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    The People of The City

    Inside Conrad Murray's Houston church: Where no one calls the doctor MichaelJackson's killer

    Wilbert Chinchilla
    Jun 15, 2010 | 4:33 pm
    • Galilee Missionary Baptist Church, where a rally was held for Dr. Conrad Murray.
    • Dr. Conrad Murray still faces many questions in Michael Jackson's death.
      Photo by Isaac Brekken
    • Miranda Sevcik is Conrad Murray's busy spokesperson.

    Before the news broke, the pews in the church filled to about two-thirds capacity. Taking up the entire back row section — usually unofficially reserved as an easy escape for little children crying and older folks with bladder problems — were cameras, cameramen, and their producers.

    Typically, this isn't the scene that accompanies a regular church service. But this service served as something of a pep rally for a not-so-typical church member. The one who faces criminal charges over the death of the most famed pop star of our time.

    With the national news keeping this church firmly in its gaze, families came to support their fellow church member, (still Dr.) Conrad Murray. The Galilee Missionary Baptist Church in Acres Homes took in media crews from around the country, an international biographer from the United Kingdom and other journalists for this planned rally. A rally that had its own printed program — like a ballgame does.

    Worshipers arrived earlier then the scheduled 1:30 pm time. It looked like many took off work early to show up and support the man who's accused in the death of Michael Jackson. With people in hospital scrubs and suits, and entire families sitting altogether, the message was as simple as the large signs placed up by the pulpit: "Dr. Conrad Murray Support Rally: The battle is not yours, it's the Lords."

    I arrived about 15 minutes before the event was over because with narrow and newly paved streets, the Galilee Church is not easy to find for a first-time visitor.

    A luxury pulpit

    This isn't some stereotypical small Baptist church with no air conditioning but plenty of spirit — hot, sweaty, screaming spirit. Instead, Galilee greets with central air conditioning, an LED sign, an elevator, security, parking attendants, and even a dining hall with fancy tiling.

    After looking for people to talk to while church members began walking back to their cars, a preacher at the church broke the news on the pulpit, "You'll have heard the news. Dr. Conrad Murray got to keep his license. The judge doesn't have jurisdiction to take Murray's license. You see how fast God works?"

    Throughout the cheers and the announcements, I spoke to Dr. Murray's spokesperson, Miranda Sevcik who took every opportunity to rave about the good turnout.

    "I am really happy that the church did this at all. We were so encouraged that the pastors got together and organized this," Sevick said. "When we heard the feedback that we would get 300 to 350 people to show their support and love for Dr. Murray and in the end we find out that he gets to keep his license. It's just wonderful."

    When asked whether the attempts to take Murray's medical license will continue Sevcik says there is a "very very zealous prosecution that wants to — in our estimation — strip the doctor of his livelihood. By continuing to bring these challenges up regarding his license. He has not been found guilty of anything.

    "Why they would want to strip someone's license before they had their day in court is beyond us. This is the second time they made this request of the judge, and both times they have been denied."

    The UK biographer that was present stated that he was there to film a segment for the anniversary of Jackson's death. The eerie timing wasn't something just noticed by him, but by many.

    It's been almost a year since Michael Jackson died and the storm around Conrad Murray began.

    "It's going to be a year next Friday. It's been an unbelievably challenging year for the doctor and his legal team," Sevick said "The majority of it has not been inside a courtroom. The majority of it has just been to trying preserve the doctors's reputation in the court of public opinion. Because if you remember in the beginning of this, everyone wanted to lock him up and throw away the key

    "And now here we are a year later and I think people have some real questions, and they should. There are a lot of contradictory evidence that people need to examine. And that's why people should all have their day in court to explain these things and not take situations in face value."

    Murray has been practicing medicine at his institutions in Las Vegas and Houston since he was charged with the involuntary manslaughter of Michael Jackson on February 8. Many Galilee church members were quick to say that he is still their practicing physician of choice.

    The hearing took place in Los Angles Superior Court with a new judge, Michael Pastor. In previous rulings, Murray was forbidden to administer anesthetics like Propofol to patients, which was cited as the cause of Jackson's death.

    The Jackson family has been at every hearing that has taken place against Murray. He remains free on $75,000 bail.

    A setup rescue?

    In May, Murray made headlines when he stabilized a woman who fell unconscious on a US Airways flight that was leaving from Houston.

    "The funny thing is that a lot of people thought that we planned it," Sevick said, laughing. "And we laughed so hard. I mean, come on? We planned that? That's just who the doctor is. He just helps when he is needed and that is one of the reasons why he is so loved in Acres Home because he is there when people need him.

    "He's always been there regardless of whether people had insurance. Regardless of whether they had medicare. Regardless if they could ever pay them, he's there and he is there through the very end of it. So that's why he's got this following. If not because of any other reason, it's because he is a good doctor."

    It seems that the focus at the church was less on God and more on Conrad. Murray's face greeted parishioners from a poster in the front of the church. Church members passed out business cards, a parking attendant hit on a girl, and a nonchalant air filled the room.

    It was a spectacle straight out of a Hollywood movie.

    Murray still lives and works in Houston. He reportedly brings along a bodyguard when he goes to and from work.

    A number of hospitable and kind church goers requested my business card, hoping to notify the media of other community events. CultureMap was the only local online or print publication that showed up a Galilee church rally. In many ways, Murray's story is being covered much more extensively nationally — and internationally — than in Houston.

    A church member took down the Murray signs as I began to leave. Sevcik, quickly told the sign guy, "Don't throw these away. We might need them again."

    unspecified
    news/entertainment

    Metallica concert review

    Heavy metal legends Metallica roll into Houston with thunderous riffs

    Craig Hlavaty
    Jun 15, 2025 | 12:59 am
    Metallica concert Houston NRG Stadium 2025
    Photo by Brittaney Penney
    Metallica played a career-spanning set on June 14, 2025.

    Heavy metal is a baton that has been passed on for generations now. Now, more than ever, metal has turned into family entertainment. On Saturday night at NRG Stadium, the Metallica family reunion left ears ringing and hearts full, with a few scorch marks from hellacious pyro.

    Metallica — 44 years into this — is a frenetic, multigenerational machine. Four gray hairs from San Francisco that can still pack out a football stadium. The current lineup of James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo is the longest-running one in the band’s history.

    Hetfield’s frenzied screech from 1981 is now a smoky, barrel-chested growl. Hammett’s metallic, exploratory guitar lines are a part of the metal vocabulary, and Trujillo — still the new guy — has been the sturdy thunder below it all. Urlich’s reliable drumming is its stadium-honed heart.

    Openers Suicidal Tendencies and Pantera provided direct support, with ST serving as a bracing thrash appetizer. Keeping it all in the family, Trujillo’s 21-year-old son Tye is now playing bass for ST, just as Robert did in the ‘90s. The band’s set whizzed by before most fans were able to enter the building, but those who arrived early witnessed a masterclass in ‘80s hardcore thrash.

    Texas sludge legends Pantera have been celebrating the lives of departed brothers Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul since the group reformed in 2022. Collapsing in acrimony in 2001, the band and its fans never got a proper sendoff, and, with the violent shooting death of Dimebag and Paul’s death due to heart disease, the current lineup only features two original members in lead singer Phil Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown. Guitar hero Zakk Wyle, stepping into Dimebag’s shoes, is a Hall Of Fame avatar for Dimebag, perhaps the only living human that could have delivered the appropriate riffs. Anthrax’s Charlie Benante now handles drumming duties.

    It’s 2025, and I’m watching a Pantera pit on the floor of NRG Stadium from a comfortable seat in the end zone. Anselmo, seemingly ageless, stalked Metallica’s sprawling, jaggedly circular stage barefoot and howling, splitting the difference between Henry Rollins and Rob Halford. Heathen anthems “Walk” and “Cowboys from Hell” still slice with precision, just as they sounded in the adjacent Astroarena in 1995.

    Before Metallica hit the stage around 9 pm, bored fans passed the time by doing the wave in NRG Stadium, but it only made a few laps before fizzling out.

    Kicking off with “Creeping Death” from 1984’s Ride The Lightning, Metallica reveled in rumbling NRG Stadium’s foundations.

    “For Whom The Bell Tolls” sounds as apocalyptic as ever, one of the early highlights of the night. The band has embraced it’s Load and Reload era recently, with the latter’s “The Memory Remains” and “Fuel” making setlist appearances. The crowd deftly filled in for the late Marianne Faithfull during the former. There’s still a lot of love for ‘90s eyeliner Metallica.

    Metallica’s 2023 album 72 Seasons saw the quartet reconvening for a loose and unrelenting collection of songs. “Lux Æterna” and “If Darkness Had a Son” have a slithery swing to them, borne from those famous Metallica jam sessions that sometimes appear on YouTube.

    1991’s “Nothing Else Matters” is still a romantic ballad for metalheads, a Gen X wedding staple.

    Few hard rock bands can still pack a football stadium in 2025, which makes Metallica among the last of a dying breed. All in their early ‘60s, they’re not unlike a performance hot rod team with 30 or so souped-up machines in the garage that only they know how to drive. They just have to take a few more breaks than they used to in between laps. Those four guys together still make magic via extremely loud noises.

    Closing out with “Master of Puppets and “Enter Sandman,” Metallica pushed Houstonians out into a humid Saturday night, covered in each other’s sweat, looking forward to the next Metallica family reunion.

    Setlist

    Creeping Death
    For Whom the Bell Tolls
    Ride the Lightning
    The Memory Remains
    Lux Æterna
    If Darkness Had a Son
    Kirk and Rob Doodle ("Hit the Lights" and ZZ Top's "La Grange")
    The Day That Never Comes
    Fuel
    Orion
    Nothing Else Matters
    Sad but True
    One
    Seek & Destroy
    Master of Puppets
    Enter Sandman

    Metallica concert Houston NRG Stadium 2025
      

    Photo by Brittaney Penney

    Metallica played a career-spanning set on June 14, 2025.

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