael Jackson's doctor has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the pop singer's death.

Prosecutors announced the charge today against Dr Conrad Murray, a Houston cardiologist who was with Jackson when he died on June 25 last year. He faces up to four years in prison if convicted.

Murray's attorney Ed Chernoff says Murray will plead not guilty.

Jackson hired Murray to be his personal physician as he prepared for a strenuous series of comeback performances in London.

Officials say the singer died in Los Angeles after Murray administered the powerful general anesthetic propofol and two other sedatives to get the chronic insomniac to sleep.