Wednesday, February 18, 2026
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L.A. Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor Dies
By a MetNews Staff Writer
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MICHAEL E. PASTOR |
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Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael E. Pastor has died.
The septuagenarian passed away on Saturday. No cause of death has yet been reported.
A 1975 graduate of USC School of Law, Pastor has served in the Los Angeles courtrooms since his appointment to the Los Angeles Municipal Court in 1983 by then-Gov. Jerry Brown. He was most recently elected to the bench in 2022, having won his seat on the Superior Court outright in the primary election.
He made headlines when he presided over the criminal case against Conrad Murray, the doctor convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011 relating to the death of pop star Michael Jackson.
Pastor shouldered his share of high-profile matters, having sentenced actor Jason Priestley to five days in jail on a drunk-driving conviction in 2000 and having handled a 2005 case accusing a photographer of trying to extort Cameron Diaz for money to prevent the release of alleged topless photos of the celebrity.
Prior to his elevation to the bench, he served as an attorney with the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.
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