- NEW: Sheriff gives Dr. Murray an escort to avoid media, fans outside of jail
- NEW: Sheriff spokesman calls Murray an "exemplary" inmate
- The cardiologist can't treat patients since his medical licenses are suspended
- Murray remains unremorseful about his treatment of Michael Jackson
Los Angeles (CNN) -- Dr. Conrad Murray left the Los Angeles County jail under sheriff's escort, avoiding reporters and Michael Jackson fans waiting for his release early Monday.
Murray, who served two years of a four-year sentence for causing Michael Jackson's death, was driven away in a sheriff's car for the "safety and security" of the jail, sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said.
The handful of Jackson fans gathered outside the jail accused the Los Angeles County sheriff of showing favoritism to Murray by slipping him out of the jail through a back exit, instead of the door where freed prisoners normally leave.
Murray, who the sheriff's spokesman described as an exemplary inmate, was kept away from the general inmate population during his two years in the jail. He was also allowed to have liberal use of a telephone inside his cell during his last year.
Murray's lawyer told reporters outside the jail that he would try to get his medical licenses reinstated in California, Texas and Nevada so he can resume the medical career interrupted by his conviction on the involuntary manslaughter in 2011.
A jury concluded after a two-month trial that Murray's negligence led to Jackson's death from an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol.
The death in 2009 of superstar Michael Jackson, who died of cardiac arrest at the age of 50, sent shockwaves around the world.
The Jackson 5 perform on a TV show circa 1969. From left, Tito Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Michael Jackson, Jackie Jackson and Jermaine Jackson.
Michael Jackson quickly became the stand out star of the Jackson 5. Here he performs onstage circa 1970.
Michael Jackson poses during a portrait session in Los Angeles in 1971.
Michael Jackson performs with The Jacksons in New Orleans on October 3, 1979.
Jackson achieved superstardom with his solo career in the 1980s. Here Jackson is shown on stage in Kansas in 1983.
Michael Jackson performs on stage circa 1990.
Jackson broke a world record during the Bad tour in 1988 when 504,000 people attending seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium in London.
Jackson perfoms in concert circa 1991 in New York City.
Known for his dance moves, Jackson is seen here jumping in the air while performing during the Dangerous tour in 1992.
Michael Jackson performs in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Jackson performs with his brothers.
Jackson performs during the Bad tour at Wembley Stadium in London.
Jackson performs during the taping of "American Bandstand's 50th: A Celebration" in 2002.
Michael Jackson earned the Legend Award during the MTV Video Music Awards in Tokyo in 2006.
Jackson is seen in this handout photo provided by AEG Live on June 23, 2009, two days before his death, rehearsing at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Photos: Michael Jackson, King of Pop
The cardiologist, who was hired to serve as the pop icon's personal doctor for his comeback tour in 2009, told investigators he gave Jackson nightly infusions of propofol to treat his intractable insomnia for two months so he could rest for rehearsals.
Prosecutors argued that his negligence included leaving Jackson unmonitored and unattended while the powerful anesthetic was being pumped into his vein through an IV drip.
Deputy District Attorney David Walgren, arguing for the maximum four years in jail, said Murray was "playing Russian roulette with Michael Jackson's life every single night," by using propofol to put him to sleep in "a reckless, obscene manner."
Murray's lawyers unsuccessfully argued that Jackson self-administered the drug while Murray was out of his bedroom.
He remained unremorseful during his two years in jail.
"My entire approach may not have been an orthodox approach, but my intentions were good," Murray told CNN's Anderson Cooper interview last April.
He said his intentions were to wean Jackson from propofol. He said he succeeded in eliminating propofol from his insomnia treatment three days before Jackson's death.
"I explained to Michael that this is an artificial way of considering sleep. It was basically sedation, minimal sedation," he told Cooper.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor imposed the maximum sentence on Murray, even though the doctor was technically eligible for probation.
Pastor, in a 30-minute speech explaining his sentence, cited Murray's "pattern of deceit and lies. That pattern was to assist Dr. Murray."
Jackson died "not because of an isolated one-off occurrence or incident," Pastor said. "He died because of a totality of circumstances which are directly attributable to Dr. Murray ... because of a series of decisions that Dr. Murray made."
Murray, he said, became involved in "a cycle of horrible medicine."
Jackson family members and fans have complained that Murray should have been prosecuted for second degree murder -- not manslaughter.
