Dr. Conrad Murray could be released on house arrest by Christmas, to serve the remainder of his jail sentence for his role in the death of Michael Jackson, RadarOnline.com is exclusively reporting.

Judge Michael Pastor imposed the maximum allowed sentence -- four years in jail -- on Jackson's former doctor on Tuesday, and because of overcrowding in California correctional facilities, Murray wasn't sent to state prison, but to Los Angeles County Jail. The cardiologist's sentence was automatically cut in half, and Murray is eligible for house arrest because he is considered a non-violent felon.

"Dr. Murray's lawyers are actually relieved that Judge Pastor didn't sentence him to community service, they didn't want him doing manual labor at the morgue, like Lindsay Lohan is doing. That would have been an absolute nightmare for him, as he would certainly be mocked, and it wouldn't have been safe for him to be picking up trash on the freeway or cleaning up graffiti,” a source close to the situation tells RadarOnline.com.

Dr. Conrad Murray has been formally sentenced to four years in the Los Angeles County Jail by Judge Michael Pastor for his role in the death of pop superstar Michael Jackson.

Prior to sentencing, Murray did not address the court; neither did any member of the Jackson family.  Rather, Brian Panish, attorney and friend of the Jacksons, read a statement on the family's behalf.

In it, Panish said: "We are not here to seek revenge. There is nothing you can do here today to bring Michael back. But we will keep the love in our hearts that Michael embodied throughout his life. His passion was for unifying the world through the gift of his artistry.

Lawyers for Dr. Conrad Murray and members of his close family are begging Los Angeles Judge Michael Pastor for leniency when he sentences the Houston-based cardiologist at 8:30 am PST Tuesday  for his role in the death of Michael Jackson.

Murray was found guilty in October of involuntary manslaughter in the June 25, 2009 death of the King of Pop and could be sentenced to four years in state prison. Deputy District Attorney David Walgren will ask Judge Pastor to impose the maximum sentence, while Murray's legal team and his family are asking the judge to impose probation instead of sending him behind bars.

PHOTOS: Michael Jackson Through The Years

Dr. Conrad Murray -- convicted in the death of pop superstar  Michael Jackson  --  is being sentenced at 8:30am PST/ 11:30am EST Tuesday in Los Angeles, and RadarOnline.com is live streaming the hearing.

Murray was found guilty in October of involuntary manslaughter in the June 25, 2009 death of the King of Pop and could be sentenced to four years in state prison.

PHOTOS: Michael Jackson Through The Years

Deputy District Attorney David Walgren will ask Judge Michael Pastor to impose the maximum sentence, while Murray's legal team and his family are asking the judge to impose probation instead of sending him behind bars.

Dr. Conrad Murray's decision to participate in a documentary about the Michael Jackson death trial could be used at his sentencing hearing on November 29, RadarOnline.com is exclusively reporting.

The convicted felon sat down with the Today Show before being found guilty of killing Jackson on June 25, 2009.

PHOTOS: Michael Jackson Through The Years

“I don't feel guilty, because I did not do anything wrong, I am very, very sorry for the loss of Michael... Michael is a personal friend. It's heartfelt. It's been painful," Murray told Savannah Guthrie.

Deputy District Attorney David Walgren is holding a live news conference in the L.A. County courthouse to discuss the jury's decision following the ground breaking guilty verdict of Dr. Conrad Murray in the involuntary manslaughter of Michael Jackson.

The jury unanimously found Dr. Murray guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the June 2009 death of Jackson, and the verdict was announced at 1:15 p.m. on Monday.

As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Walgren asked Judge Michael Pastor to remand the cardiologist in custody without bail pending sentencing and the judge granted his request.

Dr. Conrad Murray's lead defense attorney, Ed Chernoff revealed in court Friday afternoon, that their defense witness, Dr. Paul White had conducted oral ingestion of Propofol to Beagle dogs, RadarOnline.com is reporting.

As RadarOnline.com exclusively reported, Dr. Murrray's defense team commissioned a study on Beagle dogs to determine how much Propofol would have to be orally ingested to cause Michael Jackson's death.

One of Murray's lawyers revealed in open court last week that findings from the study revealed that taking Propofol orally would not cause death, and they wouldn't be pursuing the theory that Jackson overdosed  by his own hand.

Dr. Conrad Murray's defense team commissioned a study on Beagle dogs to determine how much Propofol would have to be ingested to cause Michael Jackson's death, RadarOnline.com is exclusively reporting.

At Murray's preliminary hearing earlier this year, his lawyers asserted that the King of Pop swallowed Propofol, and this is what caused his death.

However, in a dramatic turnaround, attorney Michael Flanagan told Los Angeles Judge Michael Pastor on Wednesday outside the presence of the jury, that they wouldn't be pursuing the theory that Jackson had ingested Propofol.

With the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray set to begin in just a few days, RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned that even if the cardiologist is convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the death of superstar Michael Jackson, he may not spend any time in jail at all.

And perhaps even more shocking, with the overcrowding problem in the Los Angeles area prison facilities, if he does go to jail, Murray could serve only one year in a county jail, rather than in a state prison.

Jackson died on June 25, 2009, of acute Propofol intoxication. Dr. Murray has admitted to giving the King of Pop the powerful anesthetic, but he denies giving him the fatal dose that ended his life.

The jury selection questionnaire that is being used for the upcoming Dr. Conrad Murray involuntary manslaughter trial was released on Friday — and RadarOnline.com made it onto the list!

Question 32 asks: “What internet sites or blogs, if any, do you visit?” And listed between PerezHilton and the SmokingGun is RadarOnline.com!

Read The Questionnaire On RadarOnline.com