Conrad Murray -- Appeals Court Rules Michael Jackson Didn't Kill Himself

A California appeals court just formally and forever shut down Conrad Murray's contention ... Michael Jackson killed himself by self-injecting that fatal dose of Propofol.

Murray had appealed his manslaughter conviction with a kitchen sink of arguments, including MJ accidentally offing himself. The California Court of Appeal has ruled ... Murray's theories are just that -- theories. The court went on to say the evidence was plentiful ... that he did the deed.

The judges noted incredulously ... Murray's fingerprints were all over the Propofol bottle and they said he acted like a guilty man when cops showed up ... by lying to them. They also zeroed in on Murray cleaning up the scene after the fact.

Even though Murray has served his sentence ... the appeal was important. If he won he could have made a credible pitch to regain his medical license.