MJ4Justice\ACMC
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We MUST stay united - United We Stand, Divided We Fail - We MUST Be His Voice Now!!
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We will discuss the proceedings, answer your questions and sum up the week.
We feel it's important to stay united and to be there for one another!
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A Message from John Branca and John McClain, Co-Executors of The Estate of Michael Jackson
The Estate of Michael Jackson and Michael himself has always believed the jury system works and despite the tragedy that brought about this trial we are in agreement with the jury's verdict. In this case Justice has been served. Michael is missed on a daily basis but his genius and his music will be with us forever. He is "the greatest entertainer that has ever lived"
Aphrodite Jones Speaks About The Conrad Murray Trial.
The prosecution is finally about to rest it's case and I, for one, feel they put on a string of witnesses who have proven, beyond any doubt, that Conrad Murray acted with a conscious disregard for Michael Jackson's life. I realize many fans wanted Murray charged with 2nd Degree Murder, but hopefully people are now realizing how difficult it is to get a conviction in this instance -- that in truth, it's hard to get 12 people to agree on anything, no less homicide in a "delicate" circumstance such as this. Of course it is not a slam dunk that Murray will be found guilty -- those of us who have spent our lives in courtrooms know better than to predict how a jury will see things -- look at the Casey Anthony jury and how shocking their verdict was.
Still, I believe this LA jury is taking the matter at hand most seriously and they were paying keen attention to the demonstration of the IV drip with the propofol in the courtroom, which is a good sign. These jurors seem to be impacted by the real and present danger Dr. Murray placed Mr. Jackson in -- plying the superstar with more drugs than anyone had ever fathomed. Of course, the defense will now try to paint Conrad Murray as a "God fearing man" who served a poor community in Texas and was, allegedly, a very caring doctor.
Read The Full Story
Still, I believe this LA jury is taking the matter at hand most seriously and they were paying keen attention to the demonstration of the IV drip with the propofol in the courtroom, which is a good sign. These jurors seem to be impacted by the real and present danger Dr. Murray placed Mr. Jackson in -- plying the superstar with more drugs than anyone had ever fathomed. Of course, the defense will now try to paint Conrad Murray as a "God fearing man" who served a poor community in Texas and was, allegedly, a very caring doctor.
Read The Full Story
Jackson doctor's defense challenges key expert
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The lead attorney for the doctor charged inMichael Jackson's death challenged a key prosecution expert Friday about his contention that the physician was responsible for the death of the singer.
Attorney Ed Chernoff cross-examined Dr. Steven Shafer, who previously testified that the only plausible explanation for the death was that Jackson had been hooked up to an IV drip of the anesthetic propofol then left alone by Dr. Conrad Murray.
"That's a bold claim, isn't it," Chernoff asked.
"It's an honest statement," Shafer replied.
Chernoff also questioned the Columbia University researcher and professor about his IV demonstration for jurors on Thursday.
The defense attorney suggested Shafer had drawn conclusions that weren't necessarily supported by the evidence. Chernoff said the type of IV line that Shafer used in the demonstration was never found at Jackson's house.
Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter. He could face up to four years behind bars and the loss of his medical license if convicted.
Read The Full Story
Attorney Ed Chernoff cross-examined Dr. Steven Shafer, who previously testified that the only plausible explanation for the death was that Jackson had been hooked up to an IV drip of the anesthetic propofol then left alone by Dr. Conrad Murray.
"That's a bold claim, isn't it," Chernoff asked.
"It's an honest statement," Shafer replied.
Chernoff also questioned the Columbia University researcher and professor about his IV demonstration for jurors on Thursday.
The defense attorney suggested Shafer had drawn conclusions that weren't necessarily supported by the evidence. Chernoff said the type of IV line that Shafer used in the demonstration was never found at Jackson's house.
Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter. He could face up to four years behind bars and the loss of his medical license if convicted.
Read The Full Story
Expert says Michael Jackson was too heavily drugged to self-administer the drug propofol
Dr. Steven Shafer, who presented a number of possible scenarios for Jackson’s overdose, said one posed by Dr. Conrad Murray’s defense — that the star gave himself the powerful anesthetic — is “crazy.”
The more likely scenario was that Murray placed Jackson on an IV propofol drip on the morning of his death then left the room as the singer slept, Shafer said.
Jackson probably stopped breathing before Murray returned, and the singer’s lungs emptied while the propofol kept flowing into his body, even after he was dead, the witness said.
Summary of Day 2, Morning Session - Via MJJ Community
Morning Session
Resuming with Paul Gongaware (PG) on the stand. Ms. Brazil is continuing cross examination.
The recapped schedule for tours. From Jul to Sept there were 27 shows then a break from Oct-Dec. Then there were 23 shows between Jan-Mar. (8 shows in July, 10 in August, 9 in Sept, 10 in Jan, 10 in Feb., and 3 in Mar.)
After the tour ended in March there were plans to add additional shows but PG stressed these were only plans.
Early June there was a meeting to discuss MJ's health and stamina attended by MJ, CM, PG, Frank Dileo, Randy Phillips. It was a positive meeting. PG was also aware of the June 20 meeting but did not attend.
PG saw CM at rehearsals at Forum rehearsal after the early June meeting. PG did not see Murray at other meetings.
PG saw MJ rehearse on June 24th and 25th and thought MJ was strong, excited, full of energy, and engaged.
Defense cross examination
Defense go over PG's history with MJ. PG says he was tour manager of Dangerous and did not see MJ very much. In History tour for the first leg he worked with the promoter and in the second leg he was tour executive. PG talked and interacted with MJ in the second half of History. PG worked on TII from the start.
Defense brings back the day Michael came from Dr. Klein. PG says he saw a slower speech pattern and a little slur in his speech. PG says he was on the look out for any drug usage by Michael.
PG says his relationship with Michael was business relationship but friendly. If PG needed to get in touch with MJ, he would see him at rehearsals if MJ was there. Or, if needed, he would go through Michael Amir.
Meeting in early June was pushed by Kenny Ortega who was concerned that MJ was missing rehearsals.
PG did not know how many practices CM had, the value of his practices, or what kind of doctor CM was.
When he turned down $5 mil, Cm did not try to negotiate another price. That was the end oof their correspondence until MJ prompted PG to contact Murray and offer CM $150,000/mo.
PG did not know Murray was a cardiologist. He did not read the final contract and did not know how long Murray was to receive $150,000. He did not see the completed contract between Murray and AEG. PG was not involved and did not know about the contract between AEG and Murray.
Defense tried to bring up lawsuit against PG and AEG that is by Katherine and he was shot down.
Read the full article
Resuming with Paul Gongaware (PG) on the stand. Ms. Brazil is continuing cross examination.
The recapped schedule for tours. From Jul to Sept there were 27 shows then a break from Oct-Dec. Then there were 23 shows between Jan-Mar. (8 shows in July, 10 in August, 9 in Sept, 10 in Jan, 10 in Feb., and 3 in Mar.)
After the tour ended in March there were plans to add additional shows but PG stressed these were only plans.
Early June there was a meeting to discuss MJ's health and stamina attended by MJ, CM, PG, Frank Dileo, Randy Phillips. It was a positive meeting. PG was also aware of the June 20 meeting but did not attend.
PG saw CM at rehearsals at Forum rehearsal after the early June meeting. PG did not see Murray at other meetings.
PG saw MJ rehearse on June 24th and 25th and thought MJ was strong, excited, full of energy, and engaged.
Defense cross examination
Defense go over PG's history with MJ. PG says he was tour manager of Dangerous and did not see MJ very much. In History tour for the first leg he worked with the promoter and in the second leg he was tour executive. PG talked and interacted with MJ in the second half of History. PG worked on TII from the start.
Defense brings back the day Michael came from Dr. Klein. PG says he saw a slower speech pattern and a little slur in his speech. PG says he was on the look out for any drug usage by Michael.
PG says his relationship with Michael was business relationship but friendly. If PG needed to get in touch with MJ, he would see him at rehearsals if MJ was there. Or, if needed, he would go through Michael Amir.
Meeting in early June was pushed by Kenny Ortega who was concerned that MJ was missing rehearsals.
PG did not know how many practices CM had, the value of his practices, or what kind of doctor CM was.
When he turned down $5 mil, Cm did not try to negotiate another price. That was the end oof their correspondence until MJ prompted PG to contact Murray and offer CM $150,000/mo.
PG did not know Murray was a cardiologist. He did not read the final contract and did not know how long Murray was to receive $150,000. He did not see the completed contract between Murray and AEG. PG was not involved and did not know about the contract between AEG and Murray.
Defense tried to bring up lawsuit against PG and AEG that is by Katherine and he was shot down.
Read the full article
Summary of Day 1 - Via MJJ Community
Hearing started approximately 30 minutes late. Judge Pastor explained the reason as traffic and problem with the elevators.
Trial started with Judge Pastor explaining jurors the process, breaks , taking notes and what is an opening statement.
Prosecution Opening Statement
DA Walgren started his opening statement. He used a presentation to accompany the points he’s making. In the presentation he showed a picture of Michael lying in a gurney - most probably taken at the hospital after revival attempts.
DA Walgren “Evidence will show that Michael Jackson literally put his life in the hands of Conrad Murray. Michael Jackson trusted his life to medical skills of Conrad Murray. That misplaced trust was a too high of a price to pay.” DA Walgren states that Dr. Murray’s actions led to MJ’s death.
DA Walgren explains what Michael was doing in months before his death. Walgren mentions that Michael was getting ready for his comeback tour TII, mentions rehearsals and that Michael was living in 100 N Carolwood with his children.
Walgren mentions that Michael and Dr. Murray met in 2006 in Vegas and maintained contact. At the time Michael Jackson died, Dr. Conrad Murray was not board-certified in any medical specialty. In March 2009 Michael asked Dr. Murray to accompany him on tour. Murray agreed and requested to be paid $5 Million a year. They offered him $150,000 a month. Murray's duties included to perform general medical care, emergency medical care. He would have received $150,000 , airfare to UK and housing. He would have been hired as an independent contractor. At the time Michael died the contract was not signed by Michael or AEG.
DA Walgren explains Propofol to the jurors. Walgren tells that it's not a sleep agent , it's anesthesia. Walgren goes over good and bad qualities of Propofol and tells the dangers. DA Walgren mentions Murray lied to pharmacists Tim Lopez and told him that he had a clinic and patients in California. Walgren starts listing Murray's Propofol orders and how they were sent to Murray's girlfriend Nicole Alvarez's house.
DA Walgren plays a part of an audio Murray recorded on is iPhone on May 10. Walgren mentions that Murray was recording Michael who was under influence of a unknown drug. Walgren states that this shows that the Murray knew the effect of his treatment on Michael, yet continued to order Propofol.
Read the full article
Trial started with Judge Pastor explaining jurors the process, breaks , taking notes and what is an opening statement.
Prosecution Opening Statement
DA Walgren started his opening statement. He used a presentation to accompany the points he’s making. In the presentation he showed a picture of Michael lying in a gurney - most probably taken at the hospital after revival attempts.
DA Walgren “Evidence will show that Michael Jackson literally put his life in the hands of Conrad Murray. Michael Jackson trusted his life to medical skills of Conrad Murray. That misplaced trust was a too high of a price to pay.” DA Walgren states that Dr. Murray’s actions led to MJ’s death.
DA Walgren explains what Michael was doing in months before his death. Walgren mentions that Michael was getting ready for his comeback tour TII, mentions rehearsals and that Michael was living in 100 N Carolwood with his children.
Walgren mentions that Michael and Dr. Murray met in 2006 in Vegas and maintained contact. At the time Michael Jackson died, Dr. Conrad Murray was not board-certified in any medical specialty. In March 2009 Michael asked Dr. Murray to accompany him on tour. Murray agreed and requested to be paid $5 Million a year. They offered him $150,000 a month. Murray's duties included to perform general medical care, emergency medical care. He would have received $150,000 , airfare to UK and housing. He would have been hired as an independent contractor. At the time Michael died the contract was not signed by Michael or AEG.
DA Walgren explains Propofol to the jurors. Walgren tells that it's not a sleep agent , it's anesthesia. Walgren goes over good and bad qualities of Propofol and tells the dangers. DA Walgren mentions Murray lied to pharmacists Tim Lopez and told him that he had a clinic and patients in California. Walgren starts listing Murray's Propofol orders and how they were sent to Murray's girlfriend Nicole Alvarez's house.
DA Walgren plays a part of an audio Murray recorded on is iPhone on May 10. Walgren mentions that Murray was recording Michael who was under influence of a unknown drug. Walgren states that this shows that the Murray knew the effect of his treatment on Michael, yet continued to order Propofol.
Read the full article
Mellie's BLOG: Michael did not Kill Michael-
Conrad Murray DID !
Michael did not kill michael" says Jermaine and he is absolutely right!
Despite that media's spin..that recording proves that conrad murray is a selfish bastard that continually neglected his patent....after he ( murray) adminstered “something” to him. Murray was more concerned about hitting the record button.
Yesterday, the world, Michael’s family and the fan community were shocked and horrified by a disturbing audio tape, made by Conrad Murray. That recording , illustrates to the world that Conrad Murray is a man- so EVIL, that he continued to neglect his patient –that his primary goal – was to get Michael Jackson on tape.
Today, the media is spinning this nonsense, to prove that Michael was indeed a drug addict. Despite Michael’s autopsy report that proves otherwise. What that tape does prove that Murray was administering something to Michael- that rendered him almost “incoherent” and that 2 days after this recording ....Murray continued his reckless disregard of Michael , by ordering an EXCESSIVE amount of propofol. Conrad Muuray’s claim that he was to attempting to “ween” Michael, off of propofol- is proven baseless , based on that action, alone.
What that recording also proves and offers glaring...... insight to the REAL –CONRAD MURRAY.
A man so uncaring, so calculating, that his Gross neglect of Michael Jackson- started long before June 25, 2009.
It proves that Conrad Murray is a socio-path, who had no regard for his patient or did not care about the consequences of his patient.
Once again, as we have done many , many , many times in the past, it is up to Michael’s Family and it is up to Michael’s Fans – TO SCREAM the truth! “Michael DID NOT KILL MICHAEL...CONRAD MURRAY DID”
Despite that media's spin..that recording proves that conrad murray is a selfish bastard that continually neglected his patent....after he ( murray) adminstered “something” to him. Murray was more concerned about hitting the record button.
Yesterday, the world, Michael’s family and the fan community were shocked and horrified by a disturbing audio tape, made by Conrad Murray. That recording , illustrates to the world that Conrad Murray is a man- so EVIL, that he continued to neglect his patient –that his primary goal – was to get Michael Jackson on tape.
Today, the media is spinning this nonsense, to prove that Michael was indeed a drug addict. Despite Michael’s autopsy report that proves otherwise. What that tape does prove that Murray was administering something to Michael- that rendered him almost “incoherent” and that 2 days after this recording ....Murray continued his reckless disregard of Michael , by ordering an EXCESSIVE amount of propofol. Conrad Muuray’s claim that he was to attempting to “ween” Michael, off of propofol- is proven baseless , based on that action, alone.
What that recording also proves and offers glaring...... insight to the REAL –CONRAD MURRAY.
A man so uncaring, so calculating, that his Gross neglect of Michael Jackson- started long before June 25, 2009.
It proves that Conrad Murray is a socio-path, who had no regard for his patient or did not care about the consequences of his patient.
Once again, as we have done many , many , many times in the past, it is up to Michael’s Family and it is up to Michael’s Fans – TO SCREAM the truth! “Michael DID NOT KILL MICHAEL...CONRAD MURRAY DID”
Jackson doctor's defense already "Desperate"?
Jurors won't see Jackson's 'This Is It' announcement,
judge rules
By Alan Duke, CNNupdated 4:12 PM EST, Mon September 26, 2011
Los Angeles (CNN) -- Although the judge has limited what Dr. Conrad Murray's lawyers can argue about Michael Jackson's health and state of mind in the months before his death, the defense will "put on a good case," one of Murray's lawyers said Monday.
Jurors will hear opening statements and the first witnesses Tuesday in the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the pop icon's death.
Murray's lawyers will not be allowed to show video of Jackson's March 2009 announcement of his "This Is It" concerts in London, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor ruled Monday.
The video would show jurors' "Michael Jackson's state of mind and demeanor" and support the testimony by his makeup artist that Jackson was furious the number of scheduled shows was increased from the initial 10 to 50, defense lawyer Nareg Gourjian told the judge.
The London announcement was delayed 90 minutes "because Michael Jackson was passed out and could not get off the sofa," Gourjian said.
Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney David Walgren objected to the video, arguing that evidence about Jackson's mental and physical condition four months before his June 25, 2009, death is not relevant.
Defense lawyer Michael Flanagan, talking to reporters after the hearing, said prosecution and defense witnesses will testify about Jackson's failing health for several months before his death.
"It didn't just develop the last few days before he died," Flanagan said.
The defense argued the March video would have helped jurors see Jackson's ill health for themselves.
The case against Conrad MurrayJurors seated in MJ death trialPastor agreed with the prosecution and denied the defense request to use the video in the trial.
"We've got witnesses that saw what we're trying to prove," Flanagan said. "We would like to have a recording of exactly what was going on."
The first prosecution witness Tuesday is expected to be Kenny Ortega, who was the producer of Jackson's "This Is It" shows. Flanagan suggested he would offer evidence of Jackson's ill health when cross-examined by defense lawyers.
The judge's rejection of the defense request, along with earlier rulings limiting what Murray's attorneys could present in their defense, are just a fact they have to deal with, he said.
"I don't think anybody's putting on exactly the case they want to present," Flanagan said. "There are rules of evidence we have to comply with. We're going to do the best we can with the rules that are put down on us, and we'll put on a good case."
Pastor denied the prosecution's request Monday to tell jurors about investigators' failed efforts to re-interview Murray in the weeks after Jackson's death. He did meet with them two days after Jackson's death, but the prosecution wanted to show later e-mail and phone voice mail attempts by the county coroner and a police detective to request meetings with Murray.
Pastor ruled that there were "too many variables in phone calls that are being placed" and the efforts to re-interview Murray were not face-to-face communications.
The judge indicated he may rethink that decision if the defense argues during the trial that police did not do a thorough investigation of Jackson's death.
"Dr. Murray gave a full statement to police, stayed there for two and a half hours, answered every question they asked," Flanagan said. "What's he supposed to do -- that on a daily basis?"
Twelve jurors and five alternates will report to court Tuesday morning to hear opening statements in the case against Murray. A sixth alternate juror was dismissed just minutes after she was sworn in Friday.
"It seems like a good jury panel," Flanagan said after the jury was seated Friday.
The jury consists of seven men and five women, including six who are white, five who listed their ethnicity as Mexican or Hispanic and one who identified himself as African-American.
Flanagan said the defense paid little attention to jurors' ethnicity, but instead focused on their answers to the 32-page jury questionnaire.
The court released copies of their answers late Friday, giving a glimpse at the 12 Los Angeles County residents who will decide Murray's fate.
Three of the women said they followed the Casey Anthony trial over the summer. Defense lawyers unsuccessfully used the Anthony case to argue that Murray jurors should be sequestered in a hotel during the trial to shelter them from media reports.
One juror, a retired cartoon animator, said he once met Michael Jackson.
Several jurors described themselves as Jackson fans and two have seen "This Is It," the documentary of Jackson's rehearsals just before his death.
They and their fellow jurors will see clips from the film again since the prosecution is expected to show them during the first day of the trial Tuesday.
Murray could face up to four years in prison if the jury finds him guilty.
The Los Angeles coroner has ruled that Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, was caused by an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol combined with other drugs.
Prosecutors have accused Murray, who served as Jackson's personal and full-time physician at the time, of having a role in the overdose.
They contend Murray used a makeshift intravenous drip to administer propofol intended to help Jackson sleep, a practice they argue violated the standard of care and led to the pop music icon's death.
Jurors will hear opening statements and the first witnesses Tuesday in the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the pop icon's death.
Murray's lawyers will not be allowed to show video of Jackson's March 2009 announcement of his "This Is It" concerts in London, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor ruled Monday.
The video would show jurors' "Michael Jackson's state of mind and demeanor" and support the testimony by his makeup artist that Jackson was furious the number of scheduled shows was increased from the initial 10 to 50, defense lawyer Nareg Gourjian told the judge.
The London announcement was delayed 90 minutes "because Michael Jackson was passed out and could not get off the sofa," Gourjian said.
Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney David Walgren objected to the video, arguing that evidence about Jackson's mental and physical condition four months before his June 25, 2009, death is not relevant.
Defense lawyer Michael Flanagan, talking to reporters after the hearing, said prosecution and defense witnesses will testify about Jackson's failing health for several months before his death.
"It didn't just develop the last few days before he died," Flanagan said.
The defense argued the March video would have helped jurors see Jackson's ill health for themselves.
The case against Conrad MurrayJurors seated in MJ death trialPastor agreed with the prosecution and denied the defense request to use the video in the trial.
"We've got witnesses that saw what we're trying to prove," Flanagan said. "We would like to have a recording of exactly what was going on."
The first prosecution witness Tuesday is expected to be Kenny Ortega, who was the producer of Jackson's "This Is It" shows. Flanagan suggested he would offer evidence of Jackson's ill health when cross-examined by defense lawyers.
The judge's rejection of the defense request, along with earlier rulings limiting what Murray's attorneys could present in their defense, are just a fact they have to deal with, he said.
"I don't think anybody's putting on exactly the case they want to present," Flanagan said. "There are rules of evidence we have to comply with. We're going to do the best we can with the rules that are put down on us, and we'll put on a good case."
Pastor denied the prosecution's request Monday to tell jurors about investigators' failed efforts to re-interview Murray in the weeks after Jackson's death. He did meet with them two days after Jackson's death, but the prosecution wanted to show later e-mail and phone voice mail attempts by the county coroner and a police detective to request meetings with Murray.
Pastor ruled that there were "too many variables in phone calls that are being placed" and the efforts to re-interview Murray were not face-to-face communications.
The judge indicated he may rethink that decision if the defense argues during the trial that police did not do a thorough investigation of Jackson's death.
"Dr. Murray gave a full statement to police, stayed there for two and a half hours, answered every question they asked," Flanagan said. "What's he supposed to do -- that on a daily basis?"
Twelve jurors and five alternates will report to court Tuesday morning to hear opening statements in the case against Murray. A sixth alternate juror was dismissed just minutes after she was sworn in Friday.
"It seems like a good jury panel," Flanagan said after the jury was seated Friday.
The jury consists of seven men and five women, including six who are white, five who listed their ethnicity as Mexican or Hispanic and one who identified himself as African-American.
Flanagan said the defense paid little attention to jurors' ethnicity, but instead focused on their answers to the 32-page jury questionnaire.
The court released copies of their answers late Friday, giving a glimpse at the 12 Los Angeles County residents who will decide Murray's fate.
Three of the women said they followed the Casey Anthony trial over the summer. Defense lawyers unsuccessfully used the Anthony case to argue that Murray jurors should be sequestered in a hotel during the trial to shelter them from media reports.
One juror, a retired cartoon animator, said he once met Michael Jackson.
Several jurors described themselves as Jackson fans and two have seen "This Is It," the documentary of Jackson's rehearsals just before his death.
They and their fellow jurors will see clips from the film again since the prosecution is expected to show them during the first day of the trial Tuesday.
Murray could face up to four years in prison if the jury finds him guilty.
The Los Angeles coroner has ruled that Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, was caused by an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol combined with other drugs.
Prosecutors have accused Murray, who served as Jackson's personal and full-time physician at the time, of having a role in the overdose.
They contend Murray used a makeshift intravenous drip to administer propofol intended to help Jackson sleep, a practice they argue violated the standard of care and led to the pop music icon's death.
The manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's physician at the time of his death is about to begin.
CBC News - Jurors were sworn in Friday, more than two years after Jackson was found dead.
Opening statements are scheduled to begin Tuesday.
Dr. Conrad Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter and faces a possible four year prison term for giving Jackson a fatal dose of the anesthetic drug Propofol.
Observers say the prosecution has a strong case, reports CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker. They'll argue the Propofol was being used by Dr. Murray as an "at-home" sleeping aid, when it's only approved for use as a hospital-administered anesthetic.
But Murray's defense team is said to be planning to introduce into evidence a video of Jackson at a news conference announcing the "This Is It" tour, which he was rehearsing when he died. The defense reportedly intends to assert the video is proof that Jackson was weak and in poor health. They will apparently argue that he administered the fatal dose of Propofol himself, in the hope of convincing the jury that Jackson was drug-dependant and depressed.
Watch Special coverage: The trial of Dr. Conrad Murray
CBS News legal analyst Trent Copeland says, "They'll come close to the issue of indicating that Michael Jackson may even had committed suicide, because he simply wanted to get out of this long, grueling concert schedule because he was in such poor health."
The case is expected to last three-to-five weeks, and the jury will not be sequestered.
Jackson's biographer, J. Randy Taraborrelli, told "Early Show on Saturday Morning" co-anchor Russ Mitchell it's "very important" to the Jackson family that Murray be found guilty, but, "The big question here is at what cost to Michael Jackson's reputation and to his legacy? Justice is very important and closure is very important. But nobody wants to see a character assassination of Michael Jackson. And that's something the family, the fan community and the estate are very concerned about where this trial is concerned."
The early word, Mitchell pointed out, is that the defense will be "brutal."
Taraborrelli, author of "Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story, 1958-2009," said, "I think you're looking at a very desperate defense. If they're planning to show the film of Michael Jackson's press conference to demonstrate that he was depressed -- Michael Jackson looks very healthy in that film. Anybody who has seen that film will tell you that he looks like he was very capable and very ready for the tour, so that just shows you that there is a lot of desperation here.
"You know, the fact of the matter is that Michael Jackson is not on trial. It doesn't make any difference what Michael Jackson's state of mind was. It doesn't make any difference what Michael's history was, or what his personal problems were at the time of his death. He's not on trial. Conrad Murray is on trial. And that's really what, I think, the judge has made a very strong decision to focus on in this trial."
What about possible claims Jackson committed suicide?
"Absolutely not. Absolutely not. There is just no indication of that by anybody who knew Michael Jackson well, as I did, (and anyone who did) knows he had such a love for his children and for his family that he just never would have done such a thing. You know, that's the kind of claim that people watching the trial who cared about Michael Jackson are concerned about, having (be) made in a court of law."
Taraborrelli says family members have told him they're "doing fairly well. The kids are doing very well. They are in school. Paris is in acting classes. They take karate lessons. Prince is overseas now, representing one of Michael Jackson's charities. So they are pulling together. They're doing the best they can. But nobody wants to see their father dragged into another controversy."
Opening statements are scheduled to begin Tuesday.
Dr. Conrad Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter and faces a possible four year prison term for giving Jackson a fatal dose of the anesthetic drug Propofol.
Observers say the prosecution has a strong case, reports CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker. They'll argue the Propofol was being used by Dr. Murray as an "at-home" sleeping aid, when it's only approved for use as a hospital-administered anesthetic.
But Murray's defense team is said to be planning to introduce into evidence a video of Jackson at a news conference announcing the "This Is It" tour, which he was rehearsing when he died. The defense reportedly intends to assert the video is proof that Jackson was weak and in poor health. They will apparently argue that he administered the fatal dose of Propofol himself, in the hope of convincing the jury that Jackson was drug-dependant and depressed.
Watch Special coverage: The trial of Dr. Conrad Murray
CBS News legal analyst Trent Copeland says, "They'll come close to the issue of indicating that Michael Jackson may even had committed suicide, because he simply wanted to get out of this long, grueling concert schedule because he was in such poor health."
The case is expected to last three-to-five weeks, and the jury will not be sequestered.
Jackson's biographer, J. Randy Taraborrelli, told "Early Show on Saturday Morning" co-anchor Russ Mitchell it's "very important" to the Jackson family that Murray be found guilty, but, "The big question here is at what cost to Michael Jackson's reputation and to his legacy? Justice is very important and closure is very important. But nobody wants to see a character assassination of Michael Jackson. And that's something the family, the fan community and the estate are very concerned about where this trial is concerned."
The early word, Mitchell pointed out, is that the defense will be "brutal."
Taraborrelli, author of "Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story, 1958-2009," said, "I think you're looking at a very desperate defense. If they're planning to show the film of Michael Jackson's press conference to demonstrate that he was depressed -- Michael Jackson looks very healthy in that film. Anybody who has seen that film will tell you that he looks like he was very capable and very ready for the tour, so that just shows you that there is a lot of desperation here.
"You know, the fact of the matter is that Michael Jackson is not on trial. It doesn't make any difference what Michael Jackson's state of mind was. It doesn't make any difference what Michael's history was, or what his personal problems were at the time of his death. He's not on trial. Conrad Murray is on trial. And that's really what, I think, the judge has made a very strong decision to focus on in this trial."
What about possible claims Jackson committed suicide?
"Absolutely not. Absolutely not. There is just no indication of that by anybody who knew Michael Jackson well, as I did, (and anyone who did) knows he had such a love for his children and for his family that he just never would have done such a thing. You know, that's the kind of claim that people watching the trial who cared about Michael Jackson are concerned about, having (be) made in a court of law."
Taraborrelli says family members have told him they're "doing fairly well. The kids are doing very well. They are in school. Paris is in acting classes. They take karate lessons. Prince is overseas now, representing one of Michael Jackson's charities. So they are pulling together. They're doing the best they can. But nobody wants to see their father dragged into another controversy."
Jury Pool Narrowed For Conrad Murray Trial
LOS ANGELES (CNN) - Dozens of Los Angeles residents were dismissed from the jury pool in the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor Thursday, but at least 70 potential jurors remain for the final phase of jury selection set for Friday morning.
Prosecutors and defense lawyers mutually agreed on which potential jurors were too biased to put their prejudices aside to decide if Dr. Conrad Murray is criminally responsible for the pop icon's death, according to Murray defense lawyer Michael Flanagan.
"Both sides just want to get a fair jury that hasn't made up their mind and is willing to make a decision based upon the facts," Flanagan said after Thursday's jury selection session.
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Prosecutors and defense lawyers mutually agreed on which potential jurors were too biased to put their prejudices aside to decide if Dr. Conrad Murray is criminally responsible for the pop icon's death, according to Murray defense lawyer Michael Flanagan.
"Both sides just want to get a fair jury that hasn't made up their mind and is willing to make a decision based upon the facts," Flanagan said after Thursday's jury selection session.
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Attorneys in Conrad Murray Trial using Facebook, Twitter to Screen Jurors
LOS ANGELES — Prosecutors and defense attorneys for Conrad Murray, the Houston doctor accused of giving Michael Jackson a lethal dose of a powerful anesthetic, have turned to social media to screen potential jurors.
They are screening more than 145 potential jurors by checking public posts on Facebook, Twitter, blogs and website comments in search of insight into the men and women that will decide Murray’s innocence or guilt.
"Social media is a big part of our lives, for all of us, so it’s not surprising that it’s also a big part of jury trials now," said Karen Hurwitz, a veteran legal consultant who helped defense attorneys screen jurors in the Casey Anthony trial.
Social media checks are becoming commonplace in courtrooms across the country. Hurwitz said she and others involved in the Anthony trial spent weeks researching potential jurors.
"Some people really object to it," she said. "They feel like they’re being investigated. On the Internet, the reality is much of this information is public."
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They are screening more than 145 potential jurors by checking public posts on Facebook, Twitter, blogs and website comments in search of insight into the men and women that will decide Murray’s innocence or guilt.
"Social media is a big part of our lives, for all of us, so it’s not surprising that it’s also a big part of jury trials now," said Karen Hurwitz, a veteran legal consultant who helped defense attorneys screen jurors in the Casey Anthony trial.
Social media checks are becoming commonplace in courtrooms across the country. Hurwitz said she and others involved in the Anthony trial spent weeks researching potential jurors.
"Some people really object to it," she said. "They feel like they’re being investigated. On the Internet, the reality is much of this information is public."
Read The Full Story
MJ4JUSTICE IN THE NEWS:
Fans work to protect Jackson's name on trial's eve
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Inside the compact, wood-paneled courtroom that will soon host the trial of Michael Jackson's personal physician, many of the tabloid-worthy elements of the singer's life will go unspoken.
Outside, however, many Jackson fans say they expect a media free-for-all that will dredge up discredited allegations and salacious story lines, once again tarnishing the singer's legacy.
Jackson, they fear, will once again be on trial.
Around the globe, the King of Pop's supporters are already scanning headlines and airwaves for stories that contain inaccuracies about the singer's life, brand him a pedophile or describe him by the dismissive moniker "Jacko."
The items quickly result in calls to editors, reporters, producers and a flurry of Facebook and Twitter posts to press for changes. In some instances, the references are removed.
As the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray draws closer — jury selection resumes on Friday and opening statements are scheduled for Sept. 27 — concerns about Jackson's portrayal are growing.
"We don't want Michael Jackson to be put up on a pedestal like he never made any mistakes," said Erin Jacobs, a founder of the Southern California-based group Justice4MJ.
But she said the focus should remain on Murray, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter and who authorities allege gave Jackson a lethal dose of the anesthetic propofol and other sedatives. The Houston-based cardiologist has pleaded not guilty.
Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor has already limited what information Murray's defense attorneys can introduce about Jackson during the trial, excluding any details from the singer's 2005 child molestation trial, which ended in acquittal, his financial troubles, and witnesses who might describe the singer as a drug addict.
The rulings have drawn praise from fans and court watchers alike, but may have limited effect in the era of blogs and social media.
"For some salacious news organizations and the blogosphere, there won't be a check on fairness," said Ben Holden, director of the Reynolds National Center for the Courts and Media.
Editors and producers have long acted similar to judges by deciding what details are necessary or irrelevant for news coverage, said Holden, a former Wall Street Journal reporter and attorney who attended Murray's preliminary hearing.
Blogs and social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, which are now news sources, present new challenges.
"It has always been the case that the juror's neighbors had information that the juror didn't have," Holden said. Yet nowadays, the neighbor "doesn't just get Walter Cronkite, he also gets Nancy Grace and TMZ."
Potentially skewed posts from fans also have to be considered, Holden said.
Many fan groups have active Twitter profiles and Facebook pages, including those aimed at providing explanatory content on the trial.
One such site, PositivelyMichael.com, has a forum focused on the Murray case and other aspects of Jackson's death that has nearly 9,500 posts. Moderator Lynn Mathis said the site has become an international destination for updates on the case.
"We have members all over the world," Mathis said. "This trial will not be covered there the way it is here."
Similar to the efforts by U.S.-based fans, international groups are closely watching their domestic media for stories they feel treat the singer unfairly. One such group, MJ4Justice, has founders from three nations: the U.S., Ireland and Canada.
Grace, who has been criticized for comments advocating the conviction of Florida mother Casey Anthony in her recent murder trial, is one of the television pundits Jackson fans say they are concerned about.
A jury acquitted Anthony of killing her 2-year-old daughter earlier this year and Murray's attorneys have cited Grace's commentary as a primary reason jurors in Murray's case should be sequestered. Pastor refused.
HLN, which airs Grace's show, is already offering significant coverage of the Jackson manslaughter trial. The network also airs a show hosted by commentator Dr. Drew Pinsky, who has devoted several segments to the trial and who Jacobs and other fans criticized for focusing on sensational aspects of Jackson's life.
"We don't feel that it's relevant that these talking heads like Nancy Grace and Dr. Drew get on every night and further degrade a dead man's legacy," Jacobs said.
Pinsky addressed the fan reaction on a recent show: "Please, guys. I don't have a strong feeling about this. I'm not trying to protect anybody. I'm just trying to make sense of it so we can all understand this case as we go through it."
In addition to fans wanting to protect Jackson's memory, also potentially at stake is the image behind continued success of the singer's posthumous marketability, which has generated more than $310 million since his death.
Manny Medrano, an attorney and former television reporter who regularly comments on high-profile cases, said he expects most of the media overall to report Murray's trial fairly. Despite the issues the Anthony case raised with punditry shaping public opinion of a trial, Murray's case won't be a repeat, he said.
"This case is not of that level," Medrano said, noting that prosecutors aren't seeking a murder conviction against Murray and that despite Jackson's international stardom, the singer is a different type of victim than young Caylee Anthony.
Pastor's rulings have limited Murray's defense, but Medrano said that won't mean that the portrait that emerges of Jackson is pristine. "There is negative evidence about this pop star that the jury is going to hear," he said.
A former federal prosecutor, Medrano now practices criminal defense and said the physician's attorneys have an ethical obligation to raise any viable theory that may exonerate Murray. "They're doing their job," he said.
That won't make it any easier on Jackson's supporters, or his family, who are expected to attend most of the proceedings.
Jermaine Jackson told The Associated Press that he expects Murray's attorney to try to smear his brother. "They are going to try that," he said, adding that he penned his new book "You Are Not Alone" in part as a rebuttal to defense arguments that his brother was weakened by an addiction to the painkiller Demerol.
"There may have been dependency on Demerol, which was for pain, but that's not what killed Michael," Jermaine Jackson said.
Jackson fans have a similar mission, one they expect will lead to long hours of fact-checking reports in the coming weeks.
"Michael's not here to defend himself," said Millie Freeman, the New York-based co-founder of the group MJ4Justice. "It's up to his family and up to his fans.
"This is a matter of the man's legacy at this point," she said. "It needs to be respected."
Associated Press Television Producer Oscar Gabriel contributed to this report.
By ANTHONY McCARTNEY - AP Entertainment Writer
___
Online Links:
Reynolds National Center for Courts and Media: http://courtsandmedia.org//
Justice4MJ: http://www.justice4mj.com/
Positively Michael: http://www.positivelymichael.com
MJ4Justice: http://www.mj4justice.com/
Team Michael Jackson: http://teammichaeljackson.com/
Outside, however, many Jackson fans say they expect a media free-for-all that will dredge up discredited allegations and salacious story lines, once again tarnishing the singer's legacy.
Jackson, they fear, will once again be on trial.
Around the globe, the King of Pop's supporters are already scanning headlines and airwaves for stories that contain inaccuracies about the singer's life, brand him a pedophile or describe him by the dismissive moniker "Jacko."
The items quickly result in calls to editors, reporters, producers and a flurry of Facebook and Twitter posts to press for changes. In some instances, the references are removed.
As the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray draws closer — jury selection resumes on Friday and opening statements are scheduled for Sept. 27 — concerns about Jackson's portrayal are growing.
"We don't want Michael Jackson to be put up on a pedestal like he never made any mistakes," said Erin Jacobs, a founder of the Southern California-based group Justice4MJ.
But she said the focus should remain on Murray, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter and who authorities allege gave Jackson a lethal dose of the anesthetic propofol and other sedatives. The Houston-based cardiologist has pleaded not guilty.
Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor has already limited what information Murray's defense attorneys can introduce about Jackson during the trial, excluding any details from the singer's 2005 child molestation trial, which ended in acquittal, his financial troubles, and witnesses who might describe the singer as a drug addict.
The rulings have drawn praise from fans and court watchers alike, but may have limited effect in the era of blogs and social media.
"For some salacious news organizations and the blogosphere, there won't be a check on fairness," said Ben Holden, director of the Reynolds National Center for the Courts and Media.
Editors and producers have long acted similar to judges by deciding what details are necessary or irrelevant for news coverage, said Holden, a former Wall Street Journal reporter and attorney who attended Murray's preliminary hearing.
Blogs and social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, which are now news sources, present new challenges.
"It has always been the case that the juror's neighbors had information that the juror didn't have," Holden said. Yet nowadays, the neighbor "doesn't just get Walter Cronkite, he also gets Nancy Grace and TMZ."
Potentially skewed posts from fans also have to be considered, Holden said.
Many fan groups have active Twitter profiles and Facebook pages, including those aimed at providing explanatory content on the trial.
One such site, PositivelyMichael.com, has a forum focused on the Murray case and other aspects of Jackson's death that has nearly 9,500 posts. Moderator Lynn Mathis said the site has become an international destination for updates on the case.
"We have members all over the world," Mathis said. "This trial will not be covered there the way it is here."
Similar to the efforts by U.S.-based fans, international groups are closely watching their domestic media for stories they feel treat the singer unfairly. One such group, MJ4Justice, has founders from three nations: the U.S., Ireland and Canada.
Grace, who has been criticized for comments advocating the conviction of Florida mother Casey Anthony in her recent murder trial, is one of the television pundits Jackson fans say they are concerned about.
A jury acquitted Anthony of killing her 2-year-old daughter earlier this year and Murray's attorneys have cited Grace's commentary as a primary reason jurors in Murray's case should be sequestered. Pastor refused.
HLN, which airs Grace's show, is already offering significant coverage of the Jackson manslaughter trial. The network also airs a show hosted by commentator Dr. Drew Pinsky, who has devoted several segments to the trial and who Jacobs and other fans criticized for focusing on sensational aspects of Jackson's life.
"We don't feel that it's relevant that these talking heads like Nancy Grace and Dr. Drew get on every night and further degrade a dead man's legacy," Jacobs said.
Pinsky addressed the fan reaction on a recent show: "Please, guys. I don't have a strong feeling about this. I'm not trying to protect anybody. I'm just trying to make sense of it so we can all understand this case as we go through it."
In addition to fans wanting to protect Jackson's memory, also potentially at stake is the image behind continued success of the singer's posthumous marketability, which has generated more than $310 million since his death.
Manny Medrano, an attorney and former television reporter who regularly comments on high-profile cases, said he expects most of the media overall to report Murray's trial fairly. Despite the issues the Anthony case raised with punditry shaping public opinion of a trial, Murray's case won't be a repeat, he said.
"This case is not of that level," Medrano said, noting that prosecutors aren't seeking a murder conviction against Murray and that despite Jackson's international stardom, the singer is a different type of victim than young Caylee Anthony.
Pastor's rulings have limited Murray's defense, but Medrano said that won't mean that the portrait that emerges of Jackson is pristine. "There is negative evidence about this pop star that the jury is going to hear," he said.
A former federal prosecutor, Medrano now practices criminal defense and said the physician's attorneys have an ethical obligation to raise any viable theory that may exonerate Murray. "They're doing their job," he said.
That won't make it any easier on Jackson's supporters, or his family, who are expected to attend most of the proceedings.
Jermaine Jackson told The Associated Press that he expects Murray's attorney to try to smear his brother. "They are going to try that," he said, adding that he penned his new book "You Are Not Alone" in part as a rebuttal to defense arguments that his brother was weakened by an addiction to the painkiller Demerol.
"There may have been dependency on Demerol, which was for pain, but that's not what killed Michael," Jermaine Jackson said.
Jackson fans have a similar mission, one they expect will lead to long hours of fact-checking reports in the coming weeks.
"Michael's not here to defend himself," said Millie Freeman, the New York-based co-founder of the group MJ4Justice. "It's up to his family and up to his fans.
"This is a matter of the man's legacy at this point," she said. "It needs to be respected."
Associated Press Television Producer Oscar Gabriel contributed to this report.
By ANTHONY McCARTNEY - AP Entertainment Writer
___
Online Links:
Reynolds National Center for Courts and Media: http://courtsandmedia.org//
Justice4MJ: http://www.justice4mj.com/
Positively Michael: http://www.positivelymichael.com
MJ4Justice: http://www.mj4justice.com/
Team Michael Jackson: http://teammichaeljackson.com/
Missing witness in Michael Jackson doctor case found.
Los Angeles (CNN) -- The missing witness in the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's doctor was found over the weekend and will be available to testify, the prosecutor told the court Monday.
Pharmacist Tim Lopez testified at Dr. Conrad Murray's preliminary hearing in January that he shipped more than 15 liters of the surgical anesthetic propofol to the apartment of Murray's girlfriend over the three months before Jackson's death.
The Los Angeles County coroner ruled that Jackson died on June 25, 2009, as the result of an overdose of propofol combined with other drugs.
Deputy District Attorney David Walgren told the court last week that it is believed Lopez, the owner of a wholesale pharmacy in Las Vegas, has moved to Thailand.
A hearing had been set for Monday so Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor could decide if prosecutors could rely on the transcript of his previous testimony. The resolution of that and several other issues made for a short hearing.
"Well, I'd like to believe that I was responsible in some measure, but we have excellent counsel," Pastor said Monday.
The defense announced it was dropping from its witness list a Texas medical examiner who toured the Los Angeles county coroner's lab. Prosecutors had objected to his testimony, calling it irrelevant.
Pastor delayed consideration of the prosecution's request to exclude the testimony of Jackson's makeup artist. The defense wants Karen Faye to repeat statements given in interviews about what she described as Jackson's ill health in the weeks before his death, as he was rehearsing for his comeback concerts.
The prosecution told the judge in a hearing Thursday that much of what Faye has said in the past was based on what she heard others say, not her own recollections.
If convicted on the involuntary manslaughter charge, Murray could face up to four years in prison.
The next hearing is set for Wednesday afternoon, when lawyers for each side will offer their "for cause" challenges of prospective jurors, based on their answers to written questions.
Lawyers will conduct face-to-face questioning of potential jurors on Friday as they choose 18 Los Angeles citizens to hear the case.
Opening statements for the trial, which will be televised, are scheduled for September 27. The judge told members of the jury pool he expects their service will be over on or about October 28.
By Alan Duke, CNN September 19, 2011 12:45 p.m. EDT
Pharmacist Tim Lopez testified at Dr. Conrad Murray's preliminary hearing in January that he shipped more than 15 liters of the surgical anesthetic propofol to the apartment of Murray's girlfriend over the three months before Jackson's death.
The Los Angeles County coroner ruled that Jackson died on June 25, 2009, as the result of an overdose of propofol combined with other drugs.
Deputy District Attorney David Walgren told the court last week that it is believed Lopez, the owner of a wholesale pharmacy in Las Vegas, has moved to Thailand.
A hearing had been set for Monday so Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor could decide if prosecutors could rely on the transcript of his previous testimony. The resolution of that and several other issues made for a short hearing.
"Well, I'd like to believe that I was responsible in some measure, but we have excellent counsel," Pastor said Monday.
The defense announced it was dropping from its witness list a Texas medical examiner who toured the Los Angeles county coroner's lab. Prosecutors had objected to his testimony, calling it irrelevant.
Pastor delayed consideration of the prosecution's request to exclude the testimony of Jackson's makeup artist. The defense wants Karen Faye to repeat statements given in interviews about what she described as Jackson's ill health in the weeks before his death, as he was rehearsing for his comeback concerts.
The prosecution told the judge in a hearing Thursday that much of what Faye has said in the past was based on what she heard others say, not her own recollections.
If convicted on the involuntary manslaughter charge, Murray could face up to four years in prison.
The next hearing is set for Wednesday afternoon, when lawyers for each side will offer their "for cause" challenges of prospective jurors, based on their answers to written questions.
Lawyers will conduct face-to-face questioning of potential jurors on Friday as they choose 18 Los Angeles citizens to hear the case.
Opening statements for the trial, which will be televised, are scheduled for September 27. The judge told members of the jury pool he expects their service will be over on or about October 28.
By Alan Duke, CNN September 19, 2011 12:45 p.m. EDT
Key witness against Michael Jackson's doctor is missing
Los Angeles (CNN) -- A man who testified earlier that he shipped large amounts of the surgical anesthetic propofol to Dr. Conrad Murray in the weeks before Michael Jackson's death apparently moved out of the United States and cannot be located for this month's trial, prosecutors told the judge Thursday.
The coroner ruled that Jackson died on June 25, 2009, as the result of an overdose of propofol combined with other drugs.
The judge scheduled two additional hearings for next week to decide if the prosecution can use the missing witness' previous testimony and to get a head start on the last phase of jury selection in the involuntary manslaughter trial of the pop star's doctor.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor said the hearings will help keep Murray's trial on track for face-to-face questioning of potential jurors September 23.
Prosecutors want to use the previous testimony of Tim Lopez, given at Murray's preliminary hearing last January, because they've been unable to contact him since he moved to Thailand. Pastor said prosecutors must show Monday that they have done everything possible to reach Lopez.
Lopez, the owner of a wholesale pharmacy in Las Vegas, testified that he shipped a total of 15 liters of propofol to Murray in the three months before Jackson's death.
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The coroner ruled that Jackson died on June 25, 2009, as the result of an overdose of propofol combined with other drugs.
The judge scheduled two additional hearings for next week to decide if the prosecution can use the missing witness' previous testimony and to get a head start on the last phase of jury selection in the involuntary manslaughter trial of the pop star's doctor.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor said the hearings will help keep Murray's trial on track for face-to-face questioning of potential jurors September 23.
Prosecutors want to use the previous testimony of Tim Lopez, given at Murray's preliminary hearing last January, because they've been unable to contact him since he moved to Thailand. Pastor said prosecutors must show Monday that they have done everything possible to reach Lopez.
Lopez, the owner of a wholesale pharmacy in Las Vegas, testified that he shipped a total of 15 liters of propofol to Murray in the three months before Jackson's death.
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Court Releases Juror Questionnaire in Conrad Murray Case
View more videos at: http://nbclosangeles.com.
Read The Pdf of the 100+ Questions for the Potential Jurors
NBC LA - Thirty pages. More than one hundred and thirteen questions.
#32 – What Internet sites or blogs, if any do you visit?
#65 – Have you ever undergone a medical procedure that required an anesthetic?
#86d – (Do you think) Celebrities and high-profile people in Los Angeles get away with crimes because of their status.
These are just some of the questions potential Jurors in the of Dr. Conrad Murray trial must answer.
Murray has been charged with involuntary manslaughter for the death of pop star Michael Jackson.
The document included a list of more than 140 potential witnesses, including all three of Jackson's children.
In the cover letter to the questionnaire, Judge Michael Pastor instructed potential jurors to “not discuss the questionnaire or your answers with anyone else, including your family, friend or fellow jurors.”
He went on to advise them that their answers are considered a statement under oath and are signed under “penalty of perjury.”
NBCLA provided a copy of the questionnaire to Michael Cobo, an executive with DecisionQuest, a nationwide jury consulting firm.
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#32 – What Internet sites or blogs, if any do you visit?
#65 – Have you ever undergone a medical procedure that required an anesthetic?
#86d – (Do you think) Celebrities and high-profile people in Los Angeles get away with crimes because of their status.
These are just some of the questions potential Jurors in the of Dr. Conrad Murray trial must answer.
Murray has been charged with involuntary manslaughter for the death of pop star Michael Jackson.
The document included a list of more than 140 potential witnesses, including all three of Jackson's children.
In the cover letter to the questionnaire, Judge Michael Pastor instructed potential jurors to “not discuss the questionnaire or your answers with anyone else, including your family, friend or fellow jurors.”
He went on to advise them that their answers are considered a statement under oath and are signed under “penalty of perjury.”
NBCLA provided a copy of the questionnaire to Michael Cobo, an executive with DecisionQuest, a nationwide jury consulting firm.
Read The Full Story
Michael Jackson Fans Stake Out Murray Trial
PS - I do not know one person who see's Michael as their "Saviour"
More potential jurors say they know of Michael Jackson Death
LA Times - About 140 prospective jurors gathered Friday for the second day of jury selection in the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray's indicated they had all heard of the case of the physician accused of causing Michael Jackson's death.
The group responded with a titter when asked by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor. The judge had put the same question to 187 potential panelists on Thursday, who all said they were aware of the case they may be asked to decide.
The jury pool's response highlights the difficulty in the case surrounding the death of one of the most beloved pop stars of all time. Murray's defense attorneys had strongly argued for a sequestered jury to guard from the onslaught of media coverage, but that request was denied by the judge.
Pastor said Friday that what he was looking for was not a jury that was completely in the dark, but one that could be fair and set aside what they already know about the case. He emphasized they will need to carefully avoid outside information related to the case, particularly information online.
Seventy-two jurors have made it through the first day of screenings, and filled out lengthy questionnaires on their backgrounds and opinions to be pored over by attorneys as they select the panel to decide the involuntary manslaughter case.
Murray is accused of causing his famous patient’s death by overdose. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The group responded with a titter when asked by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor. The judge had put the same question to 187 potential panelists on Thursday, who all said they were aware of the case they may be asked to decide.
The jury pool's response highlights the difficulty in the case surrounding the death of one of the most beloved pop stars of all time. Murray's defense attorneys had strongly argued for a sequestered jury to guard from the onslaught of media coverage, but that request was denied by the judge.
Pastor said Friday that what he was looking for was not a jury that was completely in the dark, but one that could be fair and set aside what they already know about the case. He emphasized they will need to carefully avoid outside information related to the case, particularly information online.
Seventy-two jurors have made it through the first day of screenings, and filled out lengthy questionnaires on their backgrounds and opinions to be pored over by attorneys as they select the panel to decide the involuntary manslaughter case.
Murray is accused of causing his famous patient’s death by overdose. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Even Charles Manson Had Supporters....
Plea deal never considered in Michael Jackson's death, Lawyer says.
CNN - Dr. Conrad Murray never considered a plea deal to resolve the involuntary manslaughter charge against him in the death of Michael Jackson, his lawyer said.
"Plea bargains are for guilty people," Murray defense lawyer Ed Chernoff said in an interview this week with Jean Casarez, a reporter with CNN sister network In Session. "If you're not guilty then we need to go to trial."
Chernoff would not reveal if he plans to have Murray testify in his defense.
"Even if that had been decided, we wouldn't be talking about evidence at trial," Chernoff said.
The search for 18 Los Angeles County citizens qualified to sit in judgment of Murray reached the end of its first phase after a second day of jury selection Friday. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor decided the pool of potential jurors found to be able to withstand the hardship of a month-long trial is deep enough for the final phase.
They were given a questionnaire, about 30 pages long, to determine if they can put aside biases and what they've heard about the pop star's death to reach a fair verdict. Lawyers will question them about their answers when they return to court September 23.
During Friday's orientation for potential jurors, Pastor conducted a moment of silence to honor the victims of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.
"If we get a jury that's willing to just go by what is being presented in court, then we have a very good shot at getting the right result in this case," Chernoff said in his In Session interview.
Murray's defense team failed to convince Pastor and an appeals court to shelter jurors from trial media coverage by keeping them sequestered in a hotel for the duration of the trial, expected to last about a month.
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"Plea bargains are for guilty people," Murray defense lawyer Ed Chernoff said in an interview this week with Jean Casarez, a reporter with CNN sister network In Session. "If you're not guilty then we need to go to trial."
Chernoff would not reveal if he plans to have Murray testify in his defense.
"Even if that had been decided, we wouldn't be talking about evidence at trial," Chernoff said.
The search for 18 Los Angeles County citizens qualified to sit in judgment of Murray reached the end of its first phase after a second day of jury selection Friday. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor decided the pool of potential jurors found to be able to withstand the hardship of a month-long trial is deep enough for the final phase.
They were given a questionnaire, about 30 pages long, to determine if they can put aside biases and what they've heard about the pop star's death to reach a fair verdict. Lawyers will question them about their answers when they return to court September 23.
During Friday's orientation for potential jurors, Pastor conducted a moment of silence to honor the victims of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.
"If we get a jury that's willing to just go by what is being presented in court, then we have a very good shot at getting the right result in this case," Chernoff said in his In Session interview.
Murray's defense team failed to convince Pastor and an appeals court to shelter jurors from trial media coverage by keeping them sequestered in a hotel for the duration of the trial, expected to last about a month.
Read The Full Story
Michael Jackson jury 30-page survey is released
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The first phase of jury selection in the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor concluded Friday with 145 prospective jurors cleared for further questioning after answering an in-depth questionnaire probing their views about the King of Pop and the criminal case against his doctor.
The 30-page questionnaire, which seeks extensive personal information, challenged prospective jurors to share their feelings about the dead superstar and about the fact that his famous family members will be in court every day for testimony.
They were asked whether they have seen the posthumous Jackson concert movie, "This Is It," and whether they have bought Jackson CDs, DVDs or memorabilia.
"Have you ever considered yourself a fan of Michael Jackson or the Jackson family?" they were asked.
They were required to specify how much they know about the involuntary manslaughter case against Dr. Conrad Murray, who has pleaded not guilty in Jackson's death from an overdose of the anesthetic propofol.
Among the questions: Have potential jurors read newspaper stories about the King of Pop's death? Have they followed coverage of legal developments? Did they watch the funeral or memorial service for Jackson who died on June 25, 2009, or did they try to attend the services in person?
The form also gave prospective jurors a warning that publicity about the case will be heavy and they must ignore it.
Read The Full Story
The 30-page questionnaire, which seeks extensive personal information, challenged prospective jurors to share their feelings about the dead superstar and about the fact that his famous family members will be in court every day for testimony.
They were asked whether they have seen the posthumous Jackson concert movie, "This Is It," and whether they have bought Jackson CDs, DVDs or memorabilia.
"Have you ever considered yourself a fan of Michael Jackson or the Jackson family?" they were asked.
They were required to specify how much they know about the involuntary manslaughter case against Dr. Conrad Murray, who has pleaded not guilty in Jackson's death from an overdose of the anesthetic propofol.
Among the questions: Have potential jurors read newspaper stories about the King of Pop's death? Have they followed coverage of legal developments? Did they watch the funeral or memorial service for Jackson who died on June 25, 2009, or did they try to attend the services in person?
The form also gave prospective jurors a warning that publicity about the case will be heavy and they must ignore it.
Read The Full Story
Judge expects full jury pool for Jackson trial
Forbs - A judge presiding over the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor said Friday that he expects to have enough prospective jurors to form a complete pool by the end of the day, meaning lawyers for both sides can prepare to begin the screening process to select a final panel.
Between 140 and 150 people reported for jury duty Friday, Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor said. A day earlier, 72 people were given a detailed questionnaire probing their knowledge and opinions of the case against Dr. Conrad Murray.
The judge is hoping to have 100 prospective jurors who have enough time to devote to the roughly five-week trial and don't have strong views on the case, which will focus on the Houston-based cardiologist's actions in the final hours of Jackson's life. That group will be whittled down to a jury of 12, with several alternates.
More than half of the 187 people who reported Thursday were dismissed because they could not devote the amount of time needed to hear the case, and all indicated they had some knowledge of the proceedings.
Murray faces an involuntary manslaughter charge to which he has pleaded not guilty. Murray faces four years in prison and the loss of his medical license if convicted.
Pastor had reserved Monday to continue jury selection if a sizeable pool could not be found.
Between 140 and 150 people reported for jury duty Friday, Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor said. A day earlier, 72 people were given a detailed questionnaire probing their knowledge and opinions of the case against Dr. Conrad Murray.
The judge is hoping to have 100 prospective jurors who have enough time to devote to the roughly five-week trial and don't have strong views on the case, which will focus on the Houston-based cardiologist's actions in the final hours of Jackson's life. That group will be whittled down to a jury of 12, with several alternates.
More than half of the 187 people who reported Thursday were dismissed because they could not devote the amount of time needed to hear the case, and all indicated they had some knowledge of the proceedings.
Murray faces an involuntary manslaughter charge to which he has pleaded not guilty. Murray faces four years in prison and the loss of his medical license if convicted.
Pastor had reserved Monday to continue jury selection if a sizeable pool could not be found.
Dozens of potential jurors for manslaughter case of MJ’s doctor dismissed for hardship claims
By Associated Press - LOS ANGELES — More than half of the first panel of prospective jurors for the manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson’s doctor were dismissed because of hardship claims Thursday, signaling a long search ahead for those who will serve in the five-week trial.
And it is yet unclear how many prospects will be excused for disclosing strong opinions about Jackson, defendant Dr. Conrad Murray and the high profile case with which all potential panelists are familiar.
When the judge asked whether anyone in the jury room was unaware of case, not a single hand was raised.
A larger than expected contingent of 187 prospects showed up for questioning Thursday. Court officials said that of those, 115 were dismissed and 72 remained to fill out lengthy questionnaires probing their views of the case in which Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the pop star’s death. Murray has pleaded not guilty in the case.
A new panel of prospects was on call for Friday morning and questioning could continue Monday if a sufficient pool has not been cleared by then. The judge has said he wants 100 prospects available who have no problems with hardship and no views on their questionnaires extreme enough to require dismissal.
Those who reported for duty Thursday appeared ready for the news delivered to them by Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor: They had been summoned to serve on Los Angeles’ biggest trial of the year — the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson’s doctor.
No one flinched at the announcement. And all indicated they had prior knowledge of the case.
The judge was not surprised.
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And it is yet unclear how many prospects will be excused for disclosing strong opinions about Jackson, defendant Dr. Conrad Murray and the high profile case with which all potential panelists are familiar.
A larger than expected contingent of 187 prospects showed up for questioning Thursday. Court officials said that of those, 115 were dismissed and 72 remained to fill out lengthy questionnaires probing their views of the case in which Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the pop star’s death. Murray has pleaded not guilty in the case.
A new panel of prospects was on call for Friday morning and questioning could continue Monday if a sufficient pool has not been cleared by then. The judge has said he wants 100 prospects available who have no problems with hardship and no views on their questionnaires extreme enough to require dismissal.
Those who reported for duty Thursday appeared ready for the news delivered to them by Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor: They had been summoned to serve on Los Angeles’ biggest trial of the year — the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson’s doctor.
No one flinched at the announcement. And all indicated they had prior knowledge of the case.
The judge was not surprised.
Jackson doctor trial to go ahead as appeal denied
(Reuters) - A California appeals court Wednesday refused to order the sequestration of the jury in the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, allowing the proceeding to go ahead as planned.
The decision means that jury selection in the long-delayed trial of Dr. Conrad Murray can begin as scheduled Thursday, with opening arguments expected in late September.
Murray is accused of delivering the fatal dose of the powerful anesthetic propofol as a sleep aid to the "Thriller" singer, causing his death in June 2009 at age 50.
He faces four years in prison if convicted.
Murray's lawyers last week filed a late appeal demanding that the jury be sequestered during the four- to six-week trial in order to keep them away from the massive publicity and media commentary the case is expected to generate.
The Los Angeles judge overseeing the trial ruled last week that he did not believe the jury should be locked away from family and friends. A California appeals court Wednesday upheld that decision.
Murray was at Jackson's bedside in his rented Los Angeles mansion when he was found not breathing on June 25, 2009, weeks ahead of a planned series of comeback concerts in London.
The doctor's lawyers are expected to argue at trial that the pop star was addicted to sedatives and painkillers and could have given himself a second, fatal dose of propofol when Murray was out of the room.
The decision means that jury selection in the long-delayed trial of Dr. Conrad Murray can begin as scheduled Thursday, with opening arguments expected in late September.
Murray is accused of delivering the fatal dose of the powerful anesthetic propofol as a sleep aid to the "Thriller" singer, causing his death in June 2009 at age 50.
He faces four years in prison if convicted.
Murray's lawyers last week filed a late appeal demanding that the jury be sequestered during the four- to six-week trial in order to keep them away from the massive publicity and media commentary the case is expected to generate.
The Los Angeles judge overseeing the trial ruled last week that he did not believe the jury should be locked away from family and friends. A California appeals court Wednesday upheld that decision.
Murray was at Jackson's bedside in his rented Los Angeles mansion when he was found not breathing on June 25, 2009, weeks ahead of a planned series of comeback concerts in London.
The doctor's lawyers are expected to argue at trial that the pop star was addicted to sedatives and painkillers and could have given himself a second, fatal dose of propofol when Murray was out of the room.
Judge questions prosecution evidence in Conrad Murray trial
Los Angeles (CNN) - Evidence intended to prove Michael Jackson could not have caused his own death might not be allowed in the involuntary manslaughter trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, the judge said Wednesday.
A California appeals court on Wednesday denied Murray's petition for a stay in his trial so that the issue of jury sequestration could be reconsidered, a defense lawyer said. The denial cleared the way for jury selection to start Thursday.
Murray's defense is built on the theory that Jackson drank propofol, the surgical anesthetic the coroner concluded killed him, while the doctor was away from his bedside on the morning of June 25, 2009.
Prosecutors want jurors to hear expert testimony based on a recent experiment conducted on six university students in Chile they argue proves there is "zero possibility that the propofol was orally ingested."
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A California appeals court on Wednesday denied Murray's petition for a stay in his trial so that the issue of jury sequestration could be reconsidered, a defense lawyer said. The denial cleared the way for jury selection to start Thursday.
Murray's defense is built on the theory that Jackson drank propofol, the surgical anesthetic the coroner concluded killed him, while the doctor was away from his bedside on the morning of June 25, 2009.
Prosecutors want jurors to hear expert testimony based on a recent experiment conducted on six university students in Chile they argue proves there is "zero possibility that the propofol was orally ingested."
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Doctor's Trial may avoid Michael Jackson's Past
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Michael Jackson's former doctor faces a tough challenge clearing himself of involuntary manslaughter charges in the pop star's death as his trial, which promises to avoid many dark aspects of Jackson's life, begins with jury selection this week.
While it is Dr. Conrad Murray, who will be on trial when attorneys begin selecting a panel on Thursday, the "Thriller" singer's infamy will loom large over the proceedings.
Jackson was one of the world's most recognizable singers, dubbed the King of Pop, when he died in June 2009, at age 50. He also was known to have battled an addiction to painkillers, and Murray's attorneys had hoped to present evidence of his past drug use at the trial.
But in an obstacle for the defense, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor barred testimony from a half-dozen doctors whom Murray's attorneys had indicated in court papers would portray Jackson as drug-dependent.
"The deck is, for various reasons, stacked against the defense here," said Stan Goldman, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.
Jackson stopped breathing at his Los Angeles mansion on June 25, 2009, in what authorities say was an overdose of the powerful anesthetic propofol and various sedatives.
Murray, who pleaded not guilty to the charge of involuntary manslaughter, has admitted giving Jackson propofol, a drug normally used for surgery, as a sleep aid.
During a series of court hearings earlier this year defense attorneys suggested that when Murray was out of the room, Jackson could have given himself a large, fatal dose of the drug, possibly by swallowing it.
Murray faces up to four years in prison if convicted.
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While it is Dr. Conrad Murray, who will be on trial when attorneys begin selecting a panel on Thursday, the "Thriller" singer's infamy will loom large over the proceedings.
Jackson was one of the world's most recognizable singers, dubbed the King of Pop, when he died in June 2009, at age 50. He also was known to have battled an addiction to painkillers, and Murray's attorneys had hoped to present evidence of his past drug use at the trial.
But in an obstacle for the defense, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor barred testimony from a half-dozen doctors whom Murray's attorneys had indicated in court papers would portray Jackson as drug-dependent.
"The deck is, for various reasons, stacked against the defense here," said Stan Goldman, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.
Jackson stopped breathing at his Los Angeles mansion on June 25, 2009, in what authorities say was an overdose of the powerful anesthetic propofol and various sedatives.
Murray, who pleaded not guilty to the charge of involuntary manslaughter, has admitted giving Jackson propofol, a drug normally used for surgery, as a sleep aid.
During a series of court hearings earlier this year defense attorneys suggested that when Murray was out of the room, Jackson could have given himself a large, fatal dose of the drug, possibly by swallowing it.
Murray faces up to four years in prison if convicted.
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Defense Seeks Delay in Michael Jackson Manslaughter Trial
LOS ANGELES (KTLA) - Michael Jackson's physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, is set to attend a pre-trial hearing Tuesday, just two days before jury selection is slated to begin in his involuntary manslaughter trial.
A main issue in the case is whether jurors will be sequestered during the trial. A judge ruled against sequestering last month.
Murray's lawyers have filed an emergency appeal and asked for the trial to be delayed until the issue is decided by an appeals court.
"Because of the international notoriety of Mr. Jackson, it would be impossible for a juror to browse any news source on television or the Internet without seeing a boldly printed headline discussing the trial," the attorneys said in the 28-page petition.
Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor ruled against sequestering, saying he was confident jurors will heed his warnings to avoid what is anticipated to be intense media coverage of the televised proceedings.
"I expect that the jurors will follow the high road and that means that they will not be in the receipt of or in contact with information regarding this case" outside the courtroom, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor said at a hearing.
Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death.
His attorneys predict his trial will be "the most publicized in history."
The judge said jurors will be kept away from reporters and instructed that reading or watching coverage of the case will result in serious consequences.
"I have tremendous faith in the jury system and in the individual promises of jurors," he said.
The last time a jury was sequestered in L.A. County was during the O.J. Simpson trial.
Dr. Conrad Murray is accused of giving Jackson a lethal dose of propofol mixed with other sedatives June 25, 2009. He has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter.
Prosecutors contend the Houston-based cardiologist was on the phone and distracted after administering a powerful anesthetic to Jackson.
They also believe the singer was dead by the time Murray summoned help.
Pastor has ruled that cameras will be allowed in the courtroom.
The case is expected to last about two months.
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A main issue in the case is whether jurors will be sequestered during the trial. A judge ruled against sequestering last month.
Murray's lawyers have filed an emergency appeal and asked for the trial to be delayed until the issue is decided by an appeals court.
"Because of the international notoriety of Mr. Jackson, it would be impossible for a juror to browse any news source on television or the Internet without seeing a boldly printed headline discussing the trial," the attorneys said in the 28-page petition.
Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor ruled against sequestering, saying he was confident jurors will heed his warnings to avoid what is anticipated to be intense media coverage of the televised proceedings.
"I expect that the jurors will follow the high road and that means that they will not be in the receipt of or in contact with information regarding this case" outside the courtroom, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor said at a hearing.
Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death.
His attorneys predict his trial will be "the most publicized in history."
The judge said jurors will be kept away from reporters and instructed that reading or watching coverage of the case will result in serious consequences.
"I have tremendous faith in the jury system and in the individual promises of jurors," he said.
The last time a jury was sequestered in L.A. County was during the O.J. Simpson trial.
Dr. Conrad Murray is accused of giving Jackson a lethal dose of propofol mixed with other sedatives June 25, 2009. He has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter.
Prosecutors contend the Houston-based cardiologist was on the phone and distracted after administering a powerful anesthetic to Jackson.
They also believe the singer was dead by the time Murray summoned help.
Pastor has ruled that cameras will be allowed in the courtroom.
The case is expected to last about two months.
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Michael Jackson Jury will be 'Poisoned' without Sequestering, Attorneys say.
LA Times 11\02\11 - Attorneys for the physician facing trial for Michael Jackson’s death asked an appellate court late Friday to order sequestration for jurors, calling a judge’s earlier order denying the defense’s request an “abuse of discretion.”
Without around-the-clock isolation, the jury will be “poisoned” by a flood of media reports and commentary on Dr. Conrad Murray’s involuntary manslaughter trial, the attorneys wrote. They cautioned that the level of coverage would be even more extensive than in Casey Anthony’s trial in Florida, in which they said cable personality Nancy Grace “used airtime to campaign for the conviction of Ms. Anthony.”
“It is Pollyanna to expect the jury members to go home each workday and weekend for six weeks and entirely avoid the mass of exposure this trial will engender,” Nareg Gourjian, one of Murray’s attorneys, wrote in Friday’s filing. He noted that, according to one database, there had already been 7,000 articles written on the case, and contended that it would be impossible for jurors to avoid outside information or opinion on the trial.
In the filing, defense attorneys noted that even prosecutors had written that they were “concerned about the risk of jury contamination” in a civil case brought by a British insurer over Jackson’s canceled concerts. Prosecutors this week asked for release of evidence to be delayed in that case, citing “significant, unrelenting media attention” and saying documents and photographs could be leaked to the media and affect potential jurors.
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Without around-the-clock isolation, the jury will be “poisoned” by a flood of media reports and commentary on Dr. Conrad Murray’s involuntary manslaughter trial, the attorneys wrote. They cautioned that the level of coverage would be even more extensive than in Casey Anthony’s trial in Florida, in which they said cable personality Nancy Grace “used airtime to campaign for the conviction of Ms. Anthony.”
“It is Pollyanna to expect the jury members to go home each workday and weekend for six weeks and entirely avoid the mass of exposure this trial will engender,” Nareg Gourjian, one of Murray’s attorneys, wrote in Friday’s filing. He noted that, according to one database, there had already been 7,000 articles written on the case, and contended that it would be impossible for jurors to avoid outside information or opinion on the trial.
In the filing, defense attorneys noted that even prosecutors had written that they were “concerned about the risk of jury contamination” in a civil case brought by a British insurer over Jackson’s canceled concerts. Prosecutors this week asked for release of evidence to be delayed in that case, citing “significant, unrelenting media attention” and saying documents and photographs could be leaked to the media and affect potential jurors.
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Jackson Doctor Defense Files Appeal, Seeks Delay.
Associated Press 11\02\11 - Lawyers for Michael Jackson's doctor have filed an emergency appeal seeking to overturn a judge's refusal to sequester jurors in his upcoming trial.
Attorneys asked to delay the start of jury selection on Sept. 8 until the issue of sequestration is decided by the appellate court.
In a 28-page petition filed late Friday, lawyers said jurors will be poisoned by publicity unless they are locked up in a hotel during Dr. Conrad Murray's trial. They acknowledged that their request is extraordinary, but so was Jackson, whose legacy will feed news coverage.
In the alternative, they asked that the judge rescind his decision to have the trial televised.
Murray is accused of giving Jackson an overdose of the anesthetic propofol.
Attorneys asked to delay the start of jury selection on Sept. 8 until the issue of sequestration is decided by the appellate court.
In a 28-page petition filed late Friday, lawyers said jurors will be poisoned by publicity unless they are locked up in a hotel during Dr. Conrad Murray's trial. They acknowledged that their request is extraordinary, but so was Jackson, whose legacy will feed news coverage.
In the alternative, they asked that the judge rescind his decision to have the trial televised.
Murray is accused of giving Jackson an overdose of the anesthetic propofol.
Dr. Conrad Murray Lawyers Appeal Judge’s Decision Not To Sequester Jury
Dr. Conrad Murray’s criminal defense team has just filed an appeal of the judge’s decision not to sequester the jury in his upcoming trial RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned.
Dr. Murray will be tried for involuntary manslaughter in the death of superstar Michael Jackson, who was under his care when he passed away in 2009.
Notice was given to Judge Michael Pastor of the appeal on Friday afternoon. A source connected to the case told RadarOnline.com: “It is absolutely essential that this jury be sequestered to ensure Dr. Murray’s right to a fair trial is guaranteed.”
The decision not to sequester the jury was made at a pre-trial hearing on August 25 as Murray's defense team vehemently argued that Dr. Murray’s right to a fair trial would be compromised if the jury was not sequestered.
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Dr. Murray will be tried for involuntary manslaughter in the death of superstar Michael Jackson, who was under his care when he passed away in 2009.
Notice was given to Judge Michael Pastor of the appeal on Friday afternoon. A source connected to the case told RadarOnline.com: “It is absolutely essential that this jury be sequestered to ensure Dr. Murray’s right to a fair trial is guaranteed.”
The decision not to sequester the jury was made at a pre-trial hearing on August 25 as Murray's defense team vehemently argued that Dr. Murray’s right to a fair trial would be compromised if the jury was not sequestered.
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See The Mug Shot - New Details About Michael Jackson's Doctor Conrad Murray's Arrest Record
Radar Online - Michael Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray - the man who's knee deep in Michael Jackson death investigation - has had several brushes with the law, and now, RadarOnline.com has obtained his mug shot stemming from his arrest on domestic violence charges in 1994.
The incident involved his then-girlfriend. The doctor did stand trial, but was acquitted.
Although Murray got off back in 1994, Murray has twice been ordered to jail, as RadarOnline.com exclusively reported Wednesday.
Murray was sentenced to 10 days in jail on April 29 of this year for non-payment of child support. He was sentenced to 25 days in jail in 2007, also for non-payment of child support. Both sentences were connected to a son he fathered in California with Nenita Malibiran, RadarOnline.com learned. Murray did not go to jail either time; the sentences were stayed while he provided more financial information. He eventually paid enough money to avoid jail.
Investigators have focused on Murray in connection to Jackson's death as sources have reported the doctor administered the powerful anesthetic propofol to the singer. Asked by RadarOnline.com if he gave Jackson the drug, Murray refused to answer, through his lawyer.
A RadarOnline.com investigation revealed that the doctor has a messy personal life and has fathered many children outside of his (second) marriage.
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The incident involved his then-girlfriend. The doctor did stand trial, but was acquitted.
Although Murray got off back in 1994, Murray has twice been ordered to jail, as RadarOnline.com exclusively reported Wednesday.
Murray was sentenced to 10 days in jail on April 29 of this year for non-payment of child support. He was sentenced to 25 days in jail in 2007, also for non-payment of child support. Both sentences were connected to a son he fathered in California with Nenita Malibiran, RadarOnline.com learned. Murray did not go to jail either time; the sentences were stayed while he provided more financial information. He eventually paid enough money to avoid jail.
Investigators have focused on Murray in connection to Jackson's death as sources have reported the doctor administered the powerful anesthetic propofol to the singer. Asked by RadarOnline.com if he gave Jackson the drug, Murray refused to answer, through his lawyer.
A RadarOnline.com investigation revealed that the doctor has a messy personal life and has fathered many children outside of his (second) marriage.
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Michael Jackson's Former Lawyer Backs Murray Prosecution
Winnipeg Free Press - Dr. Conrad Murray "should be" prosecuted over the death of Michael Jackson so his family can move on, the singer's former defense lawyer Tom Mesereau has claimed.
Mesereau - who defended the late pop legend in his 2005 child molestation case, which ended with Michael being acquitted of all charges - believes the physician should face punishment if the accusation of involuntary manslaughter caused by a Propofol anesthetic overdose is true.
He exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "I have mixed feelings about the trial. On the one hand I'd like to see the Jackson family get justice, I think what the doctor allegedly did was outrageous and based on everything I've heard he acted very recklessly, very foolishly and should have stood up to whoever he had to stand up to and say, 'This is dangerous, this doesn't belong in the home, we don't have proper equipment and we don't have proper help.' That's the way he should have behaved as a medical professional.
"I think he should be prosecuted to help vindicate the family and also to send a message that physicians should not behave this way."
Although he wants to see justice done, Mesereau is not looking forward to Murray's defense lawyers trying to destroy his former client's reputation when the trial starts on September 8.
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Mesereau - who defended the late pop legend in his 2005 child molestation case, which ended with Michael being acquitted of all charges - believes the physician should face punishment if the accusation of involuntary manslaughter caused by a Propofol anesthetic overdose is true.
He exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "I have mixed feelings about the trial. On the one hand I'd like to see the Jackson family get justice, I think what the doctor allegedly did was outrageous and based on everything I've heard he acted very recklessly, very foolishly and should have stood up to whoever he had to stand up to and say, 'This is dangerous, this doesn't belong in the home, we don't have proper equipment and we don't have proper help.' That's the way he should have behaved as a medical professional.
"I think he should be prosecuted to help vindicate the family and also to send a message that physicians should not behave this way."
Although he wants to see justice done, Mesereau is not looking forward to Murray's defense lawyers trying to destroy his former client's reputation when the trial starts on September 8.
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Prosecutors worried about leaks in Jackson case
LOS ANGELES -- Prosecutors want to delay disclosure of coroner and fire department records on Michael Jackson's death to parties in a civil suit to prevent information leaks to the media before the trial of his doctor.
In documents filed Wednesday, Deputy District Attorneys David Walgren and Deborah Brazil said media leaks would be inevitable if the reports are released for the civil case, in which Lloyd's of London is suing entertainment giant AEG Live over the insurance policy for the pop star's ill-fated concert series.
The prosecutors asked that materials including Jackson's autopsy photos remain sealed until the conclusion of the involuntary manslaughter trial for Dr. Conrad Murray.
Noting that Murray's case has received "significant, unrelenting media attention," they said any media leaks also would complicate jury selection for that criminal trial, which begins Sept.8.
Prosecutors predicted that those with access to the evidence would be offered money for any information. They also said some of the material sought in the lawsuit may never be admitted in evidence at the criminal trial.
Jackson, 50, died in June 2009, days before he was to go to London for the "This Is It" concerts.
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In documents filed Wednesday, Deputy District Attorneys David Walgren and Deborah Brazil said media leaks would be inevitable if the reports are released for the civil case, in which Lloyd's of London is suing entertainment giant AEG Live over the insurance policy for the pop star's ill-fated concert series.
The prosecutors asked that materials including Jackson's autopsy photos remain sealed until the conclusion of the involuntary manslaughter trial for Dr. Conrad Murray.
Noting that Murray's case has received "significant, unrelenting media attention," they said any media leaks also would complicate jury selection for that criminal trial, which begins Sept.8.
Prosecutors predicted that those with access to the evidence would be offered money for any information. They also said some of the material sought in the lawsuit may never be admitted in evidence at the criminal trial.
Jackson, 50, died in June 2009, days before he was to go to London for the "This Is It" concerts.
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Michael Jackson’s ‘distracting’ inner circle can't testify
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge excluded the testimony of more than a dozen defense witnesses in the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, saying that they would confuse jurors and distract from the case.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor excluded the testimony of Jackson's longtime dermatologist, his business manager and the nanny of his three children.
The defense had hoped the testimony of these confidants and other insiders would convince a jury that the singer was so drug-addled and experiencing so much pressure to perform that he accidentally overdosed on a surgical anesthetic.
"Discussions of these subject matters are sufficiently convoluted, distracting and detracting as to substantially outweigh any probative value whatsoever," Pastor said.
The judge also prohibited any witnesses connected to Jackson's 2005 prosecution for child molestation. Defense attorneys for Conrad Murray, Jackson's physician who was at the pop star's home when he overdosed, said they wanted to call a Santa Barbara County sheriff's detective who found propofol and Demerol in the performer's Neverland estate in 2003. A jury acquitted Jackson of all charges.
"That is no-go territory as far as this criminal trial," Pastor said.
A lawyer for Murray said the defense planned to file a motion later this week asking the judge to reconsider.
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Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor excluded the testimony of Jackson's longtime dermatologist, his business manager and the nanny of his three children.
The defense had hoped the testimony of these confidants and other insiders would convince a jury that the singer was so drug-addled and experiencing so much pressure to perform that he accidentally overdosed on a surgical anesthetic.
"Discussions of these subject matters are sufficiently convoluted, distracting and detracting as to substantially outweigh any probative value whatsoever," Pastor said.
The judge also prohibited any witnesses connected to Jackson's 2005 prosecution for child molestation. Defense attorneys for Conrad Murray, Jackson's physician who was at the pop star's home when he overdosed, said they wanted to call a Santa Barbara County sheriff's detective who found propofol and Demerol in the performer's Neverland estate in 2003. A jury acquitted Jackson of all charges.
"That is no-go territory as far as this criminal trial," Pastor said.
A lawyer for Murray said the defense planned to file a motion later this week asking the judge to reconsider.
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Judge: No sequestering Jackson manslaughter jury!
Via SFGate.com - (08-25) 12:35
LOS ANGELES, (AP) - A judge, declaring his faith in the honesty of jurors, refused Thursday to order sequestration for those who will serve in the high profile involuntary manslaughter trial of the doctor charged in Michael Jackson's death.
"Jurors want to do the right thing," Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor told lawyers. He said those who serve in the case of Dr. Conrad Murray will be making tremendous sacrifices and locking them up would be cruel.
He said studies have shown that sequestered jurors often describe themselves as feeling like inmates.
"Jurors have lives," Pastor said. "We remove them from their lives in these horrific economic times."
Pastor said he was confident that jurors would follow his instructions to avoid exposure to publicity, but he rebuffed a defense argument that he rescind a decision to televise the trial. Defense attorney Ed Chernoff said the television coverage would feed an army of commentators who would supply their own interpretation of what went on in court.
Chernoff, referring to widespread media coverage of the Casey Anthony trial, called the commentary "a problem."
"Is the problem you're referring to the exercise of the First Amendment?" asked the judge. He added, "I decline, at this point, to amend my ruling. The First Amendment is one of our most cherished principles and the right to comment is part of that."
"I have more faith and respect for jurors than others do," Pastor said.
Pastor, who had said earlier that the county could not afford to sequester jurors, said the money was not the deciding factor.
"The issue of cost is not the overriding consideration," he said. "Justice trumps everything."
If sequestration was warranted, he said, he would have ordered it even though the cost would exceed half-a-million dollars.
"If this was a close call, I would order sequestration regardless of cost," he said. "It is not a close call."
Murray's attorneys had argued that sequestration was the only way to ensure a fair trial.
If the case involving the death of the King of Pop didn't justify sequestration then there likely isn't another case in which it's warranted, said Chernoff.
Defense motions specifically cited TV personality Nancy Grace, who they said used her TV show to campaign for conviction of Casey Anthony, the Florida mother who had been charged with killing her 2-year-old daughter and was acquitted by a sequestered jury.
Pastor cited a number of studies he had researched on sequestration and said sequestered jurors have reported being so frustrated that the isolation "interfered with their fair assessment of the evidence and the law."
Jury selection is scheduled to begin in the Jackson case on Sept. 8, with opening statements slated for Sept. 27.
Murray could face four years in prison if convicted of involuntary manslaughter. Authorities have accused him of administering a fatal dose of the anesthetic propofol and other sedatives in the bedroom of Jackson's rented mansion on June 25, 2009.
Pastor has noted that a jury hasn't been sequestered in Los Angeles since the O.J. Simpson murder trial.
In another development, prosecutors filed a motion seeking to exclude or limit the testimony of 26 witnesses including Jackson's many health care providers and a police detective who participated in Jackson's 2003 child molestation investigation in Santa Maria. Jackson was acquitted in a high profile 2005 trial and prosecutors said in their motion that such testimony "is irrelevant and highly inflammatory."
"The current case should focus on the events surrounding the medical care provided to Michael Jackson by Conrad Murray," said the motion. "The case should not be allowed to deteriorate into an unfair, unwarranted and irrelevant attack on the deceased victim."
They asked the court to bar any reference to the molestation case.
LOS ANGELES, (AP) - A judge, declaring his faith in the honesty of jurors, refused Thursday to order sequestration for those who will serve in the high profile involuntary manslaughter trial of the doctor charged in Michael Jackson's death.
"Jurors want to do the right thing," Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor told lawyers. He said those who serve in the case of Dr. Conrad Murray will be making tremendous sacrifices and locking them up would be cruel.
He said studies have shown that sequestered jurors often describe themselves as feeling like inmates.
"Jurors have lives," Pastor said. "We remove them from their lives in these horrific economic times."
Pastor said he was confident that jurors would follow his instructions to avoid exposure to publicity, but he rebuffed a defense argument that he rescind a decision to televise the trial. Defense attorney Ed Chernoff said the television coverage would feed an army of commentators who would supply their own interpretation of what went on in court.
Chernoff, referring to widespread media coverage of the Casey Anthony trial, called the commentary "a problem."
"Is the problem you're referring to the exercise of the First Amendment?" asked the judge. He added, "I decline, at this point, to amend my ruling. The First Amendment is one of our most cherished principles and the right to comment is part of that."
"I have more faith and respect for jurors than others do," Pastor said.
Pastor, who had said earlier that the county could not afford to sequester jurors, said the money was not the deciding factor.
"The issue of cost is not the overriding consideration," he said. "Justice trumps everything."
If sequestration was warranted, he said, he would have ordered it even though the cost would exceed half-a-million dollars.
"If this was a close call, I would order sequestration regardless of cost," he said. "It is not a close call."
Murray's attorneys had argued that sequestration was the only way to ensure a fair trial.
If the case involving the death of the King of Pop didn't justify sequestration then there likely isn't another case in which it's warranted, said Chernoff.
Defense motions specifically cited TV personality Nancy Grace, who they said used her TV show to campaign for conviction of Casey Anthony, the Florida mother who had been charged with killing her 2-year-old daughter and was acquitted by a sequestered jury.
Pastor cited a number of studies he had researched on sequestration and said sequestered jurors have reported being so frustrated that the isolation "interfered with their fair assessment of the evidence and the law."
Jury selection is scheduled to begin in the Jackson case on Sept. 8, with opening statements slated for Sept. 27.
Murray could face four years in prison if convicted of involuntary manslaughter. Authorities have accused him of administering a fatal dose of the anesthetic propofol and other sedatives in the bedroom of Jackson's rented mansion on June 25, 2009.
Pastor has noted that a jury hasn't been sequestered in Los Angeles since the O.J. Simpson murder trial.
In another development, prosecutors filed a motion seeking to exclude or limit the testimony of 26 witnesses including Jackson's many health care providers and a police detective who participated in Jackson's 2003 child molestation investigation in Santa Maria. Jackson was acquitted in a high profile 2005 trial and prosecutors said in their motion that such testimony "is irrelevant and highly inflammatory."
"The current case should focus on the events surrounding the medical care provided to Michael Jackson by Conrad Murray," said the motion. "The case should not be allowed to deteriorate into an unfair, unwarranted and irrelevant attack on the deceased victim."
They asked the court to bar any reference to the molestation case.
MJ's doc wants Jury Sequestered
A lawyer for Dr. Conrad Murray has re-appealed to a judge to sequester jurors during the trial into Michael Jackson's death, over fears they could be influenced by news coverage.
Murray has pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter amid accusations he administered the dose of anaesthetic that killed the superstar in 2009, and he is due to stand trial next month.
His lawyers have previously requested that the jurors be isolated when the trial starts so they do not see any press coverage of the case, but Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor did not deem the ruling necessary.
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Murray has pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter amid accusations he administered the dose of anaesthetic that killed the superstar in 2009, and he is due to stand trial next month.
His lawyers have previously requested that the jurors be isolated when the trial starts so they do not see any press coverage of the case, but Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor did not deem the ruling necessary.
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Michael Jackson case could be 'most publicized trial in history'
Via LA Times - In asking for a sequestered jury in the upcoming trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray's attorneys made a bold prediction about the public interest in the case.
In their filing, Murray's lawyers predicted that viewership of the trial on the Internet and television would exceed that for Casey Anthony's trial, given Jackson's global fame.
"There is reasonable expectation that Dr. Murray's trial will be the most publicized trial in history," they wrote.
The attorneys noted that in an aborted attempt at jury selection this spring, a process scuttled by unrelated delays, only one potential panelist said she had never heard of the case.
"And she could not speak English," they added in a footnote.
A spokeswoman for the district attorney's office declined to comment. A hearing is set for Aug. 25.
The judge for Murray's manslaughter trial, which is set for next month, has said previously that he does not believe round-the-clock isolation of jurors is necessary.
Murray is accused of causing Jackson's 2009 death from an overdose of surgical anesthetic. He maintains that Jackson administered the fatal dose himself.
In their filing, Murray's lawyers predicted that viewership of the trial on the Internet and television would exceed that for Casey Anthony's trial, given Jackson's global fame.
"There is reasonable expectation that Dr. Murray's trial will be the most publicized trial in history," they wrote.
The attorneys noted that in an aborted attempt at jury selection this spring, a process scuttled by unrelated delays, only one potential panelist said she had never heard of the case.
"And she could not speak English," they added in a footnote.
A spokeswoman for the district attorney's office declined to comment. A hearing is set for Aug. 25.
The judge for Murray's manslaughter trial, which is set for next month, has said previously that he does not believe round-the-clock isolation of jurors is necessary.
Murray is accused of causing Jackson's 2009 death from an overdose of surgical anesthetic. He maintains that Jackson administered the fatal dose himself.
