Within an hour after Jackson was transported to nearby UCLA in Westwood, he was pronounced dead, and the mystery surrounding his untimely death became a homicide investigation by the LAPD. Now Dr. Conrad Murray, Jackson's former personal physician, is going on trial for charges relating to his patient’s death.
His sister La Toya Jackson and mother Katherine Jackson have both told the media that they believe the pop icon was murdered by people who wanted his successful musical catalog.
On Wednesday, July 20, Dr. Murray’s defense team went to court to try to delay the case from going to trial. They also argued before an L.A. County judge that the defense believes the jury should be sequestered. His defense team even pointed out several national TV hosts and shows that will follow the case and give their very biased opinions on television. As a result, the defense contends that their client will be blamed and convicted of a crime of which they claim he is not guilty. Dr. Murray’s attorneys argued that they do not want their jury to be held under the same scrutiny that the Casey Anthony jury in Orlando, Fla. had been subjected to.
Defense attorney Michael Flanagan also made arguments during the hearing that he wanted to exclude the 16-hour video tape evidence that the prosecution in the case wants to present to the jury, to prove their position that Jackson was not in bad health and had been very active in rehearsals preparing for the upcoming concert tour “This Is It.” The judge agreed to go to Sony Studios in Culver City and to watch the recordings before making a ruling on whether to allow or exclude the video tape into evidence in the trial. Flanagan argued that the video material is incomplete and that there were many hours not taped of Jackson during his rehearsal schedule, which they contend would prove their case that Jackson was addicted to drugs and not physically well. The defense further argues that the L.A. coroner’s ruling was incorrect and that the cause of death was not directly related to the treatment and drugs Dr. Murray was administering to Jackson. Murray’s defense attorney, Flanagan, is now against any footage being shown of Jackson's rehearsals to jurors. He said in part, “We believe his health is somewhat compromised, but he’s not displaying it on the video. It proves that even on his worst days he was very talented, and able to hide his health issues.”
In an almost surreal moment during the hearing on Wednesday, when Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor asked if Flanagan would want jurors sequestered around the clock during the trial, the lawyer immediately responded, “Every time Nancy Grace is on TV. We would like a decision made on the evidence that appears in this courtroom rather than commentary on the 'Nancy Grace' show.”
Judge Pastor said the courts, with a severe budget crisis, cannot afford to put up jurors at a hotel, and he thinks it is unnecessary. He also said it would be burdensome to jurors. With the O.J. Simpson double murder case being similar to this case, court watchers believe it could become a television bonanza and therefore bring added attention and pressure to everyone involved in this legal case.
Murray has pleaded not guilty to causing Jackson’s death on June 25, 2009 through an overdose of propofol and other sedatives. The case is expected to begin on September 8, when prospective jurors will begin to be questioned. The judge believes the case will be ready for opening statements by late September.
Michael Jackson courtesy: Link 81 Collection
