LOS ANGELES - To the blare of vuvuzelas and the thudding groove of Beat It, jubilant Michael Jackson fans celebrated on Monday - while lamenting that no court ruling would bring back their idol.

"I cried as soon as I heard the verdict," said Michelle Mitchel, among a couple of hundred supporters outside the downtown Los Angeles court where Dr Conrad Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

"We've been waiting more than two years for this," the dreadlocked 30-something said, before adding: "It's so sad - Michael's not here."

That was the mood - joy and relief at the verdict, but bittersweet that nothing would revive the King of Pop - as Murray was handcuffed and remanded in custody over their hero's 2009 death.

The singer's fans have gathered outside the hulking Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center every day since Sept 27, when the twice-delayed trial of the 58-year-old Murray finally got under way.

Their waiting ended shortly before 11 am on Monday, when the seven-man, five-woman jury sent down word that they had reached a verdict, and the court announced that it would be announced at 1 pm.

The dozens of hardcore fans were rapidly joined by a couple of hundred more, who flocked to be outside as the Jackson family also responded to the two-hour alert they had awaited since the jury began deliberating last week.

"We miss Michael", "Murray is guilty", "Don't kill Michael again, put Murderray in jail", were among a forest of placards waved by fans to the dozens of media who also hastened back to court for the trial climax.

When the verdict came down, it swept through the crowd like a winning World Cup goal.

The surge of noise - punctuated by a blaring vuvuzela horn - was so loud it could be heard inside the ninth floor courtroom, where Judge Michael Pastor called for silence but could do nothing about the noise outside.

Jackson fans, some crying, jumped to their feet for dance anthem Beat It, as police officers kept a watchful eye on the crowd kept penned on the sidewalk by yellow perimeter tape.

LA local Lawrence Kolb was gathered with others around an iPad outside the courthouse, watching the verdict on live television. "Everyone just screamed," he said. "Everyone was jubilant."

At one point shortly after the verdict was announced, a long line of various US federal and local police vehicles passed by the crowd in what seemed like a show of force.

That was perhaps more in preparation for what might have been, if they verdict had gone the other way - a not guilty decision could have seen tempers flare.

Agence France-Presse