Doctor's trial may avoid Michael Jackson's past

[PureLove]

Doctor's trial may avoid Michael Jackson's past



(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 due this week.

While it is Dr. Conrad Murray, who will be on trial when attorneys are expected to start 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.

FINDING A JURY

As for choosing an impartial jury, legal experts say it will be impossible to find anyone who knows nothing of Jackson. Some will adore him, while others will abhor him. So attorneys will have to work to find the most unbiased jury possible under the circumstances.

"It's going to be like a Ouija board, it's going to be guess work," Goldman said.

Murray's defense team has filed a last minute appeal demanding that the jury be sequestered and asking for a halt to proceedings pending a ruling.

But Pastor said on Tuesday that jury selection would go ahead as planned "absent a mandate from the court of appeal staying proceedings."

Once a jury is selected, opening arguments are expected to begin the last week of September.

Jackson's family has faithfully attended all the court hearings in the case, with his mother, Katherine, 81, often sitting with his father, Joseph, 83.

The King of Pop's supporters also will be on hand, and if earlier hearings are any indication they will wear black as a sign of mourning over their fallen idol. At earlier court hearings, some fans hired a plane to fly a banner over the courthouse that read "Change charges to murder."

"If the jurors walk through, on the way to the courthouse, a massive amount of fans who are declaring the guilt of the defendant in the case, I find it hard to believe it won't have some impact," Goldman said.

But some trial watchers say the circus atmosphere that is expected outside the courthouse may, in fact, never materialize. Indeed, Jackson's fans failed to jam the streets of downtown Los Angeles during his 2009 memorial, as had been widely expected.

Laurie Levenson, a colleague of Goldman's at Loyola Law School, said she does not believe the proceedings will become anywhere near the public and media frenzy that accompanied the 1995 murder trial and acquittal of O.J. Simpson.

For one, the Grenada-born Murray is not a celebrity, just a doctor with patients in Nevada and Texas.

"We have a 'trial of the century' about every six months here in Los Angeles," Levenson said wryly.

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[hesouttamylife]

I wonder if being a professed believer is just cause to render one unqualifiable  as a potential juror? respect/

[bec]

But some trial watchers say the circus atmosphere that is expected outside the courthouse may, in fact, never materialize. Indeed, Jackson's fans failed to jam the streets of downtown Los Angeles during his 2009 memorial, as had been widely expected.

Laurie Levenson, a colleague of Goldman's at Loyola Law School, said she does not believe the proceedings will become anywhere near the public and media frenzy that accompanied the 1995 murder trial and acquittal of O.J. Simpson.

For one, the Grenada-born Murray is not a celebrity, just a doctor with patients in Nevada and Texas.

"We have a 'trial of the century' about every six months here in Los Angeles," Levenson said wryly.

That sounds like a challenge to me  8-)

[Grace]

There's so much opulence in the wording and scenery construction of this article that my only comment can be:

                                                    hilarious!!!

I hope they don't want the jury to walk into the courtroom like this:

[MJonmind]

They're trying very hard to convince themselves and readers that no one cares about MJ, that MJ is nobody important, and imply more than just drugs in Michael's past "dark" and "infamous" life.  No problem, they will be thoroughly proved wrong, wrong, wrong, and their real bias against MJ will be revealed!
 /toldya/

Grace, good pic!

[PureLove]

But some trial watchers say the circus atmosphere that is expected outside the courthouse may, in fact, never materialize.

Outside the courthouse? No no no, the real circus is INSIDE the courthouse. :lol:

[paula-c]

For one, the Grenada-born Murray is not a celebrity, just a doctor with patients in Nevada and Texas.

That gaze ....





















:lol:

[hesouttamylife]

I have a good mind to write to the courthouse and ask them why they have so many toys in the courtwoom lolol/  If it were Michael’s court, they would swear he placed them there to entice children.  What makes them beyond scrutiny?  /judge/

[PureLove]

For one, the Grenada-born Murray is not a celebrity, just a doctor with patients in Nevada and Texas.

That gaze ....





:lol:

:lol:

He is a superstar. He has fans. Which doctor is as famous as Murray?  lolol/

[TheMoonIsDancing]

I really can't wait for this trial because I believe that even Nancy Grace, who is infamous for being a radical, biased 'journalist', will show some respect on Michael's part. In this trial, Mike will be the victim. He is, after all, the deceased. It will not be like '05 trial where he was made to be some sort of freakish joke. The media may actually show some sympathy for him, and if they bring up his 'past' it will be a good thing. LETS AIR THIS OUT ONCE AND FOR ALL!! I'm not worried about what will be said. If they portray him as some drug dependent broken down man, it will bring up the question 'who the hell is supplying him all these drugs?' I know this has been said before that this is a possible sting operation to expose the elitist doctors who throw botox parties and inject celebrities with whatever drug cocktail they desire as long as the $$ is right, but it needs to be understood more deeply. In the past few years, we've lost some very well known stars to drug O.D.'s. And wouldn't his children be possible witnesses? They are the ones who spent every waking day with him. Couldn't they be an asset to the prosecution to prove once and for all that Michael was or is in fact NOT a painkiller addict? This trial will blow people's minds. Thats why everything is so sketchy. They had a lot of time to plan this, didn't they? Why does the date keep changing?! These are all questions that pollute my mind and I pray they will be solved so that the stress and worry can be lifted off my shoulders. And I pray that all of you find the same peace when this all begins to unravel. If this is in fact a hoax, I give this trial the first 2 weeks TOPS before jurors began to question their own sanity. They'll be members on this board when all is said and done. LOL!
In the meantime, I hope the wait has been worth while.