Murray has been accused of acting "unlawfully and without malice" in bringing about Jackson's death. He could face up to four years in jail if convicted.

Prosecutors claim Murray acted “without the caution and circumspection required” when he administered powerful sedative Propofol to Jackson – a chronic insomniac - to help him sleep.

The Los Angeles District Attorney has filed papers alleging Murray "did unlawfully, and without malice, kill Michael Joseph Jackson…in the commission of an unlawful act, not amounting to a felony; and in the commission of a lawful act which might have produced death, in an unlawful manner, and without due caution and circumspection".

The physician recently arrived at a court in Los Angeles to hear the charge being read to him. As he entered the building, crowds of Jackson fans stood outside heckling him.

Murray’s lawyer Ed Chernoff said: "We'll make bail, we'll plead not guilty and we'll fight like hell."

The doctor has acknowledged he gave Jackson Propofol and other sedatives, but denies doing anything which could have killed the singer. Propofol is used on hospital patients to put them to sleep before they undergo surgery.

The pop superstar died on June 25 last year after taking several different drugs. His original death certificate said the singer died of “acute Propofol intoxication”. It was recently amended by the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office to include the words “by intravenous injection of another”. The cause of death was also changed to “homicide”.

Murray was hired to help Jackson prepare for a string of concert dates in London last summer.

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