Friday, September 23, 2011

Michael Jackson Manslaughter Trial Ready on the Roll

Dr. Conrad Murray has met his makers. After a nearly two-week selection process, a seven-man, five-woman jury was sworn in today, marking the official start of Murray's trial for involuntary manslaughter in the 2009 death of Michael Jackson. Opening statements are scheduled to begin Tuesday. And what is being decided here again?
Murray, a cardiologist by trade who had been employed as Jackson's personal physician for a short time when he died, has pleaded not guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter. He is accused of administering a lethal dose of the potent anesthetic propofol to Michael Jackson, who regularly used a variety of sedatives, including propofol, to help him sleep.
The doctor has been free on $75,000 bail since being charged in February 2010.
A wide range of medical experts and colleagues of Jackson are expected to testify over the next month. It's possible that one or more of Jackson's children may take the stand as well, as they witnessed the craziness at the scene as paramedics trying to resuscitate their father in his bedroom at the Holmby Hills mansion where they were living while he rehearsed for his 50-date concert series in London.
Having already filled out a copious questionnaire, 84 people arrived at the courthouse this morning for further questioning. Ten people were dropped immediately for hardship reasons because they could no longer spare five whole weeks, which is the expected duration of the trial.
When jury selection first began on Sept. 8, not one prospective juror raised his or her hand when asked if anyone was unfamiliar with the Michael Jackson case or the man himself.
Deputy District Attorney David Walgren asked one of the potential jurors why she had put an exclamation mark on her jury questionnaire.
She had responded: 'No!' to a question about whether she had seen This Is It, the documentary made from rehearsal footage of the singer in the days before his death from propofol intoxication on June 25, 2009, at the age of 50.'That was an emphatic no,' she responded. 'I wasn't interested.'
Sixteen of the first batch of potential jurors were dismissed in rapid fashion after attorneys from both sides used eight peremptory challenges each to excuse those they did not want on the trial. 
Attorneys on each side are given 10 peremptory challenges, meaning each side had two left heading into the afternoon court session.
The process of picking a jury should be completed by the end of the day Friday, with opening statements in the trial set to begin Tuesday.
Murray, 58, is accused of administering propofol, a powerful anesthetic, to Jackson to help him sleep, then failing to properly monitor him.



No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...